Developing Teacher Candidates' Formative Assessment Practices: Linking Mathematics Teaching to Assessing Student Thinking

Background

Researchers have found that shifting from assessment of learning to assessment for learning can have a significant impact on student outcomes (Black & Wiliam, 1998a, 1998b; Heritage, 2013, 2016; Wiliam, 2009). One classroom instantiation of the assessment for learning paradigm is Black and William’s (1998a, 1998b) conceptualization of formative assessment. The formative assessment cycle involves teachers in (1) assessing students’ current level of understanding, (2) identifying a clear goal for students, and (3) planning a path to reach the goal (Black & Wiliam 1998a, 1998b; Chappuis, 2007; Wiliam, 2009). The mathematics education community has also championed this focus on assessment for learning. For example, the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM, 1995) argued that teachers, as assessors and users of student learning, must shift from “telling students what to do” toward “questioning and listening” in order to elicit useful information about student understanding. In the following, the authors detail the skills that mathematics education researchers have identified as vital for teachers in relation to planning for and implementing formative assessment practices (see Figure 1 for an overview). The section ends with a discussion of why these skills can be challenging for teacher candidates to learn and implement during their teacher preparation programs. This research base guided the authors as they designed the initiative presented herein.