Engaging Students During

Formative Assessment
Kylie Baker, Angela Root,
Jinna Walters

Research Question
How is student cognitive engagement during formative
assessment influenced by the type of formative
assessment?

Rationale
Increased focus on data in schools
Concerns with traditional tests
Student interest

Snowball Fight

Key Vocabulary
Cognitive engagement: a dimension of engagement that focuses on how students
are thinking about and working with the content that they are learning

Formative assessment: an ongoing process, which uses verbal and nonverbal data
from students to determine the progress of learning as it is occurring

Participants
Community
Type

Grade/
Content

Males:Females

IEP/504 Plan

Ethnicity

Kylie

Suburban

7th
Social
Studies

27

8:19

1 504

25 White, 2 multiracial

Angela

Suburban

7th
Language
Arts

25

8:17

1 IEP

20 White, 3 Multiracial, 2 African

American

Jinna

Suburban

7th
Social
Studies

28

15:13

1 504

26 White, 2 African
American

Measures
Five types of formative assessments
Survey after each assessment
Observation log during each assessment
Final survey after all five assessments

Sample Survey Questions

Quantitative
I was interested in participating in this
activity.
This activity allowed me to show my skills
and abilities.
This activity helped me see what I know
about the topic.

Qualitative
What knowledge were you able to show in
this activity? Why?
Would you want to do this activity again in
the future? Why or why not?
What about the format helped you to access
your knowledge on this topic?

Procedures
Prior to study- Mini lesson to discuss survey questions
Monday-Thursday

Friday

Week 1

Instruction

Socrative, Observation Log, and Survey

Week 2

Instruction

Exit Slip, Observation Log, and Survey

Week 3

Instruction

Snowball, Observation Log, and Survey

Week 4

Instruction

Traditional Quiz, Observation Log, and Survey

Week 5

Instruction

Journal Prompt Response, Observation Log, and Survey

Week 6

Final Survey

Data Analysis
Quantitative
Frequency

Qualitative
Constant Comparative Coding

Trends
Between quantitative and qualitative data

Results: Key Findings

Most Engaging: Snowball
Overall, the majority (>60%) of the participants indicated:
-Interested in participating in snowball again
-Snowball helped them show what they know
-Snowball helped them understand what they still do not know

Would you want to do this activity again in the future? Why or why not?
Entertainment
...because it is fun.
...it was fun and forced the test
to be short.
...a fun and interactive way to
practice.

Thinking

Movement

...it gave me a chance to think

for myself.
...it was engaging
You had to pay attention.
It allowed me to see how good I
am at paraphrasing.

...constantly swapping papers

...it keeps me active
It let me learn while moving
...it was a fun and interactive

Results: Key Findings

Least Engaging (Qualitative Data): Journal Prompt Response
Least Engaging (Quantitative Data): No apparent least engaging assessment
Would you want to do this activity again in the future? Why or why not?
Interest
...I did not find it that
interesting.
... it is boring, hard and
BORING.
It was boring and not really
helpful.

Challenge
... it didnt challenge me.
It was very easy.
...the questions were too easy

Indifference
I dont really have an opinion. It
wasn't awful, but it wasnt the
best ever.

Other Findings
Contradicting Findings and Formatting: Socrative
Concern with Curiosity
Final Survey- student engagement related to course grades:
...because I wanted a good grade on it
...because it was big part of my grade
...because it was for a grade

Teacher Implications
Challenging experiences
Examples: raise expectations, differentiating assessment, HOTs

Find ways to incorporate movement into the assessment

Examples: add movement in instruction, other ideas beside snowball (SWAT), wiffle ball

Use a variety of assessment types

Meaningful technology use

Limitations
Observation Log
Technology Issues
Content Focus

Further Research
Focus on solely activity engagement rather than content engagement
Remove the neutral option on the Likert-scale

References
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Furlong, M., & Christenson, S. (2008). Engaging students at school and with learning: a relevant construct for all students. Psychology
in the Schools, 45(5), 365-368.
Kearney, S. & Perkins, T. (2014). Engaging students through assessment: the success and limitation of ASPAL model. Journal of
University Teaching & Learning Practice, 11(3), 1-14.
Trauth-Nare, A., & Buck, G. (2011). Using reflective practice to incorporate formative assessment in a middle school science
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