A formative assessment literacy module for K-12 computer science teachers: Need, design, and teacher feedback

Abstract

Formative classroom assessments are those formal and informal moves teachers make in order to make inferences about what their students know and can do, and are meant to benefit the learning process through feedback and adjustments to classroom teaching. The ability to recognize and address errors in students' thinking through the use of formative assessment makes formative classroom assessment literacy extremely important. Studies have identified huge gaps in formative assessment literacy for K-12 CS teachers. This paper describes the design of a 4-session K-12 CS teacher PD module 'Formative Classroom Assessment for Teachers' (FCAT) focusing on developing teachers' formative assessment literacy. The sessions cover the need for formative assessment, elements of good formative assessment, and how to design them based on K-12 CS learning goals and known student difficulties and misconceptions along with examples.We piloted FCAT and also conducted sessions on specific modules at CSTA reaching ∼500 participants. In addition to rationale and design of FCAT, this poster will share teacher feedback on the FCAT module which was overwhelmingly positive and also helped us identify future improvements to FCAT.