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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.

The IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to more than 8 million (as of school year 2022-23) eligible infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.

Infants and toddlers, birth through age 2, with disabilities and their families receive early intervention services under IDEA Part C. Children and youth ages 3 through 21 receive special education and related services under IDEA Part B.

Additionally, the IDEA authorizes:

Formula grants to states to support special education and related services and early intervention services.

Discretionary grants to state educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and other nonprofit organizations to support research, demonstrations, technical assistance and dissemination, technology development, personnel preparation and development, and parent-training and -information centers.

Congress reauthorized the IDEA in 2004 and most recently amended the IDEA through Public Law 114-95, the Every Student Succeeds Act, in December 2015.

In the law, Congress states:

Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.

Other Laws for Children with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) provides additional resources of interest for individuals with disabilities and their families.

OCR does not enforce the IDEA; however, OCR does enforce the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Title II rights of IDEA-eligible students with disabilities.

To learn more, visit the OCR's Frequently Asked Questions About Section 504 and the Education of Children with Disabilities.

Visit OCR's website for additional resources.

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About IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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The IDEA is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.

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Laws and Regulations Related to Special Education and Students with Disabilities

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State Law and Regulations: In order to remain eligible for federal funds under the IDEA, states must have policies and procedures in effect that comply with federal requirements. The special education requirements for New York State are set forth in New York State Education Law and in Parts 200 and 201 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.

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Special Education: Everything You Need to Know

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Learner profiles can help teachers in course design and students to develop agency.

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1. Student Agency: Empowering students to take an active role in their learning by setting their goals, managing their progress, and engaging in self-assessment. Students are encouraged to explore their interests and take initiative in their educational journey.

2. Flexible Pacing: Allowing students to progress through material at their own pace. This means students can spend more time on concepts they find challenging and move faster through areas they grasp more readily, rather than being bound to the pace of the entire class.

3. Tailored Instruction: Adapting teaching methods, content, and resources to accommodate different learning styles and levels of understanding. Instruction is designed based on the individual learner's strengths, needs, and interests.

4. Competency-Based Progression: Students advance based on their demonstration of mastery or competency in a subject, rather than time spent in class. This approach ensures that students fully understand a topic before moving on to more complex concepts.

5. Data-Driven Decisions: Utilizing data from assessments and feedback to inform instruction and make adjustments to learning paths and strategies. This ongoing process of assessment and adjustment helps to ensure that learning experiences remain aligned with student needs.

6. Integrated Technology: Leveraging technology to support personalized learning experiences. Digital tools and platforms can provide adaptive learning experiences, facilitate access to a wide range of resources, and enable students to track their own progress.

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Difference Between Approaches Crayon Analogy

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Difference Between Approaches Crayon Analogy

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Multidisciplinary Approach:

Imagine your classroom is like a big box of crayons. Each crayon is a different subject at school - one crayon is math, another is reading, another is science, and so on. When you use a multidisciplinary approach, it's like using each crayon one at a time to draw different parts of a picture. You might draw the sun with the math crayon by counting its rays, then switch to the science crayon to color the sky by talking about the weather. Each subject is used separately, but they all add up to make one big, beautiful picture.

Interdisciplinary Approach:

Now, imagine if instead of using each crayon separately, you could somehow blend several crayons together to create new colors and draw with them at the same time. That's what happens in an interdisciplinary approach. You mix different subjects together to learn something. So, instead of just counting the sun's rays with math and then talking about weather in science, you might create a story that includes both - like how the number of sunny days affects plants in science. You're learning by connecting ideas between subjects, making a new, mixed color that helps you see how everything is related.

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"Your brain has a capacity for learning that is virtually limitless, which makes every human a potential genius." Michael J. Gelb

Regardless of what field we talk about, this quote on learning by Michael hits the nail on the head.

There's no limit to learning and the multidisciplinary educational approach mentioned in the NEP 2020 is the correct step taken towards promoting the same!

What is Multi-disciplinary Education?

A multidisciplinary curriculum means studying the same topic from the viewpoint of more than one discipline. It is also called cross-disciplinary which indicates the aim to cross boundaries between disciplines.

