Bringing Future Forward Assessment Solutions to Light: Meet the Shortlisted Innovations

In 2021, HundrED partnered with the Jacobs Foundation to launch the Formative Assessment: Improving Learning for Every Child Spotlight.

Formative assessment is one approach that helps teachers and students teach and learn more effectively, by allowing them to keep track of how each student's learning is progressing.

Effective formative assessment shares learning expectations and learning targets, while also creating a continuous feedback loop to help track students’ understanding and development.

The Spotlight aims to identify 10-15 impactful and scalable education innovations that promote the systematic use of formative assessments to inform teaching and learning. In total, 129 innovators from 42 countries submitted their innovation to this Spotlight.

The Research Process for this Spotlight was particularly rigorous. In order to evaluate the validity of submissions, applicants were asked to submit additional information regarding how, specifically, their innovation integrates formative assessment into students’ learning journeys. They were asked questions such as:

• What types of data are you collecting from the students during your formative assessment process?

• Which competencies or skills do you evaluate using formative assessment?

• Who is involved in the formative assessment process in your project?

• How are you monitoring the impact of your innovation?

• Has your innovation been evaluated? If so, what were the results of the evaluation?

“Formative Assessment can only be formative if the student is heavily involved.”

The HundrED Research Team, in collaboration with the Jacobs Foundation, used the information provided on the survey and applicants’ Innovation Page to create a shortlist of 27 Innovations. There were a number of factors that they took into consideration when creating this Shortlist.

“Formative Assessment can only be formative if the student is heavily involved,” says Education Specialist Clara Garcia Millan from the HundrED Research Team. This involvement can come in many forms, such as self-assessment, peer assessment, and teacher assessment. However, if the student does not have the chance to reflect on their own learning and discuss this assessment with their teacher it cannot be considered a formative assessment.

The project has now entered into the next stage of the Research Process, in which this shortlist is sent to an independent Advisory Board, composed of over 60 education specialists from around the globe. Each Advisory Board member will review and evaluate the shortlisted innovations based on our established criteria of impact and scalability.

The Spotlight brought to light future-forward, assessment solutions that can help support both teaching and learning, including the critical role students play in their own learning. These innovations provide a window into the future. Identifying innovation is the first step, and with the right kind of testing, honing and piloting, we can start implementing new solutions and systems at scale.

We are thrilled to present to you the Formative Assessment Shortlist. Innovations have been grouped by region.

Africa

		Assessment for Learning Accelerator Kenya  This assessment accelerator has been working in schools in Kenya and has implemented its pilot project in 6 secondary schools and 10 primary schools. The accelerator has employed a peer to peer model, group assessment, learner-focused and self-assessment models in which human-centred design is engaged. The learner is pivotal in formulating the assessment objectives, key performance indicators, expected outcomes and impact and finally the monitoring mechanisms. The parent and the teacher also play a role in the facilitation of knowledge as opposed to the label of authority of knowledge.
		Siyavula South Africa Siyavula addresses the poor mathematics performance of secondary school students across Africa. Siyavula’s approach enables mastery-based learning through adaptive, formative assessment delivered over existing mobile infrastructure. In addition to having access to pedagogically-sound content and instruction in class, practise is essential to learning, particularly in Mathematics.
		BOOK-IT LMS Zambia Bookit is a web-based platform that enables institutions to automate classroom tasks for an efficient and seamless blended learning experience such as automated assessments and communication for a more efficient and collaborative learning experience. The system provides teachers with digital tools that automate their tasks, exams, assignments, resources distribution and communication is automated in a single seamless system for collaborative engagement with students who perform similar tasks on their end. This allows for students to take online exams, submit assignments and access resources such as notes, books and videos via an e-library, anywhere & anytime

