Supporting Preservice Teachers' Formative Assessment Practices Using Learning Progressions

• In Event: Assessment in the Higher Education Context

Abstract

This study examines learning progressions (LPs) as support for formative assessment practices (eliciting, interpreting, and responding to student ideas) in a practice-focused methods course for pre-service secondary science teachers (PSSTs). We analyze PSSTs’ planning and enactment of formative assessment practices for three Ambitious Science Teaching “microteaching” lessons supported by LP-focused class sessions. Our data include PSSTs’ written planning and reflection assignments and video-recordings of microteaching and individual interviews. PSSTs used LPs and/or LP-based class activities to elicit and interpret student ideas, attending to a wide variety of ideas, even while focusing on those highlighted in the LPs. We describe how PSSTs could use LPs more effectively for formative assessment, particularly for the responding practice, suggesting additional strategies for teacher education.

Author

• Alicia C. Alonzo, Michigan State University