Formative Assessment in PBLA

Formative assessment, also called assessment for learning, is an ongoing process of collecting feedback on student learning throughout 
a course of study. This feedback informs learners about their learning progress to date and how they can improve, while also informing instructors how to better understand learners’ needs and adjust their instruction to meet them. Formative assessment practices and strategies help learners recognize their strengths and weaknesses, take responsibility for their progress and become more self-directed learners. In addition to skill-using tasks and assessment, it includes self- and peer- assessment as well as learner reflections, which also provide opportunities for learners to engage with and take control of their own learning. A quick synopsis of these concepts can be found in this video by Dylan Wiliam.

In PBLA, instructors administer skill-using and assessment tasks frequently throughout the course, based on skills learned and practiced in skill-building tasks. These give instructors an idea of learner progress to date, to allow for adaptations in instruction responding to learner needs. You can give feedback that responds to specific criteria, allowing learners to know exactly where they need to improve and to make progress. This improves learner performance, engagement and motivation. 



Key assessment for learning strategies identified in the PBLA Practice Guidelines are:

• ensuring that learning intents and criteria for success are clear 
• making sure that classroom and online activities elicit evidence of learning 
• using clear, action-oriented feedback that moves learners forward 
• giving learners the opportunity to be instructional resources for themselves and each other 
• allowing learners the opportunity to take ownership of their own learning

Key components of formative assessment, such as the concept of engaged self-directed learning, may be new and therefore challenging for some learners to apply, regardless of their CLB level. You may need to be patient and persistent in explaining and using formative assessment tools and strategies regularly. Introducing and explaining formative assessment tools to Stage I learners may be even more challenging. You can support Stage I learners as they build understanding of this approach with visuals in the needs assessments, time and space to become familiar with aspects of self-reflection, and practice with self-assessment and peer-assessment.