Using scaffolding strategies to improve formative assessment practice in higher education

Abstract

Putting the ideas of formative assessment to practice in a classroom is hard for a teacher, especially when this teacher wants to adapt education to gathered information of student performance. This study aimed to increase teachers’ classroom adaptivity by providing a small training program for teachers in higher education. In the training program teacher adaptivity was concretized through the use of scaffolding strategies. A quasi-experimental design was used where students were asked about their teachers’ adaptivity before and after the training program took place. Results show that there is no significant difference in adaptivity scores within the group that received the training. Interestingly, in the posttest there is a significant difference between the groups that did and did not receive the training, which is mainly caused by a decrease in adaptivity scores of the group that did not receive the training. The repeated-measures design might have been the reason why this difference occurred. Concerning the training program itself, teachers were enthusiastic and saw the added benefit of using scaffolding strategies in the program. Further research might provide additional insight in the value of using scaffolding strategies in formative assessment practice.