Portfolio Activity Unit 8

University of the People

EDUC 5440- Assessment and Evaluation

Dr. Ismail Yuksel

December 10, 2025

As I close this course, I can reflect on several key ways in which assessments have

affected my practice throughout the semester. Among the forms of assessment covered here, I

can reflect that formative assessments have been most powerful and impactful both on myself

and in the classroom for my students. These assessments, taken at all points in the learning

process, allow for an understanding of invaluable insights into the progress of my students, make

necessary adjustments to my instruction, and most importantly, create a climate of constant

growth and improvement.

Formative assessment is generally defined as the assessment for learning rather than for

the assessment of learning, where the latter relates more to the summative evaluations.

Summative assessments like final exams or end-of-term projects are necessary to evaluate

students' general performance, but formative assessments offer something more precious: the

opportunity for both teacher and student to reflect, learn, and make adjustments along the way.

Whether through quizzes, polls, class discussions, peer reviews, or even observations, formative

assessments enable me to gauge students' understanding in real-time and adjust my teaching

methods. This has been invaluable in ensuring that no student is left behind and that all students

have the best possible chance to succeed.

The most significant advantage of formative assessments is the feedback loop that they

create. While summative assessments typically come too late for the difference that any kind of

real change might make, formative assessments give a chance for immediate and actionable
feedback. In those times, the timely and specific feedback that I have for my students is going to

help them appreciate and respond fully to the subject matter, besides promoting a continuous

improvement culture characterized by an element of not viewing mistakes as flaws or blunders

that one is ever ashamed or frightened of making. I have seen in my classroom how formative

assessments transformed what was previously only about acing the test into really learning and

mastering. The most rewarding thing that has come from adopting formative assessments is this

change of mindset, because learning becomes a process.

Another very important benefit of formative assessments is how they encourage growth

mindset among students. When students think that assessments measure their progress and not

judgments of their ability, they learn with a much more positive attitude and openness. A growth

mindset basically refers to the belief that intelligence and skills can be developed through effort

and persistence, and this kind of belief is well developed through formative assessments. This

enables the student to know his or her strengths and weaknesses. He or she will own his or her

learning journey, knowing where he or she has made progress and where more effort is needed.

Educational research evidence also supports the benefits of formative assessments. Black

and Wiliam (1998) indicate that formative assessment is an important component of good

teaching and learning because it allows teachers to make appropriate instructional changes for all

learners. Their findings suggest that when teachers use formative assessments to track student

learning, they are in a better position to decide on how to alter their teaching in response to

points of difficulty. In addition, Hattie and Timperley (2007) hypothesize that one of the most

significant factors that affect the student's performance is feedback. The ideal setting in which
this type of meaningful feedback can direct the students to improvement is through formative

assessments.

Lastly, Sadler (1989) also believes that instructional systems cannot be designed

appropriately without formative assessment because they help the teachers know the students'

understanding and lack thereof and where there is a need to be supported further. This

understanding is important in building a well-structured curriculum that meets the needs of

students where they are and challenges them to reach their full potential. Stiggins and Chappuis

(2006) further reiterate the same point when they emphasize that formative assessment allows

teachers to not only measure learning but also use that data to enhance their instructional

practices and improve student outcomes.

To me, it is very fulfilling to see the positive outcome of formative assessments in class-a

boost in engagement and overall confidence for the student. It is empowering to see students

receiving constructive, specific, and actionable feedback that gives them the capacity to take

control of their learning. They begin to realize that assessment is not the end but the means of

growth and improvement. This has been incredibly rewarding, both for me as an educator and for

my students.

Conclusion

Formative assessments have been the most useful and transformative assessment method in my

classroom practice. They have allowed me to continuously monitor student progress, provide

timely and meaningful feedback, and create a learning environment where students feel
supported in their growth. This allows me to view my students as growing more in understanding

of the material, become more confident in their capabilities, and perform better. And with that

advancement, I look forward to maintaining the use of formative assessments while instilling a

growth mindset in my students to continually improve, hence taking full ownership of learning.
References:

Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education:

Principles, Policy & Practice, 5(1), 7–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969595980050102

Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research,

77(1), 81–112. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430298487

Sadler, D. R. (1989). Formative assessment and the design of instructional systems. Instructional

Science, 18(2), 119–144. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00117714

Stiggins, R. J., & Chappuis, J. (2006). Examining the case for formative assessment. Educational

Leadership, 64(6), 26–32. https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/examining-the-case-for-

formative-assessment