How formative assessment supports student centered learning in a flipped science classroom

Abstract

Students in a flipped classroom environment use a variety of technology to access content information outside of the classroom and develop the skills while in the classroom with the teacher. Studies on new teaching methodologies are show that this classroom design promotes the student's ability to monitor their own progress and feel centered with their learning and not detached. My research reiterated common accounts of student classroom learning and unveiled important information about how well students understood how standards are aligned. The first implementation goal was to use a formative assessment to gather pre and posttest information for the teacher and student. The assessment is a professionally designed and aligned product that gives accurate information on where students are in the skills they have been assessed on. My goal was to see how well students would respond to using the assessment to gather information about their own learning, independent of a structured and timed assessment event. Results showed that the participant students (N=35) who took assessments and tutorials gained 1.6 years in science. Student levels averaged a science mastery of third grade and six months and after the treatment the students averaged at fifth grade and two months. Additional information related to student behaviors and attitudes on learning, assessments and curriculum were brought up through the course of working with the students.