Multidisciplinary approach is a method of curriculum integration that highlights the diverse perspectives that different disciplines can bring to illustrate a theme, subject or issue. In a multidisciplinary curriculum, multiple disciplines are used to study the same topic.

A multidisciplinary approach in education is a way of learning which gives a major focus on diverse perspectives and different disciplines of learning to illustrate a theme, concept, or any issue. It is the one in which the same concept is learned through multiple viewpoints of more than one discipline. It helps the students to gain perspectives and knowledge in different ways.

That's why in today's hyper-competitive world, limitless learning, a unique educational system that promotes a multi-disciplinary approach to help students follow their passion is vital. Although the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) has asked institutions to pay attention to it, stakeholders are still in a dilemma about its advantages & disadvantages.

In this article, I am going to cover the advantages and disadvantages of a multidisciplinary educational approach. Whether you are a faculty, student, or educator, you can go through these points to drive institutional success.

Advantages of Multidisciplinary Approach in Education

1: The Privilege to Choose

"Nothing in the Indian education sector will ever change" - said a friend of mine who went abroad to find a job.

I can bet you've heard such things from your relatives & friends as well who got settled in foreign countries. But, it's not true anymore! To change the mindset of youngsters and make them realize the power of the Indian education system, authorities have seriously taken great efforts and multidisciplinary education is a live example of it.

With multidisciplinary education in colleges, students get a right to choose their favorite subject, the subject that they want to learn. Subjects that can add some value to their knowledge. Subjects that can raise the bar of education.

Not the ones which are forced onto them.

Ultimately, it will help in establishing a more collaborative teacher-student relationship.

2: Reach within to Discover Passion

Here, the keyword is "choice of subjects", but the advantages extend to students' personal growth as well.

Let me make it simpler for you.

See, on one hand, as a faculty, you will have the power to innovate the usual teaching-learning processes. And on the other, your students will be able to access vast e-content that can help them realize their passion or true purpose.

The more e-content they consume, the more insights about their deeper interests they'll find!

Even when your students are clueless about their passion initially, they can discover it during the teaching-learning journey. Thus, the combination of online education tools such as a learning management system (LMS) integrated within the college ERP software along with a multi-disciplinary approach can boost personal development in students.

3: Pragmatism & Flexibility

Multi-disciplinary education allows your students to understand the power of new ideas.

It helps them develop a pragmatic attitude by allowing them to decide what subjects they will opt for and what could be their possible benefits. They get time to make a decision by calculating the risks & advantages. Thus, a multi-disciplinary program brings pragmatism and flexibility to the table.

It enables your students to carve their own path by utilizing their mind-power and edTech devices and not walk on the path pre-decided by the educational system.

Disadvantages of Multidisciplinary Approach in Education

1: Distractions

Honestly, getting distracted from the final learning goal may become prevalent with multicultural education. Sometimes, your students may feel a little bit lost as they hop on to a variety of subjects & courses.

The only thing that can save them from getting distracted is planning & keeping a tab on their daily activities.

As a faculty or educator, it's essential for you to have college ERP software or a university management system with an advanced activity monitoring platform such as a dashboard. The dashboard will help you analyze the students' progress reports on a daily basis. Whenever you feel that things are going smoothly, you can always re-plan your online education imparting techniques!

2 :No Master- Only Jack!

There's a famous phrase - "Master of all trades, Jack of none."

It can manifest into reality & back-fire all your plans for achieving the best student learning outcomes.

I agree that having a few skills in your kitty is an advantage.

However, if you have gained knowledge of everything, but haven't achieved expertise in one skill that matters the most, then there's no use of other skills as well. Your students need to have expertise in one domain that they like. With multi-disciplinary college education, faculties have to be extra careful when they evaluate the students' performance. They need to ensure that their students achieve mastery in one domain at least.

