Formative assessment emphasizes inclusion. Tracking student learning by capturing student voice is a powerful way to invite all members of the class into the process of learning (Drucker and Holmberg, 2018). Students come into our classrooms with a wide range of backgrounds and prior knowledge. Integrating formative assessment allows these distinctions to surface, prompting a more intentional approach to pedagogy. Understanding student needs can also guide the type of formative assessment chosen for feedback. Data capture can be as simple as an anonymous exit ticket or questionnaire that asks students to reflect on learning. Integrating technology can also be effective, and tools such as Padlet or Miro invite student feedback in playful and creative ways. Our Center has been running a formative assessment initiative which employs student feedback in the form of pre-and-post student surveys, coupled with instructional coaching. Recognizing that faculty may be unsure on how to proceed or even resistant to student feedback (Furtak, 2011), this formative assessment initiative emphasizes the trusting partnership between faculty and instructional designers and allows us to jointly consider pedagogical practices tailored to the needs of a specific class, while modeling the type of co-creation that lies at the heart of student-centered teaching and learning.
