The Central Role of Assessment in Pedagogy

A research-informed dialogic-teaching approach to early secondary school mathematics and science: the pedagogical design and field trial of theepiSTEMeintervention

“…The widespread adoption of a broadly constructivist perspective on student learning and the recognition that students commonly develop alternative conceptions of scientific ideas has led to a focus on the need for teaching to be based on dialogic interactions that allow teachers to monitor, and seek to modify, aspects of students' developing conceptualisations (Scott 1998). Dialogic talk has therefore come to be seen as core feature of science teaching that incorporates formative assessment, that is ongoing teacher assessment of thinking intended to support intended learning during teaching (Black and Atkin 2014). Scott, Mortimer, and Aguiar (2006) point out that any form of multispeaker classroom discourse can be regarded as dialogic, in a weaker sense, inasmuch as utterances take account of previous contributions and anticipate the responses of others.…”

Classroom assessment and pedagogy

“…In terms of the focus of this paper, what is notable in almost all of this literature on pedagogy is that assessment receives scant attention (Black & Atkin, 2014), and it is this lack of attention to assessment that we seek to address. Our argument is that any examination of pedagogy that does not take into account the various kinds of assessment processes that are used in educational settings-or does not explicitly analyse such processes as assessmentcan at best provide only a partial explanation of what is going on.…”

Emphasizing Learning: Using Standards-Based Grading in a Large Nonmajors’ General Chemistry Survey Course

“…1 In addition, while summative assessments (evaluations at the end of a course or learning sequence) provide a grade, course assessments should also promote and improve student learning. 3,4 Frequently general chemistry courses are "service courses" 5 for other STEM or STEM-related majors. As a result, success in general chemistry is connected to students' persistence and retention in nonchemistry STEM majors.…”

“…‘What do I have to do to pass this course?’ This question demonstrates the divide between students and faculty in their understanding of what a grade does or should mean; students often believe grades reflect effort more than faculty who focus on performance. , Though faculty may want grades to reflect the level of chemistry understanding, many students believe doing all the work should constitute at least a C in a course . In addition, while summative assessments (evaluations at the end of a course or learning sequence) provide a grade, course assessments should also promote and improve student learning. , …”

“…Assessment is an important part of teaching and learning because most people, not just students, are not good at knowing what they do not know . Formative assessments can help students and their instructors identify knowledge gaps or misunderstandings to focus learning and effort; for deep learning to occur, it is the students who must have the metacognitive skills to frequently reflect and assess their learning. , In describing how assessment can be a part of effective pedagogy, Black and Atkin argue informal summative assessments (i.e., an end of section exam or assignment rather than formal summative assessments like final exams) are used formatively in effective classroom settings. However, if instructors and students view exams as only summative rather than potentially as both formative and summative, then the focus also shifts to completion of the work, doing the exam for the grade, rather than using it to identify strengths and weakness for continued learning.…”