12.2 Formative Writing Assessment

When and Where Did I Find It:   I found this term multiple times when re-reading Chapter 6 of the text, The Digital Writing Workshop, for my LTED 618 class, (HIcks, 2009,  pp. 104-109). The first time it appears is when the author was arguing the point that when assessing students' digital writing, the focus of the assessment still needs to be on the writing "rather than the tools themselves."  He says, "we need to begin thinking about what it means to assess the process and products of digital writing, using means that are both formative and summative" (Hicks, p. 104).    

Full citation 
Hicks, T. (2009).  The digital writing workshop.  Portsmouth, NH:  Heinemann.


What it means: The term formative assessment is a term Hicks uses to identify the judgements that are made on a piece of writing while the piece is being created (ie. during the process of writing).   At the same time he uses this description as a way to distinguish these judgements from those made on the final piece (or the product).   

"Formative writing assessments include 'commenting on drafts, soliciting peer response, and holding writing conferences' whereas summative writing assessments are 'a letter grade on a final essay or portfolio, or a standardized test score' (NCTE 2008)" 

                           (as cited in Hicks, 2009, pp. 105-106)

Level of Familiarity:  Assessment of process and product has been a part of my professional knowledge since the time of Masters Degree studies when I became a fellow in the National Writing Project.   However, understanding the ways in which formative (and summative assessment) are developed, discussed, and analyzed in a digital writing workshop has been a recent undertaking in my professional development.

Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why?   As a teacher of writing, I do believe I need to consider what Hicks offers here as a way to understand formative (and summative) writing assessment.   However, I was glad to see that Hicks notes that "it may be artificial to divide the two types of assessments in this manner...[and] one could argue that a final portfolio is just as much a formative assessment of the writer as it is a summative assessment of the writing itself" (p. 106) as I would also agree that this analogy does have it's limitations.  

Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...if so WHO and WHY?   
Having a clear understanding of formative (and summative) assessment would teachers, parents, and dare I say....even students....to better interpret the results of the assessment data.  Content Literacy Teachers, in particular, need to have an understanding of how judgements are made on their students knowledge and abilities and the role that writing plays in demonstrating their competencies.