Amplifying Student Agency with Formative Assessment

“At the heart of formative assessment is a belief in the students and the communities that we partner with and their ability as a system to learn and grow. This idea that learning is for all of us is something that’s central to our belief system. That learning is something that we share as humanity — a desire to learn, a desire to grow, and a desire to learn from one another.”

In this episode, Nancy Gerzon, Franchesca Warren, and Cali Kaminsky, all experts with WestEd’s Formative Insights, discuss how schools and districts can amplify student agency and identity through formative assessment policies and practices.

Nancy Gerzon is Project Director for WestEd's Formative Insights team. She has been at the forefront of developing scalable approaches to teacher-led learning and formative assessment. Professional Learning Specialist Franchesca Warren leads work that builds teacher and student capacity for strategic impact and increased agency. Senior Program Associate Cali Kaminsky supports large-scale projects that grow teacher and leader agency through formative assessment.

With host Danny Torres, they explore:

• What is formative assessment and how it relates to student agency
• The research behind formative assessment policies and practices
• How formative assessment looks in the classroom
• The importance of diversity of thought in the learning process
• Implementation barriers
• The crucial role of education leaders
• The importance of culturally responsive and sustainable education

Learn more about WestEd’s Formative Insights services.

Transcript

Resources

• Formative Insights Website and Video Collection
• Ambitious Teaching and Equitable Assessment: A Vision for Prioritizing Learning, Not Testing By Lorrie A. Shepard (American Educator, Fall 2021)
• Defining Formative Assessment (Brief)
• The Power of Evidence Use in Formative Assessment (Brief)
• Amplifying Student Agency Through Formative Assessment (Blog)
• Formative Insights Named a Top Education Innovation in Formative Assessment (News)

Follow the Formative Insights Team on Twitter: @FormativInsight