Formative assessment: What is it and why use it?
Formative assessment: What is it and why use it?
December 9, 2021
Products:
DnA,
FastBridge,
SchoolCity,
Star 360,
Star Phonics
Classroom formative assessment is widely used in schools. However, there are multiple definitions of this term. There can also be confusion around whether formative assessment is a process or a product. So, what is formative assessment in education? [...]
How teachers can use item analysis to evaluate assessments
How teachers can use item analysis to evaluate assessments
November 18, 2021
Assessments are one of the primary ways educators can gain insight into student learning. These assessments may take the form of quizzes, tests, midterms, or final exams. Assessments also provide a key way for teachers to address [...]
New insights on progress monitoring this school year
New insights on progress monitoring this school year
October 22, 2021
In K–12 education, we often use medical analogies to describe our assessment practices. For example, it’s common to hear the state summative test described as a “post-mortem” on the school year. In contrast, formative assessments are often compared to a [...]
Understanding Depth of Knowledge
Understanding Depth of Knowledge
October 21, 2021
Alignment between standards or unpacking learning targets during assessment creation and instructional planning is crucial for developing a year-long Curricular/Assessment Scope and Sequence. Depth of Knowledge (DOK) is the thread that ties everything together. Consider the following [...]
Striking the right balance: Why a balanced assessment system is key to student success
Striking the right balance: Why a balanced assessment system is key to student success
October 15, 2021
Assessments are an essential part of K–12 education. Without them, teachers, education leaders, and policymakers would be in the dark about critical pieces of the education puzzle—including what students are retaining and where resources can most effectively be allocated [...]
Product Highlights: Supporting continuous student learning
Product Highlights: Supporting continuous student learning
October 8, 2021
The COVID-19 disruptions have accelerated a process that was already well underway. Teaching and learning are no longer confined to brick-and-mortar classrooms and face-to-face interactions. Instead, technology allows teachers and students to connect from anywhere—and helps teachers to provide personalized, [...]
5 observations on the new school year from a researcher and parent
5 observations on the new school year from a researcher and parent
August 27, 2021
As I sent my kids back to school last week, I felt a mix of emotions. I was excited that they were going back to in-person learning, with new teachers and new courses. I was nervous about the impact [...]
4 steps for accelerating learning this school year
4 steps for accelerating learning this school year
August 13, 2021
Albert Einstein famously remarked that “compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world.” What does this mean? An investment is made, time passes, and interest is earned, which increases the principal amount each year. This results in even [...]
Foundational literacy reading skills and the Science of Reading
Foundational literacy reading skills and the Science of Reading
August 6, 2021
For years, educators have known the importance of strong foundational literacy reading skills for lifelong learning, but they have sometimes differed on the best ways to help students acquire these skills. However, the Science of Reading has settled [...]
8 new books to inspire your students this year
8 new books to inspire your students this year
July 23, 2021
Categories:
Literacy,
Reading
| Products:
Accelerated Reader
Since 1986, Accelerated Reader has helped millions of students in the US and around the world to discover a love of reading. As we celebrate 35 years of AR, we want to highlight the wide diversity of fiction [...]
