This study investigated how formative assessment implemented in a fifth grade mathematics classroom with a student response system and a student self-evaluative tool affected student self-assessment. Data were collected through individual student and focus group interviews, self-assessment sheets, and teacher reflections. Formative assessment is a low stakes classroom assessment that is an assessment for learning. This study used a student response system to convey feedback from the formative assessment to both students and teacher during instruction. The student self-assessment sheet was implemented to provide a more dynamic level of feedback for students than what could be provided through the student response system alone

The policy and mission of the Swedish upper secondary school highlight the importance of developing students’ learning. Formative assessment is commonly used for this purpose. However, a prerequisite for formative assessment is a consensus between the student and the teacher. As a result, there are challenges regarding students enrolled into the introductory programmes due to these students’ lack of motivation. The aim of this study is to examine English teachers’ experiences of formative assessment in the Swedish introductory programmes IMS and IMA. The study took a qualitative approach and was conducted by semi-structured interviews with 5 teachers. The results show that the experience differs among the teachers, but all participants recognize the benefits of formative assessment for making the students’ learning process visible. Moreover, the effects of formative assessment are particularly evident when the students receive feedback during the writing process. However, a prominent challenge regards when students lack motivation to take an active part in their own learning process. The results of this study are of importance because teachers continue to teach unmotivated students in a formative manner despite the limited effects and students’ expressed need of a more summative assessment.

In recent years, research has been done on formative assessment and its connection to student motivation and development, showing both benefits and disadvantages of using the practice. This study investigates further how formative assessment affects students’ motivation and language development in an EFL (English as a foreign language) context, and the possibilities of implementing formative assessment in Swedish upper secondary classrooms. The study was conducted using thematic analysis with nine empirical studies as the basis. The studies contain different forms of formative assessments conducted on upper secondary- and university students, aiming to examine their effects on motivation and development. The results showed that formative assessment is beneficial in motivating students in their language learning as well as aiding students in their language learning development. Teacher feedback, peer review, multiple drafting, and portfolios all positively impact students. Based on the studies’ findings and previous research, it is evident that formative assessment can be used in EFL classrooms with benefits. However, teachers need to be mindful of the way in which they deliver feedback since it can affect students’ motivation. The findings also correlate with the Swedish curriculum for upper secondary school and could therefore be implemented in Swedish schools. Lastly, this study showed that there is a need for further research on the effects of formative assessment conducted on upper secondary school students.

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This study's aim is to evolve knowledge about formative assessment of writing by investigating how pupils in grade 5 in elementary school rewrite their narrative stories based on their teachers feedback in writing. The questions that will be answered is; What type of formative assessment does the teacher provide the students with? and How do the students rewrite their narrative stories based on the teachers formative assessment? The study builds on a text analysis which is based on two theories. The first one is Hoels (2001 s. 27) text triangle and the second one is Lundahl's (2014) definition and categorization of formative assessment. The material which was used in the analysis was eleven student's first draft of their narrative stories, the teachers feedback on their work and the student's final work. The result showed that many students have problems with rewriting their texts on a global level, which was when the teacher gave feedback that withheld information regarding the text's structure and "red thread". Usually this problem is shown on students who are considered to be inexperienced writers. Their focus normally ended up on the more concrete feedback on the local level which the teacher commented on. This usually inheld information abaout punctuation marks and incorrect spelling. This feature i known as sliding down. The result however showed that the more experienced students had developed strategies to be able to switch between the different levels. The teacher's comments on the global level were mostly connected to the tasks matrix which helped clarify the purpose for the pupils. However every student recieved comments regarding spelling which took away the focus on comments regarding the text as such.

