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Instant insights through formative assessment
At the November 2021 Global Insights EdTech Conference, a panel of University educators discussed the topic of student engagement and experience, with a firm emphasis on formative assessment and how it can best be used for the benefit of students. Vevox’s own Alan Duddy, Global Insitutional Sales Manager also participated and gave his views on the topic in addition to outlining how Vevox can be used to boost student engagement.
This blog will provide you with some top-tips that those participants gave during the presentation, however if you would like to watch the presentation in full, then you can do so by clicking below!
Lucian Tipi
Head of Teaching and Learning Enhancement, College of Business, Technology and Engineering, Sheffield Hallam University
We have launched a range of projects where we have reduced summative assessment considerably. We believe there’s more to formative activity than just an assessment – you have to allow students to build themselves up to the level required to take formative assessment and this is done through day to day teaching.
You have to make it clear to students what the relationship is between the formative and summative assessment. Creating the link between formative activity and the summative assessment is the key to success using this activity.
Andrew Wilson
TEL Analyst (Content Development), Northumbria University
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Formative assessment works best in small doses. Great for very quick knowledge checks, quizzes etc - build up ongoing knowledge which allows students to become aware that they do understand a topic or know what they need to work on.
You can also identify trends with data from formative assessment. Formative assessment is very key especially going forward in the hybrid working world.
Ian Whitehead
Academic Head of Online Learning & Professor of Modern History, University of Derby
It's important to have formative assessment to help students engage with their learning – especially when being taught hybrid.
Also, it's very Important that formative learning activities are building confidence, building skills, giving early points of feedback and a sense of engagement with the learning activity.
On campus I’ve found that students have really taken to in-class quizzes as a way of breaking up sessions.
Kevin Merry
Head of Academic Development & Associate Professor in Learning & Teaching, De Montfort University
The nice thing about formative assessment is that it allows us to release the shackles on the types of assessment methodology you can impose. Another great thing about formative assessment for us is that it gives students the ability to express and show their understanding of topics in ways that fit their needs.
Also, it allows students to remove any potential barriers from the assessment process which ultimately I believe supports engagement.
Whenever a student undertakes a piece of formative assessment it provides an outlet for feedback, which is an essential ingredient in learning.
Alan Duddy
Global Insitutional Sales Manager, Vevox
Formative assessment is there to help students identify their strengths and weaknesses.
The Q&A board function in Vevox can be left open which allows students to build out the discussion themselves - reinforcing knowledge gaps through inter-peer learning is key.
Co-creation is key, it's good to include students in re-designing services to meet their needs.
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