Asia

		Being a Proactive Teacher in Formative Assessment Kazakhstan In the context of the implementation of a criteria-based approach to assessment in Kazakhstan, FA has become an innovative practice for teachers. However, statutory formalization of FA in the country’s education policy has not fully induced a substantive change in classroom-based assessment practices because the real FA concepts appear to conflict with the early beliefs and experiences of teachers.
		Process-oriented child monitoring (POM) in Early Childhood Education Vietnam Process-Oriented Child Monitoring (POM), is a formative assessment system used in professional development programs for ECE teachers in Vietnam. Using two 5-point scales, teachers systematically observe and assess all learners wellbeing and involvement using a simple paper-based or app-based tool. Based on this assessment, teachers identify children at risk of not learning, reflect on their own teaching practice, and on what withholds children from learning and meaningful participation. Teachers reflect individually and as a team and are supported by their school leaders and education officials.
		Teachers Collective India Monthly Teacher Collectives are being organized at a cluster level (15-20 schools) wherein teachers collaborate to design their monthly lesson plans, solve their problems and reflect on their classroom practices. Best practices are identified from within their context and strengthen the collective self-esteem of teachers as professionals. Teachers are able to experience that learning emerges from their needs. And they are able to strengthen their abilities to plan, design, review through the feedback of their peers. The process develops a peer accountability mechanism that rests on mutual respect and learning
		Project Breakthrough Mumbai, India Project Breakthrough is an in-school practice in which students analyse their own academic tests through the detailed study of their exam paper answer sheets. They then use peer teaching and learning practices to bridge the gap and proceed to lead individual parent meetings in which they discuss their subject-wise academic findings and set future academic goals.
		Kadam - The Step Up Programme India Kadam - The Step Up Programme is a comprehensive set of tools and techniques that enable children to close their learning gaps, and help teachers guide and facilitate the learning process. Each child is assessed to determine their entry point with age as the determinator for achieving learning level goals. A continuous assessment system is integrated as a participatory part of the learning system.

Europe

		Classtime Switzerland Classtime is a solution for teachers that complements in-class teaching with immediate feedback on every student’s level of understanding by asking questions and validating answers. Their Collaborative Challenges furthermore enable a teacher to create a narrative around their lesson plan that motivates students to work together towards a common goal.
		Formative Pedagogy Slovenia Formative Pedagogy (FP) changes teaching and beliefs about the role of the teacher and the student. By applying the skills that FP introduces, the student acquires important life skills: setting goals, planning the path to achieving the goal and setting success criteria that facilitate the recognition of achieving the goals.
		International Baccalaureate & Harding High School - Peer Feedback using Comparative Judgment The Hague, Netherlands This innovation focuses on the pedagogical design of peer feedback using comparative judgment. Built on 4 years of research and design of effective practices in formative assessment at the IB, the current study explores the impact of this approach on students' holistic learning and development. Teacher observations and initial analyses of student work have reported very promising findings.
		Kindiedays Finland Kindiedays digital platform supports the formative assessment of children’s individual learning paths in early education. Educators document the learning together with the children. Learning moments can be connected to preinstalled pedagogical objectives. Families are engaged via e-portfolios. Managers guide and develop the learning based on auto-generated data to guarantee high-quality pedagogy.
		Qridi - A Digital Platform for Formative Assessment Oulu, Finland Qridi encourages learners and teachers to look at learning and progress as a group and as individuals. Learning is planned and monitored under the teacher’s guidance, future skills are strengthened and personal strengths are identified. The learning journey is recorded and made visible with the help of different functionalities. The resulting data acts as an instrument for dialogue in learning.
		Transfer Week Barcelona, Spain Over the course of 4 weeks, learners go through a 4-week learning sprint, with each week offering a building block for the final output. Throughout these 4 weeks, the community becomes a peer learning network where peer-peer feedback is the driving force behind all learning and outputs. Learning rubrics are co-created with each learner as part of a methodology to express the learning process.
		Writer's Block United Kingdom Writer’s Block is a physical learning tool that helps children organise their ideas and construct new knowledge. Embracing the concept of scaffolding, the methodology enables children to transform their thoughts into the written word. The process provides a child with a visual structure helping them generate and produce written work.
		Peergrade Copenhagen, Denmark Peergrade is an online platform that facilitates anonymous peer feedback. With Peergrade students get faster and better feedback while engaging in higher-order thinking. Features in Peergrade such as flagging and feedback rubrics ensure that students get the best feedback possible and scaffold the process of peer review. While teachers get a full overview of submissions, feedback, and results.
		Unio By Harness United Kingdom Unio is a web app that enables teachers to create interactive lessons using any content, application or media. It promotes a learner-centred style of instruction by empowering educators to create rich, interactive learning experiences tailored to the needs of each student. Educators use Unio to support their students in becoming active participants in their learning, providing a personalised learning experience for each individual.

North America

		Navigated Learning Collaborative powered by Gooru Navigator United States The focus of the Navigated Learning Collaborative (NLC) is to enable every child to learn at her own pace and attain mastery through the use of Gooru Navigator. Gooru Navigator is an open-source data platform that enables all stakeholders in the education ecosystem to work together by providing access to real-time student data, aligning their efforts backed by evidence on how learning happens.
		Socrative Canada Socrative is the classroom app for formative and summative assessments that allow you to quiz and grade at the speed of learning from any device. Check student understanding with prepared activities or on-the-fly questions with real-time reports to visualize learning.
		The Modern Classrooms Project United States The Modern Classrooms Project empowers educators to build classrooms that respond to every student’s needs. We lead a movement of educators in implementing a self-paced, mastery-based instructional model that leverages technology to foster human connection, authentic learning, and social-emotional growth.
		WestEd’s Formative Insights: Assessment for Learning United States WestEd’s Formative Insights team leads transformative, scalable professional learning with teachers, leaders and policymakers. Rooted in current research, we enable dramatic shifts in the student role by supporting teachers and leaders to strengthen students’ self-regulation skills and develop systems that sustain deep learning.
		Blueprints - MUSE Global Schools Calabasas, United States The MUSE School is challenging traditional assessment methods. Teachers at the school use student Blueprints as a guide and motivational tool for learning. Blueprints focus is not only academics, but also on goal-setting, self-reflection, passion-based learning, self-efficacy, communication and sustainability. Each Blueprint provides a clear action plan for the student to explore their passions while developing socially, emotionally and academically.
		Two Rivers Performance Assessments of Critical Thinking Washington, United States Two Rivers Public Charter School have designed, tested and implemented meaningful assessment of complex cognitive skills through rubrics and performance tasks. Students with their teachers then use the rubrics to evaluate their performance on the tasks and identify concrete steps for improvement.

South America

		Sapientia - Gamified and Formative Assessment Brazil A gamified application that allows the students to get involved in subject challenges, questions and problem solving, improving the learning process as a playful and engaging activity. It is a tool for formative assessment for teachers, which offers a simple and customizable metrics, scores and tracks from students, to increase qualified teaching, learning and self-regulation strategies.
		Aula Global Cali, Colombia Aula Global tackles learning poverty, a problem exacerbated during the Covid 19 pandemic. The program prioritizes low performing students in language and mathematics who, as a consequence, experience rejection, stigmatization and demotivation for learning. Aula Global empowers their growth mindset, strengthening their basic and social skills.

Oceania

		Mahara New Zealand Mahara is an open-source software that enables students and professionals to create media-rich portfolios of their learning progress, achievements, and reflections.
		Maths Pathway Australia Maths Pathway is a holistic Learning and Teaching Model that leverages technology to enable teachers to target each student’s point of need, and allows them to focus on practices that have the greatest impact on student learning. The model is currently available for Year 5 – Year 10 students, and has proven success in a broad range of school contexts.

The final selection will be announced in June of 2022. Let us know which innovations you think deserve to be in the final selection by tagging us on social media @hundred.org and using the hashtag #FutureofAssessment.

ABOUT AUTHOR

Mariah O'Mara