Recent discussion has been given attention to different approaches of evaluating students’ knowledge acquisition and achievement, with attention given to how to appropriately assess students’ understanding. This debate includes Sweden, where the government places high value on the use of international forms of assessment. The Swedish debate also includes the disconnect between municipal and independent schools, this includes a marketisation of education and separation of two school contexts of municipal and private education providers. This thesis seeks to gain the perspectives of teachers within these debates and their perception of assessment practices. Teachers’ perceptions from both municipal and independent schools are gathered and compared to gain insights into similarities and differences in the perceptions on their use of assessment. Twelve semi-structured interviews were sampled from teachers of different subjects, with an equal distribution of teachers from municipal and independent schools. The results indicate that all teachers relate to the importance of the teacher-student relationship, where teachers are able to understand their students’ perspectives and the contextual factors relating to assessment practices. The teachers show limited discrepancies between their perception of their use of assessment, although 4 differences can be observed. (1) Teachers in municipal schools include students for peer reviewing each other’s work. (2) Teachers in independent schools have the possibility of extending their original teaching structure if students have yet to understand the current topic. (3) In connection with true to life circumstances teachers in municipal schools connect their assessment as preparation for university, while teachers in independent schools are able to connect assessment with students’ interests. (4) Pre fixed answers were used to a higher degree by teachers in independent schools. All teachers describe how they use summative and formative assessment within their practices, which they describe contributes towards students learning. Importance is placed upon achieving a progression where students develop and continuously learn and progress and where the teachers are able to view the complete picture of achievement.

Problemlösning är en central kompetens för framgång i ämnet matematik och lärare har en nyckelroll i att främja denna förmåga hos elever. Men de möter också utmaningar i att stödja alla elever, vilket den här kvalitativa studien syftar till att undersöka hur de hanterar. Genom intervjuer med sju lärare har dessa tre forskningsfrågor undersökts; Hur kommunicerar lärare i mellanstadiet mål för elevers lärande och utveckling inom problemlösning? Hur arbetar lärare i mellanstadiet för att identifiera elevers kunskaper och utmaningar med problemlösning i samband med undervisningen och arbetet kring den, och vilka är utmaningarna? Samt hur hanterar lärare i mellanstadiet utmaningarna med problemlösning i samband med undervisningen och arbetet kring den? För att uppfylla studiens syfte och besvara forskningsfrågorna har en variant av tematisk analys använts i kombination med ett ramverk baserat på tre nyckelaspekter av formativ bedömning. Resultatet visade att det, utifrån studiens ramverk, finns förbättringspotential kring hur lärare kommunicerar mål men att de har en bred variation av metoder och tillvägagångssätt vid både identifiering och hantering av utmaningar. / Problem-solving is a central skill for success in mathematics, and teachers play a key role in fostering this ability in students. However, they also face challenges in supporting all students, which this qualitative study aims to investigate how they address. Through interviews with seven teachers, these three research questions have been explored: How do middle school teachers communicate goals for students' learning and development in problem-solving? How do middle school teachers identify students' skills and challenges in problem-solving in connection with teaching related work, and what are the challenges? And how do middle school teachers handle challenges in problem-solving in connection with teaching and related work? To fulfill the study's purpose and answer the research questions, a version of thematic analysis has been used in combination with a framework based on three key aspects of formative assessment.  The results showed that, based on the study's framework, there is room for improvement in how teachers communicate goals, but they have a wide variety of methods and approaches in both identifying and addressing challenges.

This study investigated the impact expectancy beliefs had on third through fifth-grade teachers’ instructional teaching practices. These instructional teaching practices included how teachers used their pedagogical content knowledge, specifically their content knowledge for teaching mathematics and formative assessment, to make scaffolding decisions while supporting students in mathematics intervention. The investigation included the analysis of stratified sampling procedures, expectancy beliefs, observations, and self-reported scaffolding ratings. A multiple case study was conducted to understand how four participants, the teachers in the study, expected students to perform in mathematics intervention along with the participants’ pedagogical content knowledge and the impact those beliefs and knowledge had on scaffolding practices. Scaffolding practices highlighted in this study were the teachers’ use of cognitive activation, mathematical discourse, and handling errors productively. Findings suggested that even though teachers demonstrated having content knowledge for teaching mathematics and effective use of formative assessment the teachers still scaffolded just-in-case students might need it during mathematics intervention. The results also suggested that teachers relied upon their expectancy beliefs of students to make scaffolding decisions more than the teachers relied upon their own pedagogical content knowledge. Additionally, this study found that a scaffolding workshop focused on teacher actions may impact the teachers’ self-reported ratings and in turn the teachers’ scaffolding practices. Discussion of the findings in relation to the current literature and their implications was provided. Continued research was suggested to examine how teachers self-rate their scaffolding practices pre- and post-scaffolding workshops and the impact that may have on teachers’ scaffolding practices. These findings add to the research in the field of mathematics education in equitable teaching practices, mathematics intervention, and scaffolding practices.