Formative Assessment and Science Education documents the findings of
a research project which investigated the ways in which teachers and
students used formative assessment to improve the teaching and learning
of science in some New Zealand classrooms. The research documented in
this book used the definition of formative assessment as `the process
used by teachers and students to recognise and respond to students'
learning, in order to enhance that learning, during the learning'.
The book contains one detailed case study from the research, as well as
cameos of instances of formative assessment. The book also contains two
summaries of the research findings - a model developed to describe the
process of formative assessment used by the teachers and students
involved in the research, and a summary of the characteristics of
formative assessment. The findings are also theorised with respect to
sociocultural and discursive views of learning.
This research will be of interest to graduate students and researchers,
as well as teacher educators, curriculum developers, and assessment
specialists.