To explore more about multidisciplinary education & how a college ERP software or university ERP software can help your boat sail seamlessly, get in touch with my team of educational ERP experts today!
Academic Consultant

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What Is Multidisciplinary Approach In Education | Advantages & Disadvantages of Multidisciplinary Education

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What is Multidisciplinary approach in education? Multidisciplinary education is a unique educational approach that allows the students to learn & explore distinct subjects or curriculum from various disciplines. Read this blog to know the benefits & disadvantages of multidisciplinary education

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The Importance of Interdisciplinary Learning

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Differentiated instruction is an educational approach designed to address the diverse learning needs, preferences, and abilities of students within a classroom. This approach acknowledges that students learn at different paces and in various ways, and thus, it aims to provide tailored instruction that meets each student's individual needs.

Key components of differentiated instruction include:

1. Content: Adjusting what students learn. This involves modifying the curriculum to ensure that all students can access and understand the material, regardless of their skill level.

2. Process: Varying how students learn. Teachers may employ different teaching methods and strategies to match the diverse ways students absorb information, such as through lectures, hands-on activities, or group work.

3. Product: Diversifying how students demonstrate their understanding. Students may be allowed to show what they've learned in various ways, including projects, presentations, or written assignments, to accommodate different strengths and learning styles.

4. Learning Environment: Tailoring the physical and emotional environment to support learning for all students. This can involve the arrangement of the classroom, the use of technology, or the establishment of classroom norms that respect and value diversity.

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Differentiated Instruction: Why, How, and Examples

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Formative Assessments: Why, When & Top 5 Examples

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Summative Assessment: Overview & Examples

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Instructors have many tasks to perform during the semester, including grading assignments and assessments. Feedback on performance is a critical factor in helping students improve and succeed. Grading rubrics can provide more consistent feedback for students and create efficiency for the instructor/grader.

A rubric is a scoring tool that identifies the different criteria relevant to an assignment, assessment, or learning outcome and states the possible levels of achievement in a specific, clear, and objective way. Use rubrics to assess project-based student work, including essays, group projects, creative endeavors, and oral presentations. Rubrics are helpful for instructors because they can help them communicate expectations to students and assess student work fairly and efficiently. Finally, rubrics can provide students with informative feedback on their strengths and weaknesses so that they can reflect on their performance and work on areas that need improvement.

How to Get Started

Step 1: Define the Purpose

The first step in the rubric-creation process is to define the purpose of the assignment or assessment for which you are creating a rubric. To do this, consider the following questions:

What is the assignment?

Does the assignment break down into different or smaller tasks?

Are these tasks equally important as the main assignment?

What are the learning objectives for the assignment?

What do you want students to demonstrate through the completion of this assignment?

What would an excellent assignment look like?

How would you describe an acceptable assignment?

How would you describe an assignment that falls below expectations?

What kind of feedback do you want to give students for their work?

Do you want/need to give them a grade? If so, do you want to give them a single overall grade or detailed feedback based on a variety of criteria?

Do you want to give students specific feedback that will help them improve their future work?

Step 2: Decide What Kind of Rubric You Will Use

Types of rubrics: holistic, analytic/descriptive, single-point

Holistic Rubric. A holistic rubric consists of a single scale with all the criteria to be included in the evaluation (such as clarity, organization, mechanics, etc.) being considered together. With a holistic rubric, the rater or grader assigns a single score (usually on a 1-4 or 1-6 point scale) based on an overall judgment of the student's work. The rater matches an entire piece of student work to a single description on the scale.

Advantages of holistic rubrics:

Place an emphasis on what learners can demonstrate rather than what they cannot

Save time by minimizing the number of decisions to be made

Can be used consistently across raters, provided they have all been trained

Disadvantages of holistic rubrics:

Do not provide specific feedback for improvement

Can be difficult to choose a score when a student's work is at varying levels across the criteria

Criteria cannot be weighted

Analytic/Descriptive Rubric. An analytic rubric resembles a grid with the criteria for an assignment listed in the left column and with levels of performance listed across the top row, often using numbers and/or descriptive tags. The cells within the center of the rubric may be left blank or may contain descriptions of what the specified criteria look like for each level of performance. When scoring with an analytic rubric, each of the criteria is scored individually.

