Browsing by Subject "Formative Assessment"
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Item K-12 Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) in a Rural School District on the High Plains of Texas: Mechanism for Teacher Support of Innovative Formative Assessment and Instruction with Technology (iFAIT)(2013-05-06) Talkmitt, Marcia J.The purpose of this study was to explore the evolution of collaborative practices of PLCs as they emerge when using technology based formative assessment via iFAIT or innovative Formative Assessment with Instruction and Technology developed by the researcher using audience response systems and the online data compiler, Eduphoria!. This study used sequential explanatory mixed methods to address the problems that schools face when implementing technology based formative assessments to improve instruction and student achievement. A survey administered in September 2012 and again in December 2012 provided a measure of teacher use of formative assessments, technology use in formative assessments, and perceptions of teachers using the PLC as a mechanism of support for technology based formative assessment. Training was facilitated by the researcher as PLCs worked together to develop, administer, and interpret formative assessments. Teacher interviews were conducted, and the study ended with the administration of the December 2012 survey and open-response questions for further qualitative analysis. Quantitative data analysis was completed using ANOVAs to determine if there were significant differences of teacher groups (subject taught, grade level taught, and years of teaching experience) use of iFAIT. This data analysis also included measures of frequency and paired sample t tests between the September and December 2012 responses. Qualitative data was analyzed using hand coding, word clouds, and WordSmith Tools. The triangulation of qualitative data in the quantitative data provided a narrative to document what collaborative factors affected the use of iFAIT. For school improvement and implementation of iFAIT, the study revealed that (1) with the right technology infrastructure, on-going professional development must be offered by administrators or sought after by teachers; (2) teachers must have strong beliefs in formative assessment and the technology that supports it; (3) open lines of communication must be supported through the PLC and administration; (4) teachers must see purpose in using revealing student data to drive instruction; and (5) PLCs must have common beliefs and believe that student achievement is connected to school improvement. PLCs should discuss data, share successes, and plan instruction through extended involvement in face-to-face and online venues as communities of practice.Item Towards a culture of caring: formative assessment interactions to improve teaching and learning for developmental studies students in a community college(2009-05-15) Morales-Vale, SuzanneThe purpose of this study was to understand how formative assessment interactions in developmental education reading, writing, and mathematics courses at a community college were experienced by both students and faculty members and how they were perceived to impact learning and teaching. The specific assessment technique studied involved a series of one-on-one, out-of-class Feedback Intervention (FI) interactions that focused on discussions regarding students? strengths and weaknesses in relation to their course learning outcomes. In using a case study approach, I interviewed students and faculty members in focus group and individual settings. Using constant-comparative qualitative analysis, I examined their perceptions in order to better understand the impact student-faculty interactions had on students? learning and faculty members? teaching experiences. Questionnaires were also used to corroborate findings. The following research questions were used: (1) What are the contexts and learning experiences of developmental studies students? (2) How has formative assessment, specifically out-of-class interactions with their instructors, affected perceptions of their learning experiences? (3) How have these interactions affected developmental studies faculty members? perceptions about their teaching? When I considered the overall impact of the student-faculty interactions, one overarching theme emerged: the FI interaction did have a positive impact on learning, and to a lesser degree, teaching. This theme was supported through two main findings related to learning: the interaction increased students? motivation to learn and improved their learning strategies. In regards to teaching, the main finding was that facilitation of the FI interaction affected faculty members in that they became more learner-centered in their teaching strategies and methodologies. These findings confirmed a connective, dynamic learning process for both students and faculty members.