Teaching for Effective Learning vs. Expediency

Abstract

Most faculty members in higher education are not pedagogically trained nor are they usually required to be unless they are hired for a teacher education program (Kaynardağ, 2019). The result is that most instructors in higher education are not familiar with how to implement formative assessment, recognize the importance of gathering evidence of learning during the teaching and learning process, and why it can make a difference in their instruction and support student learning (Asghar, 2012; Jensen, 2011; Scott-Webber, 2012). The purpose of this study was to determine how formative assessment was being used in higher education and answer the research question: How are collegiate instructors using methods of formative assessment to inform their instruction? An analysis of the results led to a clear recommendation to arrange for faculty development and training in effective teaching and learning strategies towards the goal of fulfilling the mission of higher education for student success (Fullan & Scott, 2009; Giridharan, 2016).