Advantages of analytic rubrics:

Provide feedback on areas of strength or weakness

Each criterion can be weighted to reflect its relative importance

Disadvantages of analytic rubrics:

More time-consuming to create and use than a holistic rubric

May not be used consistently across raters unless the rubrics are well defined

May limit personalized feedback to help students improve

Single-Point Rubric. Similar to an analytic/descriptive rubric in that it breaks down the components of an assignment into different criteria. The detailed performance descriptors are only for the level of proficiency. Feedback space is provided for instructors to give individualized comments to help students improve and/or show where they excelled beyond the proficiency descriptors.

Advantages of single-point rubrics:

Easier to create than an analytic/descriptive rubric

More likely that students will read the descriptors

Areas of concern and excellence are open-ended removes a focus on the grade/points

May increase student creativity in project-based assignments

Disadvantages of analytic rubrics:

Requires more work for instructors writing feedback

Step 3: Define the Criteria

Ask yourself: What knowledge and skills are required for the assignment/assessment? Make a list of these, group and label them, and eliminate any that are not critical.

Helpful strategies for defining grading criteria:

Review the learning objectives for the course; use the assignment prompt, existing grading checklists, peer response sheets, comments on previous work, past examples of student work, etc.

Try describing A/B/C work.

Consider "sentence starters" with verbs describing student performance from Bloom's Taxonomy or other terms to indicate various levels of performance, i.e., presence to absence, complete to incomplete, many to some to none, major to minor, consistent to inconsistent, always to usually to sometimes to rarely

Collaborate with co-instructors, teaching assistants, and other colleagues

Brainstorm and discuss with students

Consider the effectiveness of the criteria:

Can they be observed and measured?

Are they important and essential?

Are they distinct from other criteria?

Are they phrased in precise, unambiguous language?

Revise the criteria as needed

Consider how you will weigh them in relation to each other

Step 4: Design the Rating Scale

Most ratings scales include between 3 and 5 levels. Consider the following questions:

Given what students are able to demonstrate in this assignment/assessment, what are the possible levels of achievement?

Will you use numbers or descriptive labels for these levels?

If you choose descriptive labels, what labels are most appropriate? Will you assign a number to those labels?

In what order will you list these levels - from lowest to highest or vice versa?

Step 5: Write Descriptions for Each Level of the Rating Scale

Create statements of expected performance at each level of the rubric. For an analytic rubric, do this for each particular criterion of the rubric. These descriptions help students understand your expectations and their performance in regard to those expectations.

Start with the top/exemplary work category -what does it look like when a student has achieved excellence in each category? Then look at the "bottom" category -what does it look like when students have not achieved the learning goals in any way? Then add the categories in between.

Also, take into consideration that well-written descriptions:

Describe observable and measurable behavior

Use parallel language across the scale

Indicate the degree to which the standards are met

Step 6: Create your Rubric

Develop the criteria, rating scale, and descriptions for each level of the rating scale into a rubric

Include the assignment at the top of the rubric, space permitting

For reading and grading ease, limit the rubric to a single page, if possible

Consider the effectiveness of your rubric and revise accordingly

Create your rubric in a table or spreadsheet in Word, Google Docs, Sheets, etc., and then transfer it by typing it into Moodle. You can also use online tools to create the rubric, but you will still have to type the criteria, indicators, levels, etc., into Moodle. Rubric creators: Rubistar, iRubric

Step 7: Pilot-test your Rubric

Prior to implementing your rubric on a live course, obtain feedback from:

Colleagues

Teacher Assistants

Students

Also, try out your new rubric on a sample of student work. After you pilot-test your rubric, analyze the results to consider its effectiveness and revise accordingly.

Best Practices

Use Parallel Language. Make sure that the language from column to column is similar and that syntax and wording correspond. Of course, the words will change for each section or assignment, as will the expectations, but in terms of readability, make sure that the rubric can be easily read from left to right or vice versa. In addition, if you have an indicator described in one category, it will need to be described in the next category, whether it is about "having included" or "not having included" something. This is all about clarity and transparency to students.

Use Student-Friendly Language. If students can't understand the rubric, it will not be useful for guiding instruction, reflection, and assessment. If you want students to engage in using the rubric, they have to understand it. Make sure the language is learning-level appropriate. If you use academic language or concepts, you will need to teach those concepts.

