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Reasons for teachers' successful development of a formative assessment practice through professional development: a motivation perspective
Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Science and Mathematics Education. Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Umeå Mathematics Education Research Centre (UMERC).ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8738-8639
Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Science and Mathematics Education. Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Umeå Mathematics Education Research Centre (UMERC).ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0895-8232
2018 (English)In: Assessment in education: Principles, Policy & Practice, ISSN 0969-594X, E-ISSN 1465-329X, Vol. 25, no 6, p. 576-597Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Formative assessment has been shown to have the potential to significantly enhance student achievement, but a strong research base about how to support teachers to implement such a practice is lacking. This is particularly so for a conceptualisation of formative assessment as a unity of integrated formative assessment strategies. The aim of this study is to investigate why the mathematics teachers who participated in a successful professional development programme in formative assessment developed their formative classroom practice to such an extent that it had a significant impact on student achievement. An analysis of data from teacher questionnaires and interviews shows that the teachers' actions can be explained by expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation. Characteristics of the professional development programme that the teachers experienced as important for their development of a formative classroom practice are identified, and the characteristics' affordances for the development of the teachers' expectancy and value beliefs are discussed.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Routledge, 2018. Vol. 25, no 6, p. 576-597
Keywords [en]
Formative assessment, assessment for learning, professional development, motivation, expectancy-value theory
National Category
Pedagogical Work
Research subject
didactics of mathematics; educational work
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-102340DOI: 10.1080/0969594X.2018.1430685ISI: 000457093000003Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85041599513OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-102340DiVA, id: diva2:807498
Funder
Riksbankens Jubileumsfond
Note

Originally included in thesis in manuscript form

Available from: 2015-04-23 Created: 2015-04-23 Last updated: 2023-03-24Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Professional development in formative assessment: effects on teacher classroom practice and student achievement
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Professional development in formative assessment: effects on teacher classroom practice and student achievement
2015 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

The potential of formative assessment, evident in several research reviews, has raised the interest in many countries to invest in reform initiatives to develop its use. However, implementation of formative assessment is not straightforward and there is a lack of knowledge about how to design appropriate professional development. The intervention study presented in this thesis aimed to see if a random selection of teachers, participating in a professional development program with many contact hours and substantial support of an expert, implemented formative assessment in a way that increased their students’ learning in mathematics. It also aimed to examine the reasons for the teachers’ changes in their classroom practice.

The twenty-two year 4 teachers attended a professional development program in formative assessment in mathematics. A mixed methods approach used classroom observations, teacher interviews, questionnaire surveys and student mathematics tests to investigate the effects on teacher classroom practice and student achievement.

It was found that the teachers trained in formative assessment built on their previous formative classroom practice and added new formative assessment activities into their mathematics classroom practice to a level that had significant impact on student achievement in mathematics (p = .036, d = .66). The teachers developed their formative assessment practice in three dimensions: key processes in teaching and learning, agents in the classroom, and the length of the formative assessment cycle.

The reasons for teachers ́ implementation of new formative assessment activities were well explained by the expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation. Important aspects of the professional development program were: (1) A formative and process-oriented character; (2) Activities directly useable in classrooms; (3) Experience of using formative assessment activities; (4) Connection between theory and practice; (5) Time; and (6) Knowledgeable support.

The thesis shows that it was possible to provide sufficient support to a random selection of teachers for them to develop their formative assessment practice in a way that improved student achievement. However, this thesis also indicates that it can be expected that teachers would need substantial time and support to achieve such developments in their classroom practice.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Umeå: Umeå universitet, 2015. p. 113
Series
Doktorsavhandlingar i pedagogiskt arbete, ISSN 1650-8858 ; 1650-8858
Keywords
formative assessment, mathematics education, professional development, teacher education, student achievement
National Category
Pedagogical Work
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-102394 (URN)978-91-7601-256-7 (ISBN)
Public defence
2015-05-22, Naturvetarhuset, N320, Umeå universitet, Umeå, 13:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2015-04-30 Created: 2015-04-23 Last updated: 2018-06-25Bibliographically approved

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Andersson, CatarinaPalm, Torulf

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