Flexible formative assessments: How to keep exam preparation focused on learning

Quizzes are a tried-and-true way to prepare students for higher-stakes exams, but do they allow you to assess the progress of students’ learning? To ensure her students’ learning is on track, which in this case means thinking critically about the immune system, Dr. Jasmin Chahal has her students design concept maps, draw cartoon diagrams, and write problem-solving exam questions. In this episode, we learn about the flexible and creative formative assessments Jasmin gives her students, which allow them both to show their learning in different ways and to prepare for their exams. Jasmin also shares insights into coordinating with TAs and clearly communicating expectations with her students in a large science course. We learned about this practice from a former student of Dr. Chahal’s who has continued to use some of these strategies throughout her undergraduate studies!  

View the transcript.