Formative Assessments

Popham -1 - Implementing one of Popham's four "steps" should be regular and a part of the everyday classroom management edict. For instance, as instructor's collect evidence, they must decide whether to proceed, review, or change instruction; students use evidence of understanding to help them reroute thinking processes ro adjust learning procedures; and, depending on the climate of the classroom, both teachers and students should adjust assessment by using different types of checking for understanding and learning targets.

Popham 2 -- Traditional evidence-gathering tools often rely on tests -- selected response items (multiple choice, true false) or constructed responses (short answer or essay). In a typical classroom, learning is a three step process; teacher lectures, students memorize or read, students take test. Popham suggests an alternate approach.

Popham 3 -- One non-traditional approach suggested by Popham (pp 59+) is that of using higher level, or socratic questioning, to...
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