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Transformative Assessment
Testing expert W. James Popham cuts through the jargon and the hype to provide the definitive nuts-and-bolts introduction to formative assessment, a process with the power to completely transform teaching and learning. In his inimitable style, Popham explains the research supporting formative assessment's effectiveness and why familiarity with this research is the key to preserving both teacher sanity and district funds. You'll find step-by-step guidance on how to build frameworks for formative assessment and how to carry out each of the process's four teachers' instructional adjustments, students' learning tactic adjustments, a classroom climate shift, and schoolwide implementation. This book is the place to start for educators considering formative assessment, curious about why their school system is embracing formative assessment, or wondering why the "formative assessments" they're using now aren't producing the desired results. Here, you'll learn what formative assessment is and isn't, what it can do and what it can't, and the practical way to reap its very real better teaching and better learning.
150 pages, Paperback
First published April 3, 2008
7 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 24, 2013
Assessing not for grades but for feedback to the teacher and to the student about how the learning is progressing. The book, like many ed. books is mostly anecdotal and is one short paper that has been stretched to a short book, but I have been getting on the formative (as opposed to summative) evaluation train lately. Author's key suggestions:
1. figure out where along the learning objective trajectory (and make these learning objectives explicit to your students) you should place formative assessments
2. predetermine a triggering threshold of performance on the formative assessment below which you force yourself to change/revisit what you are doing
3. train your students to use their own performance to adjust, as needed, their learning/studying techniques.
Having said that the book is mostly anecdotal, is it true that the book briefly outlines a few large studies of the impact of formative assessments on student learning (which have been very positive, especially when compared to other fad-like pedagogical devices).
1. figure out where along the learning objective trajectory (and make these learning objectives explicit to your students) you should place formative assessments
2. predetermine a triggering threshold of performance on the formative assessment below which you force yourself to change/revisit what you are doing
3. train your students to use their own performance to adjust, as needed, their learning/studying techniques.
Having said that the book is mostly anecdotal, is it true that the book briefly outlines a few large studies of the impact of formative assessments on student learning (which have been very positive, especially when compared to other fad-like pedagogical devices).
April 25, 2016
This is a good reference book for those redesigning assessment practices in their classrooms and schools. It is quite dry...boring....and I didn't find the humorous comments made by the author because I was probably skimming due to lack of interest. I do see that this is a book to refer to when writing units and wanting to include transformative assessment; it is quite clear regarding how to do that. I guess this book really wasn't meant to read through from cover to cover. Use it for ideas, read it in parts - you may get more out of the book this way.
July 2, 2015
there are good nuggets in here but this is one boring book.
October 28, 2009
What Popham added in this book about formative assessments, as far as I'm concerned, is the element of student responsibility--that formative assessment informs a student's choice of learning strategies to apply in given situations. The success of this is reliant on a student's trust of a teacher--that a teacher is invested in having all kids succeed; that a teacher is using formative assessments to adjust instruction, and not to sort kids into the good, the bad, and the ugly; and that a "teacher is genuinely seeking kids' collaboration in assuming responsibility for their own learning." That last one is huge, especially in the current condition of huge external expectations for measurable results, NOW.
September 20, 2012
This is a brief overview of how to apply formative assessment to teaching. I felt like in trying to do an overview, Popham sells a few areas short. He devotes a brief chapter to tweaking instruction based on formative assessment, and I would have liked this to be more significant, with more examples, and maybe some better models and case studies.
This is highly classroom-focused, assuming long-term instruction. I can still apply a few bits to the library instruction that I do, but it is less applicable. (To be fair, it wasn't written for librarians!)
I did appreciate the way this overview was couched within the wider world of assessment and learning theory. That helped to also understand when formative assessment may not be the best choice.
This is highly classroom-focused, assuming long-term instruction. I can still apply a few bits to the library instruction that I do, but it is less applicable. (To be fair, it wasn't written for librarians!)
I did appreciate the way this overview was couched within the wider world of assessment and learning theory. That helped to also understand when formative assessment may not be the best choice.
December 16, 2015
The strength of this book is how Popham structures formative assessment for classroom teachers and school leaders. He creates a clear progression from teacher-led to student-driven formative assessment. It could have benefited from some vignettes of teachers using this in the classroom (which Popham provides in his follow up to this text). This is a recommended resource for classrooms, buildings, and districts looking to embed formative assessment into daily instruction.
June 9, 2022
I love this author’s point of view on assessment and use of voice in this book. It’s an education book that’s an easy and entertaining read that states how powerful assessment can be in the classroom when used effectively.
November 1, 2008
I love reading James Popham. However, I was not sure who his audience was supposed to be for this book. To me, it read as if a veteran, master teacher was reflecting on some of the many nuances involved in natural and excellent teaching. However, if you were a novice teacher, I don't think you could relate to what he is talking about. And if you were a veteran, master teacher, I don't think you would learn anything new. Maybe it was meant for the teacher in-between??
October 24, 2014
Yes, a job book.
I have to give Popham credit--he realizes that his topic can be as dry as last week's blueberry muffins, so he tries to throw in some humor.
But at the heart, some great ideas about what assessment can and should be--but beware, it's VERY content driven, which is something that modern ed is shying away from, but the ideas are transcendent.
I have to give Popham credit--he realizes that his topic can be as dry as last week's blueberry muffins, so he tries to throw in some humor.
But at the heart, some great ideas about what assessment can and should be--but beware, it's VERY content driven, which is something that modern ed is shying away from, but the ideas are transcendent.
Read
July 25, 2009I loved this book!!!! I use it!
September 10, 2012
This book was a really helpful tool in helping me improve my unit planning practice. I am using a lot of ideas from it--especially regarding the importance of "learning progressions."
Want to read
June 22, 2009Highly recommended by experienced teachers, but I haven't read yet.
May 24, 2015
A very easy read, full of good information, and applicable to school leaders.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews