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Research shows formative assessments substantially strengthen learning and support summative assessment/evaluation practices. These practices are not widely applied in ATE's professional development (PD) efforts. This study focuses on participant teachers' assessment involvement to increase student learning and enhance outcome evaluations. We surveyed all principal investigators of ATE projects in 2022 who applied assessments in their 2021 PD efforts (N=70). Findings show that a minority of PD efforts apply formative assessment practices to strengthen PD outcomes or meet ATE's evaluation specifications. Assessment practices were most prevalent for summative purposes at the close of PD activity; a large majority assessed teachers' interest and learning in the PD and their intentions to use and teach what was learned on return to their classrooms. A third or less followed up to assess outcomes in teachers' schools. Similarly, thirty percent or less addressed matters of context at any stage of the PD efforts, and a few, 11 percent, followed up to assess the context in the schools. Concomitantly, the findings show where and how attention to formative assessment in the PD learning process can increase teacher involvement in assessment practices, making PD instruction more effective and strengthening outcome evaluations in participant teachers' home classrooms.
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CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTS BUILDING TOWARDS STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENTS
Administrators, educators, and stakeholders have faced the dilemma of determining the most effective type of data for informing instruction for quite some time (Pella, 2015). While the type of standardized assessment a teacher gives during instruction is often set at the district or state level, teachers often have autonomy in the formative and summative assessments that serve as the day-to-day tools in assessing a student’s progress (Abrams et al., 2016). Choices about in-class assessment and instruction are building blocks towards a student’s success on standardized assessments. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study is to explore how 4th-8th grade math teachers’ preparation and instructional practices are influenced by the types of assessments administered to their students in one school. Research questions are as follows: (a) How do 4th-8th grade math teachers describe the math assessments they use? (b) How do 4th-8th grade math teachers adjust their instructional practices as a result of their students completing formative, summative, and standardized math assessments?
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- Award ID(s):
- 1720646
- PAR ID:
- 10333493
- Editor(s):
- Olanoff, D; Johnson, K.; Spitzer, S
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Psychology of Mathematics Education North American
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 117-118
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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