PGCE Assessment for Learning 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the difference between formative and summative assessment?
- Formative assessment informs ongoing learning; summative assessment measures attainment at a point in time (Correct answer)
- Formative assessment is always written; summative is always oral
- Formative is for primary, summative is for secondary
- Summative assessment always involves external examiners
Correct answer: Formative assessment informs ongoing learning; summative assessment measures attainment at a point in time
Formative assessment is ongoing and used to adjust teaching and learning; summative assessment measures achievement at a defined endpoint (e.g., end of unit test, exam).
Question 2: What does 'self-assessment' require pupils to do, and why is it a valuable AfL strategy?
- To evaluate their own work against success criteria, developing metacognitive awareness and ownership of learning (Correct answer)
- To mark their own tests for grades
- To replace teacher assessment
- To rank themselves against peers
Correct answer: To evaluate their own work against success criteria, developing metacognitive awareness and ownership of learning
Self-assessment requires pupils to actively engage with success criteria, developing metacognitive skills — the ability to monitor and regulate their own learning — which is strongly linked to attainment.
Question 3: What is 'peer assessment' and what are the conditions for it to be effective?
- Pupils evaluating each other's work against shared success criteria — effective when criteria are clear, training is provided, and the classroom culture is safe (Correct answer)
- Pupils marking each other for grades
- Replacing teacher marking with pupil marking in all cases
- An approach that works without preparation or clear criteria
Correct answer: Pupils evaluating each other's work against shared success criteria — effective when criteria are clear, training is provided, and the classroom culture is safe
Peer assessment is effective when criteria are explicit, pupils are trained to give specific feedback, and psychological safety exists — rushing it without preparation leads to superficial or unhelpful responses.
Question 4: What is 'think-pair-share' and how does it support AfL?
- Pupils think individually, discuss with a partner, then share with the class — giving thinking time, safe rehearsal, and evidence of understanding for the teacher (Correct answer)
- A grouping strategy for SEND pupils only
- A behaviour management technique
- A homework activity
Correct answer: Pupils think individually, discuss with a partner, then share with the class — giving thinking time, safe rehearsal, and evidence of understanding for the teacher
Think-pair-share is an AfL strategy that ensures all pupils process a question, rehearse their thinking in a safe pair conversation, and then contributes to whole-class evidence of understanding.
Question 5: What does Hattie's research in 'Visible Learning' identify as the most powerful influence on pupil achievement?
- Feedback (Correct answer)
- Teacher experience
- Class size
- Technology in the classroom
Correct answer: Feedback
Hattie's meta-analysis identified feedback as having an effect size of 0.70 — one of the highest influences on pupil achievement, confirming the centrality of quality feedback to learning.
Question 6: What is 'Assessment for Learning' sometimes called to distinguish it from summative testing?
- Formative assessment (Correct answer)
- Continuous assessment
- Diagnostic assessment
- Ipsative assessment
Correct answer: Formative assessment
AfL is also known as formative assessment — it is characterised by being ongoing, diagnostic, and used to inform teaching and learning rather than to grade or rank.
PGCE Assessment for Learning 2
What is the difference between formative and summative assessment?