Use the Rubric with Your Students. You have to use the rubric with the students. It means nothing to them if you don't. For students to find the rubric useful in terms of their learning, they must see a reason for using it. Students should understand that the rubric is there to help them learn, reflect, and self-assess. If students use a rubric, they will understand the expectations and their relevance to learning.

Don't Use Too Many Columns. The rubric needs to be comprehensible and organized. Pick the right amount of columns so that the criteria flow logically and naturally across levels.

Common Rubrics and Templates are Awesome. Avoid rubric fatigue, as in creating rubrics to the point where you just can't do it anymore. This can be done with common rubrics that students see across multiple classroom activities and through creating templates that you can alter slightly as needed. Design those templates for learning targets or similar performance tasks in your classroom. It's easy to change these types of rubrics later. Figure out your common practices and create a single rubric your team can use.

Rely on Descriptive Language. The most effective descriptions are those that use specific descriptions. This means avoiding words like "good" and "excellent." At the same time, don't rely on numbers, such as a number of resources, as your crutch. Instead of saying, "find excellent sources" or "use three sources," focus your rubric language on the quality use of whatever sources students find and on the best possible way of aligning that data to the work. It isn't about the number of sources, and "excellent" is too vague for students. Be specific and descriptive.

Examples

Example of an analytic rubric for a final paper

Needs Improvement (1) Developing (2) Sufficient (3) Above Average (4)

Clarity (Thesis supported by relevant information and ideas)

The purpose of the student work is not well-defined. Central ideas are not focused to support the thesis. Thoughts appear disconnected.

The central purpose of the student work is identified. Ideas are generally focused in a way that supports the thesis.

The central purpose of the student work is clear and ideas are almost always focused in a way that supports the thesis. Relevant details illustrate the author's ideas.

The central purpose of the student work is clear and supporting ideas always are always well-focused. Details are relevant, enrich the work.

Organization (Sequencing of elements/ ideas)

Information and ideas are poorly sequenced (the author jumps around). The audience has difficulty following the thread of thought.

Information and ideas are presented in an order that the audience can follow with minimum difficulty.

Information and ideas are presented in a logical sequence which is followed by the reader with little or no difficulty.

Information and ideas are presented in a logical sequence which flows naturally and is engaging to the audience.

Mechanics (Correctness of grammar and spelling)

There are five or more misspellings and/or systematic grammatical errors per page or eight or more in the entire document. The readability of the work is seriously hampered by errors.

There are no more than four misspellings and/or systematic grammatical errors per page or six or more in the entire document. Errors distract from the work.

There are no more than three misspellings and/or grammatical errors per page and no more than five in the entire document. The readability of the work is minimally interrupted by errors.

There are no more than two misspelled words or grammatical errors in the document.

Example of a holistic rubric for a final paper

Articulating thoughts through written communication- final paper.

1. Above Average: The audience is able to easily identify the focus of the work and is engaged by its clear focus and relevant details. Information is presented logically and naturally. There are no more than two mechanical errors or misspelled words to distract the reader.

2. Sufficient: The audience is easily able to identify the focus of the student work which is supported by relevant ideas and supporting details. Information is presented in a logical manner that is easily followed. There is minimal interruption to the work due to misspellings and/or mechanical errors.

3. Developing: The audience can identify the central purpose of the student work without little difficulty and supporting ideas are present and clear. The information is presented in an orderly fashion that can be followed with little difficulty. There are some misspellings or mechanical errors, but they do not distract from the work.

4. Needs Improvement: The audience cannot clearly or easily identify the central ideas or purpose of the student work. Information is presented in a disorganized fashion causing the audience to have difficulty following the author's ideas. There are many misspellings and/or mechanical errors that negatively affect the audience's ability to read the work.

