Preparing Teachers to Make the Formative Assessment Process Integral to Science Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Formative assessment provides a means to successfully scaffold learning. Unfortunately, few teachers understand the pedagogical implications of such scaffolding or their role in utilizing formative assessments. The purpose of our study was to develop an understanding of the experience of being a teacher that is seeking to improve learning through formative assessment and using that understanding to improve our practices in teacher education. Three categories emerged from the data analysis: (1) questioning the validity of tacit pedagogical understandings, (2) understanding the experiences of the students, and (3) exploring the need to develop a more reflexive classroom. The findings from this study are useful for persons seeking to prepare teachers to guide science learning.