Using Formative Assessments to Improve the Achievement of All Students: Key Policy Questions and Practical Decisions (Parts I & II)

Presenters

Robert Anderson (Primary)

Senior Assessment Specialist
WestEd

Description

In this two-part interactive presentation, Robert Anderson, Senior Assessment Specialist at WestEd, will help participants gain a greater understanding of formative assessment, which is currently seen as a key component of district and school program improvement efforts, and as a powerful tool in the efforts to overcome achievement gaps and to ensure educational equity.

Participants are encouraged, but not required, to join both sessions. Signing up automatically registers them for both sessions along with sending them reminder messages for Parts I and II.

Part I — December 6, 2006, at 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time
This interactive presentation will define and describe formative assessment and the formative use of assessment results. The features of formative assessment that make it an extraordinarily powerful tool to increase student achievement will be identified. Key decisions about the development and choice of formative assessments and the appropriate use of formative assessment results will be explored. In addition, participants will examine key policy questions, including the appropriate roles of classroom teachers and school and district administrators in decision-making about formative assessments.

Part I Event Archive and Wizard
Please note that this archive combines streaming visual and audio over the Internet, so it requires running a DIFFERENT wizard test than for the live event. So, first go to archive wizard, to run the event the wizard.

After you run the archive wizard, click on this link Event Archive, and enter your name into the participant field, the archive should load on its own and begin to play within a few seconds.


Part II — December 13, 2006, at 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time
The key understandings developed in Part I will be restated in summary. This presentation will address the appropriate role of formative assessment results in local accountability and program improvement systems. Key practical decisions in this area will be identified, including: