Formative assessment for all: a whole-school approach to pedagogic change

Mark Priestley, Daniela Sime

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    20 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Scotland's Assessment is for Learning initiative (AifL) seeks to introduce a co-ordinated national system for assessment in schools. Formative assessment is a major plank in this. The initiative has moved beyond its pilot phase and it is intended that it will be adopted by all Scottish schools by 2007. This article draws upon the case-study of a primary school that has adopted a whole-school approach to enacting the formative assessment principles of AifL since 2004. It utilizes Margaret Archer's social theory to analyse and explain the processes of change that have underpinned the development of formative assessment in the school. The article argues that meaningful change in schools can be stimulated by encouraging socio-cultural interaction among practitioners, via the impetus provided by a central initiative combined with the creation of spaces for dialogue and the extension of professional trust and autonomy.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)475-492
    Number of pages18
    JournalCurriculum Journal
    Volume16
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Dec 2005

    Keywords

    • formative assessment
    • assessment for learning
    • change
    • innovation
    • morphogenesis
    • morphostasis

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