In classrooms where assessment for learning is practiced, students know at the outset of a unit of study what they are expected to learn. At the beginning of the unit, the teacher will work with the student to understand what she or he already knows about the topic as well as to identify any gaps or misconceptions (initial/diagnostic assessment). As the unit progresses, the teacher and student work together to assess the student’s knowledge, what she or he needs to learn to improve and extend this knowledge, and how the student can best get to that point (formative assessment). Assessment for learning occurs at all stages of the learning process.
Researchers whose work has informed much of this assessment reform include Ken O’Connor, Grant Wiggins, Jay McTighe, Richard Stiggins, Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam, Thomas Guskey, Damian Cooper and Ronán Howe