Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning, 2nd edition

• Seven strategies representing a coherent plan for implementing formative assessment practices in the classroom offer guidance on when to use which practice (introduced in Ch. 1).
• Chapter summaries of the research pertinent to the strategy addressed in that chapter help teachers link the practices directly to evidence of their efficacy.
• The necessity for clear learning targets and the “how to” for making them clear to students is presented in Chapter 2, with practical examples at all levels for all types of targets. Readers get important foundational work for preparing students to act on feedback, to self assess, ad to ensure the goals they set will lead to action that improves learning (Ch. 2).
• Principles of assessment literacy embedded throughout the book–plus references for further information about creating quality assessments–help readers see the assessment practices in context of the whole classroom assessment environment.
• “For Example” features embedded in each chapter cover a range of subject areas and grade levels, from K through high school and show how each concept is applied in the classroom.
• Margin cautions remind readers of things to be wary of, including typical problems to avoid and what to be sure to do.
• Two Research Snapshots summarize key studies of formative assessment practices and coverthe researchers’ hypothesis, who was involved, what they did, and what the researchers found.
• An explanation of each strategy in the context of selected response assessment, written response assessment, and performance assessment lets readers use the strategies with all of their intended learning targets and helps readers think more broadly about the instructional power of all assessment methods.
• Activities accompanying each chapter model the seven strategies and include opportunities for readers to receive feedback on their own work with the strategies; self assess their work; and track, reflect on, and share their learning progress and applications of the strategies.
• End-of-chapter activities focus readers’ attention on changes in students’ attitudes, behaviors, and achievement, moving the focus from solely what the teacher does to a focus on what happens in students as a result.

The Second Edition of this book remains grounded in the original research on which it was based, but includes a number of changes that feature more recent research, extend examples of the strategies, and make the text easier to use for collaborative learning.

• NEW! Additional, more recent research helps teachers better understand goal orientations, what makes an effective goal, how to diagnose student learning needs, the role of practice in improving learning, and more.
  • NEW! Added research examining goal orientations, their likely impact on student motivation, and their contribution to the establishment of a learning culture in the classroom helps readers understand the links between assessment and motivation, as well as Danielson’s framework for teaching domain “Culture for Learning” (Ch. 1).
  • NEW! Expanded research-based explanations of what makes an effective goal and what conditions need to be in place for students to commit to goals helps readers better prepare students to set goals that will lead to improved learning (Ch. 4).
  • NEW! Robust treatment of John Hattie’s research-based explanation about the importance of the “feedback loop” helps readers understand the need to plan for instructional interventions prior to assessing for a grade (Ch. 5).
  • NEW! In-depth explanations of how to diagnose student learning needs based on research on instructional traction of assessment items and tasks helps readers identify types of learning needs and plan appropriate instructional interventions for each student (Ch. 5).
  • NEW! Explanation of the role of practice in improving learning and characteristics of effective practice activities helps readers audit their own practice assignments against a set of research-based standards (Ch. 6).
• NEW! Extended examples of the strategies make the ideas and concepts come to life for teachers.
  • NEW! From the Classroom anecdotes feature teachers describing assessment strategies they use, the impact of these strategies on learning, and their students’ reactions to help readers better understand what happens to student behaviors, attitudes, and achievement as a result of changes in assessment practices.
  • NEW! Updated context and examples address current misconceptions about what formative assessment is and what makes it most effective (Ch. 1).
  • NEW! A new FAQ feature embedded throughout the text addresses misconceptions that practicing teachers commonly hold related to specific aspects of the assessment strategies discussed by calling out the misunderstanding and correcting it.
  • NEW! Expanded treatment of formative assessment problems related to grading issues helps reader rethink their grading practices within the framework of a set of conditions related to improving learning (Ch. 1).
  • Forty-three video clips of elementary, middle, and high school teachers using the strategies with students include classroom footage as well as interviews with teachers, students, administrators, and a parent to help readers see the teaching and assessment strategies in action and learn what practitioners say works and what doesn’t—while also gaining students’ perspectives on effective teaching and assessment practices.
  • NEW! Expanded treatment of what makes a rubric suited for formative use helps readers learn to engage informative assessment practices using rubrics (Ch. 2).
• NEW! Improved features make the text easier to use for collaborative learning, among them:
  • NEW! Learning targets at the beginning of each chapter and activities aligned to those targets at the end of each chapter help readers implement the strategies. They can be completed independently, as a part of a collaborative study team, or as a part of a university course.
  • NEW! Editable forms on the DVD for use with the end-of-chapter activities help readers immediately create applications of the strategies to use in their classrooms.
  • NEW! Guidance on setting up and conducting collaborative learning with the text in the context of partner learning, learning teams, in-service classes, and university classes offers step-by-step instructions for planning for and facilitating study of each chapter. Also covered are the materials needed to facilitate learning.