High School Teachers’ Views on Formative Assessment in the Online Learning Environment

Abstract

Formative assessment in the virtual learning environment is a beneficial complement to teacher pedagogy and student learning. But there is little research on high school teachers’ perspectives on the use of formative assessment in the virtual learning environment. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to address the research gap. The conceptual framework was Black and Wiliam’s theory of formative assessment. Two research questions guided the study. The first addressed high school teachers’ perspectives on formative assessments in the virtual learning environment. The second addressed how teachers used formative assessment in the virtual learning environment. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 participants who taught a content area course at the high school level for more than 1 year and used formative assessment in the virtual learning environment. The findings that emerged from the study were that formative assessment has mutual benefit to teachers and students. Specifically, formative assessment is an effective monitoring tool, helps teachers adjust consequent instructional strategies, and promoted students’ agency through teacher support and feedback.