Single-Point Rubric

Moodle How-To Guides

Technology Tools: Rubrics in Moodle

Resources

Supplemental Tools with Rubrics in Moodle

DELTA - Rubrics: Making Assignments Easier for You and Your Students (2/1/2022)

DePaul University (n.d.). Rubrics. Retrieved from http://resources.depaul.edu/teaching-commons/teaching-guides/feedback-grading/rubrics/Pages/default.aspx

Gonzalez, J. (2014). Know your terms: Holistic, Analytic, and Single-Point Rubrics. Cult of Pedagogy. Retrieved from https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/holistic-analytic-single-point-rubrics/

Goodrich, H. (1996). Understanding rubrics. Teaching for Authentic Student Performance, 54 (4), 14-17. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec96/vol54/num04/Understanding-Rubrics.aspx

Miller, A. (2012). Tame the beast: tips for designing and using rubrics. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/designing-using-rubrics-andrew-miller

Ragupathi, K., Lee, A. (2020). Beyond Fairness and Consistency in Grading: The Role of Rubrics in Higher Education. In: Sanger, C., Gleason, N. (eds) Diversity and Inclusion in Global Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1628-3_3

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Rubric Best Practices, Examples, and Templates

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Instructors have many tasks to perform during the semester, including grading assignments and assessments. Feedback on performance is a critical factor in helping students improve and succeed. Grading rubrics can provide more consistent feedback for students and create efficiency for the instructor/grader.

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Difference between Formative and Summative

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Difference between Formative and Summative

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Formative assessment

The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning. More specifically, formative assessments:

help students identify their strengths and weaknesses and target areas that need work

help faculty recognize where students are struggling and address problems immediately

Formative assessments are generally low stakes, which means that they have low or no point value. Examples of formative assessments include asking students to:

draw a concept map in class to represent their understanding of a topic

submit one or two sentences identifying the main point of a lecture

turn in a research proposal for early feedback

Summative assessment

The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark.

Summative assessments are often high stakes, which means that they have a high point value. Examples of summative assessments include:

Information from summative assessments can be used formatively when students or faculty use it to guide their efforts and activities in subsequent courses.

CONTACT US to talk with an Eberly colleague in person!

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Formative vs Summative Assessment - Eberly Center - Carnegie Mellon University

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University of San Diego - Professional & Continuing Education

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Traditional student assessment typically comes in the form of a test, pop quiz, or more thorough final exam. But as many teachers will tell you, these rarely tell the whole story or accurately determine just how well a student has learned a concept or lesson.

That's why many teachers are utilizing formative assessments. While formative assessment is not necessarily a new tool, it is becoming increasingly popular amongst K-12 educators across all subject levels.

Curious? Read on to learn more about types of formative assessment and where you can access additional resources to help you incorporate this new evaluation style into your classroom.

What is Formative Assessment?

Online education glossary EdGlossary defines formative assessment as "a wide variety of methods that teachers use to conduct in-process evaluations of student comprehension, learning needs, and academic progress during a lesson, unit, or course." They continue, "formative assessments help teachers identify concepts that students are struggling to understand, skills they are having difficulty acquiring, or learning standards they have not yet achieved so that adjustments can be made to lessons, instructional techniques, and academic support."

The primary reason educators utilize formative assessment, and its primary goal, is to measure a student's understanding while instruction is happening. Formative assessments allow teachers to collect lots of information about a student's comprehension while they're learning, which in turn allows them to make adjustments and improvements in the moment. And, the results speak for themselves - formative assessment has been proven to be highly effective in raising the level of student attainment, increasing equity of student outcomes, and improving students' ability to learn, according to a study from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

On the flipside of the assessment coin is summative assessments, which are what we typically use to evaluate student learning. Summative assessments are used after a specific instructional period, such as at the end of a unit, course, semester, or even school year. As learning and formative assessment expert Paul Black puts it, "when the cook tastes the soup, that's formative assessment. When a customer tastes the soup, that's summative assessment."

14 Examples of Formative Assessment Tools & Strategies

There are many types of formative assessment tools and strategies available to teachers, and it's even possible to come up with your own. However, here are some of the most popular and useful formative assessments being used today.

Students break out into small groups and are given a blank chart and writing utensils. In these groups, everyone answers an open-ended question about the current lesson. Beyond the question, students can also add any relevant knowledge they have about the topic to their chart. These charts then rotate from group to group, with each group adding their input. Once everyone has written on every chart, the class regroups and discusses the responses.

