Summary
This article provides an overview of the importance of formative assessment and its benefits. It also highlights the various formative assessment tools available in the market.
Online education and learning have been growing steadily since the pandemic. Despite schools and learning institutions returning to physical learning, online learning initiatives are still making an impact and will only continue to grow further.
As per research, the global e-learning market size is expected to be $278 billion in 2023 and grow at a CAGR of 13% to reach $462.6 billion by 2027. In this evolving landscape, teaching and assessment have undergone tremendous change.
Formative assessments have been gaining momentum, a dynamic process involving online mechanisms to test and provide real-time feedback. Due to their several benefits, they are now part of mainstream education, making learning more simplified and effective.
Table of Contents:
- What is Formative Assessment?
- Importance of Formative Assessment
- Top 10 Formative Assessment Tools
- Conclusion
What is Formative Assessment?
Within the realm of education, formative assessment is an ongoing practice that monitors and assesses a student’s learning progress and comprehension throughout a course.
Unlike summative assessment, which is administered at the end of a learning period and provides a final grade or evaluation of the student’s learning, formative assessment can be conducted regularly. It seeks to enlighten the teacher and the student about the student’s present level of understanding and areas in need of improvement.
Some formative assessment examples include interactive quizzes, multiple choice questions (MCQs), assignments, or group projects, which help students put their understanding to the test.
This type of assessment provides valuable feedback to both the student and the teacher, which can be utilized to adjust and improve the learning experience.
Importance of Formative Assessment
Here are some key reasons why it is crucial for learning:
1. Real-Time Student Assessment
Formative assessment is like the GPS for learning. It helps students put their learning to the test and get instant feedback.
It’s all about the journey of learning, not just the destination. This ensures that they receive timely feedback and understand areas of improvement.
2. Improved Student Engagement
By getting real-time inputs into students’ learning and areas of improvement, teachers can ensure they provide iterative feedback.
Thus, students are more likely to stay focused and participate actively in class while their gaps or doubts get resolved in time.
3. Reduction In Achievement Gaps
Formative assessment can help identify achievement gaps among students early on. Teachers can then implement strategies to bridge these gaps, ensuring that all students have an opportunity to succeed.
Also Read: 10 Best Digital Assessment Tools That Are Useful for Both Students As Well As Teachers
4. Continuous Development
Since formative assessments use interactive quizzes and gamified learning mechanisms for teaching, they create a continuous learning and improvement culture.
Teachers, too, are encouraged to reflect on their teaching methods, seek professional development, and adapt to the evolving needs of their students.
5. Enhanced Teacher-Student Relationships
Regular interactions through formative assessment build stronger teacher-student relationships. Students feel supported and valued, which can positively impact their overall educational experience.
Top 10 Formative Assessment Tools
Here is a look at some of the top formative assessment tools that can be a great addition to your curriculum:
1. Hurix Digital
Hurix Digital offers a versatile platform for formative assessments, allowing educators to create and deliver interactive assessments, quizzes, and surveys to gauge student understanding and adapt instruction accordingly.
These assessments can easily sync with its end-to-end teaching platform, making it ideal for educational institutions and workplace learning.
- Why it’s on the list: Hurix Digital stands out for its versatility in creating interactive assessments, quizzes, and surveys. It provides real-time data analytics for teachers and offers a one-stop solution for learning needs.
- Key Features: Easy customization, real-time reporting, multimedia-rich content, end-to-end assessment, and learning content management.
2. Kahoot!
Kahoot! is a popular gamified learning platform that makes formative assessment engaging.
Teachers can use it to create fun quizzes, surveys, and challenges to assess student knowledge while promoting active participation.
- Why it’s on the list: Kahoot! adds an element of fun to formative assessment with gamified quizzes and challenges, making learning engaging.
- Key Features: Gamified quizzes, pre-made content library, engagement-focused.
3. Socrative
Socrative is a simple yet interactive classroom response system that enables real-time formative assessment through quizzes, polls, and exit tickets.
It provides instant feedback for teachers and students and is widely used in K-12 and higher educational institutions.
- Why it’s on the list: Ideal option for secure and anonymous formative assessment options, ensuring students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts.
- Key Features: Anonymous feedback, secure polling, and discussion boards.
4. Google Classroom Question Tool
Part of the Google Classroom framework, Ask a Question, is a feature that allows teachers to get quick feedback from all students.
Educators can pose questions to students, view their responses, and provide feedback within the Google Classroom environment, streamlining the assessment process.
- Why it’s on the list: It seamlessly incorporates formative assessment into Google Classroom, the popular education platform.
- Key Features: Easy integration, real-time responses, and all Google Classroom features.
5. Quizizz
Quizizz offers a gamified approach to formative assessment with a vast library of user-generated quizzes. It engages students with competitive elements while providing valuable insights into their progress.
- Why it’s on the list: Quizizz combines formative assessment with a competitive twist, fostering engagement and motivation among students.
- Key Features: Gamified quizzes, detailed feedback, student-paced mode.
6. Mentimeter
Mentimeter is a versatile presentation and polling tool that facilitates interactive formative assessment.
Educators can create polls, quizzes, and surveys to gauge student comprehension during lessons or presentations.
- Why it’s on the list: It provides a unique blend of formative assessment and presentation capabilities, enhancing interactive learning.
- Key Features: Interactive presentations, real-time polls, and data tracking.
7. TestGorilla
A popular pre-employment assessment tool, TestGorilla has a range of customizable assessments that teachers can use to create their quizzes.
This includes projects and scenario-based questions to test students’ learning in a real-world environment.
- Why it’s on the list: TestGorilla focuses on pre-employment assessments and skills testing, making it valuable for evaluating candidates’ suitability for various roles.
- Key Features: Pre-employment assessments, customizable tests, ready-to-use templates, and candidate evaluations.
8. ASSISTments
ASSISTments is an educational platform focusing on maths assessment and providing real-time student feedback through actionable learning data.
It allows students to respond to questions or prompts via short video clips, fostering engagement and communication.
- Why it’s on the list: ASSISTments empower educators to create, assign, and grade formative assessments, offering detailed reports for tailored instruction.
- Key Features: Assignment creation, detailed reports, student progress tracking.
9. Flip
Flip is a free app by Microsoft that allows students to respond to questions or prompts via short video clips, fostering engagement and communication.
This is ideal for in-classroom assessment, where teachers can assess students on particular lessons and provide interactive projects in groups or stand-alone.
- Why it’s on the list: Flip utilizes video discussions for formative assessment, promoting engagement and communication among students.
- Key Features: Video responses, discussion boards, engagement-focused.
10. Formative
As the name suggests, Formative is a tool designed to create formative assessments. Educators can create assignments, quizzes, and polls, and students can complete them online, enabling real-time feedback and data analysis.
- Why it’s on the list: The best part is that the tool can easily blend in with your other educational platforms, making it a trusted add-on for most educational institutions.
- Key Features: Customizable assessments, real-time feedback, and analytics.
Also Read: Exploring the Potential of Digital Assessment Tools in Education
Conclusion
Formative assessment is an invaluable asset in the world of education and is already helping to make learning more interactive and engaging. With digital formative assessment tools readily available for classrooms, teachers can now adapt their teaching methodologies to incorporate more real-time and gamified feedback.
This adaptability, combined with a focus on individualized support and a deeper understanding of the subject matter, enables students to thrive and learn effectively.
So, embrace the power of these tools, explore their features, and transform your classroom into a hub of dynamic, personalized learning experiences for all students with Hurix Digital. We offer a complete e-learning solution for classrooms, making us a one-stop solution for all formative and summative assessments. Get in touch with us now.
