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formative assessment

for·ma·tive as·sess·ment

/ˈfôrmədiv/ /əˈsesmənt/

Noun

In-process evaluations to assess comprehension, learning needs, and academic progress. Formative assessments help teachers (and learners) identify deficiencies in understanding and skills and point to areas where additional practice and/or instruction is needed. These can be graded or ungraded and often include self-checks, low stakes quizzes, exit slips, polling, 1-minute reflections, etc.

Using Infographics as an Assessment Strategy

Infographic on bringing the farm to school.

Credit: USDA Farm to School Census Infographic, Creative Commons license CC BY 2.0

The concept of presenting information in a visual format is not new. In fact, you may remember that ancient Egyptians used hieroglyphs as a visual form of communication. However, the use of information graphics (also referred to as infographics) in teaching and learning strategies still appears to be an emerging practice.

Encouraging Durable Learning with Retrieval Practice

hand with index finger pointing up with red yarn tied in a bow around it.

Retrieval Practice is the "act of calling information to mind rather than simply rereading, re-listening, or passively studying it. The idea is to produce 'an effort from within' to induce better retention" (Roediger and Butler, 2011).

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