Strategic Questioning

This formative assessment style is quite flexible and can be used in many different settings. You can ask individuals, groups, or the whole class high-level, open-ended questions that start with "why" or "how." These questions have a two-fold purpose - to gauge how well students are grasping the lesson at hand and to spark a discussion about the topic.

These written summaries of a lesson or subject ask students to complete three separate write-ups of varying lengths: short (10-15 words), medium (30-50 words), and long (75-100). These different lengths test students' ability to condense everything they've learned into a concise statement, or elaborate with more detail. This will demonstrate to you, the teacher, just how much they have learned, and it will also identify any learning gaps.

Think-pair-share asks students to write down their answers to a question posed by the teacher. When they're done, they break off into pairs and share their answers and discuss. You can then move around the room, dropping in on discussions and getting an idea of how well students are understanding.

This formative assessment tool can be written or oral and asks students to respond to three very simple prompts: Name three things you didn't know before, name two things that surprised you about this topic, and name one you want to start doing with what you've learned. The exact questions are flexible and can be tailored to whatever unit or lesson you are teaching.

This is a great participation tool to use mid-lesson. At any point, pose a poll question to students and ask them to respond by raising their hand. If you have the capability, you can also use online polling platforms and let students submit their answers on their Chromebooks, tablets, or other devices.

Exit/Admission Tickets

Exit and admission tickets are quick written exercises that assess a student's comprehension of a single day's lesson. As the name suggests, exit tickets are short written summaries of what students learned in class that day, while admission tickets can be performed as short homework assignments that are handed in as students arrive to class.

This quick, formative assessment tool is most useful at the end of the day to get a complete picture of the classes' learning that day. Put one minute on the clock and pose a question to students about the primary subject for the day. Typical questions might be:

What was the main point?

What questions do you still have?

What was the most surprising thing you learned?

What was the most confusing aspect and why?

Creative Extension Projects

These types of assessments are likely already part of your evaluation strategy and include projects like posters and collage, skit performances, dioramas, keynote presentations, and more. Formative assessments like these allow students to use more creative parts of their skillset to demonstrate their understanding and comprehension and can be an opportunity for individual or group work.

Dipsticks - named after the quick and easy tool we use to check our car's oil levels - refer to a number of fast, formative assessment tools. These are most effective immediately after giving students feedback and allowing them to practice said skills. Many of the assessments on this list fall into the dipstick categories, but additional options include writing a letter explaining the concepts covered or drawing a sketch to visually represent the topic.

Quiz-Like Games and Polls

A majority of students enjoy games of some kind, and incorporating games that test a student's recall and subject aptitude are a great way to make formative assessment more fun. These could be Jeopardy-like games that you can tailor around a specific topic, or even an online platform that leverages your own lessons. But no matter what game you choose, these are often a big hit with students.

Interview-Based Assessments

Interview-based assessments are a great way to get first-hand insight into student comprehension of a subject. You can break out into one-on-one sessions with students, or allow them to conduct interviews in small groups. These should be quick, casual conversations that go over the biggest takeaways from your lesson. If you want to provide structure to student conversations, let them try the TAG feedback method - tell your peer something they did well, ask a thoughtful question, and give a positive suggestion.

Allow students to take the rubric you use to perform a self assessment of their knowledge or understanding of a topic. Not only will it allow them to reflect on their own work, but it will also very clearly demonstrate the gaps they need filled in. Self assessments should also allow students to highlight where they feel their strengths are so the feedback isn't entirely negative.

Participation cards are a great tool you can use on-the-fly in the middle of a lesson to get a quick read on the entire classes' level of understanding. Give each student three participation cards - "I agree," "I disagree," and "I don't know how to respond" - and pose questions that they can then respond to with those cards. This will give you a quick gauge of what concepts need more coverage.

List of Formative Assessment Resources

There are many, many online formative assessment resources available to teachers. Here are just a few of the most widely-used and highly recommended formative assessment sites available.

FAQs About Formative Assessment

The following frequently asked questions were sourced from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), a leading education professional organization of more than 100,000 superintendents, principals, teachers, and advocates.

