Using Formative Assessment to Improve Student Outcomes in the Classroom

"Formative assessment--the process of interpretating data on student performance to adapt instruction to individual needs--is perhaps the single most powerful tool available to teachers to help every student succeed to their full potential."

With that bold statement, Michael W. Connell sets out to unpack formative assessment--what it is, how it works, and why it is so essential for learner growth. He shows how to incorporate it into different teaching methods and settings, such as flipped classrooms, programmed instruction, and more. The goal: to provide the benefits of individualized instruction even in group settings.

Michael W. Connell, EdD, is an educational designer, researcher, and consultant who works at the interface of academic research and classroom practice. He has served as a faculty member at Harvard, Dartmouth, and the University of Texas. For decades he has written, spoken, consulted, and taught extensively on the learning sciences and evidence-based design. He has also developed a number of commercial educational products, including products for Sunburst Communications, Lexia Learning Systems, and Native Brain, Inc., of which he is a founder.