Formative Assessment Techniques to Support Student Motivation and Achievement

Cauley, K. M., McMillan, J. H. (2010). Formative assessment techniques to support student motivation and achievement. The Clearing House, 83(1), 1-6. Retrieved from http://www.greatschoolspartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/FormativeAssessmentTechniques+Motivation.pdf

As I look for different types of sources for my research project, I strive to find information that relates to assessments and student achievement. It is imperative that I clearly relay the importance of assessments and how it is related to student success. In this article, the author states that research has shown that students that pursue mastery of the gaps shown through assessments, exhibit a use of deeper cognitive strategies and tend to utilize, more often, background knowledge to solve problems (Anderman, Austin, and Johnson, 2002). In using baseline assessments, the teachers can also include the students in setting their own goals based on their scores. Together they can set a goal that the student can strive for. Using these assessments can give teachers a clearer understanding of the gaps, and direct them in their teaching method. They can modify their plans to meet the needs of the students; in this manner students are not left with a feeling of hopelessness (Cauley, k., Mcmillan, J., 2010).  It is important that teachers have baseline classroom assessments in order to get a picture of where their student’s needs may lie.