Before you tackle formative assessment, or any new teaching strategy for that matter, consider taking a continuing education course. At the University of San Diego School of Professional and Continuing Education, we offer over 500 courses for educators that can be completed entirely online, and many at your own pace. So no matter what your interests are, you can surely find a course - or even a certificate - that suits your needs.

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University of San Diego - Professional & Continuing Education

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14 Examples of Formative Assessment [+FAQs] - University of San Diego - Professional & Continuing Education

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Traditional student assessment typically comes in the form of a test, pop quiz, or more thorough final exam. But as many teachers will tell you, these rarely tell the whole story or accurately determine just how well a student has learned a concept or lesson. That's why many teachers are utilizing formative assessments.

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Summative assessment is a type of achievmeent assessment that occurs at the end of a unit of work. Its goal is to evaluate what students have learned or the skills they have developed. It is

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At a glance

Some students struggle to learn in school because of behavior challenges.

Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is a process schools use to figure out what's causing challenging behavior.

An FBA leads to a plan with strategies to improve the behavior.

When students run into trouble at school, it's not always because of academics. Often, behavior is the reason kids struggle. Kids may disrupt class, become withdrawn, or even cut class.

To help students, schools use a process to identify and understand challenging behaviors, and come up with possible solutions. It's called functional behavioral assessment (FBA). An FBA is like an evaluation focused on behavior.

An FBA tries to figure out what's behind behavior challenges. The basic idea is that behavior serves a purpose. Whether kids know it or not, they act in certain ways for a reason. If schools and families know what's causing a behavior, they can find ways to change it.

Aaron has strong math skills. But when the class gets a math word problem, he gets angry and argues with the teacher. The behavior continues and the teacher doesn't know what to do.The school does an FBA and learns that Aaron has trouble showing work on word problems. That's why he's acting out - to avoid this stressful math situation.

A school team works on the FBA. The team is led by a person trained in understanding behavior, like a school psychologist or a behavior specialist. The FBA team may also include teachers, school staff, service providers, the student, and their family.

When an FBA is complete, the school should have a good idea of what's causing the behavior and how to help. The next step is to create a behavior intervention plan (BIP) with strategies and interventions to improve the behavior. Over time, the plan may change depending on the student's needs.

About the author

About the author

Andrew M.I. Lee, JD is an editor and attorney who strives to help people understand complex legal, education, and parenting issues.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Amanda Morin is the author of "The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education" and the former director of thought leadership at Understood. As an expert and writer, she helped build Understood from its earliest days.

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What is a functional behavioral assessment (FBA)?

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When a student has behavior challenges, schools may use a process called functional behavioral assessment (FBA) to understand what's causing the behavior. Learn more.

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We define social and emotional learning (SEL) as an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.

SEL advances educational equity and excellence through authentic school-family-community partnerships to establish learning environments and experiences that feature trusting and collaborative relationships, rigorous and meaningful curriculum and instruction, and ongoing evaluation. SEL can help address various forms of inequity and empower young people and adults to co-create thriving schools and contribute to safe, healthy, and just communities.

New to Social and Emotional Learning? Start here (2 min. read).

Think of a young person in your life. What skills will they need to achieve their hopes and dreams?

Chances are, you just named social and emotional skills - like staying motivated, communicating effectively, practicing curiosity, and working with others to solve problems. Social and emotional learning, or SEL, helps develop the skills we need for life.
Hear why students, parents, and educators want SEL in schools. Here are 3 things to know about social and emotional learning:

1. Social and emotional learning is a foundation for many of our most pressing priorities: SEL helps young people - and adults - learn and practice skills that set them up for academic success, fulfilling careers, healthy relationships, and responsible civic engagement.

2. The research is clear: Social and emotional learning in schools leads to positive outcomes, including better academic performance, and decreases in stress and anxiety.

3. There's no one-size-fits-all approach: Social and emotional learning brings families, schools, and communities together to make sure every child has caring relationships and what they need to learn, grow, and thrive.

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SEL can help all young people and adults thrive personally and academically, develop and maintain positive relationships, become lifelong learners, and contribute to a more caring, just world.

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