Journal of Technology, Education & Teaching (J-TECH), May 2024, 1(2), 70-78
Volume 1 Number 2 (2024) E-ISSN: 3046-4714
May-August 2024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.62734/jtech.v1i2.417
Page: 70-78
Avalaibale online at http://jurnal.untag-banyuwangi.ac.id/index.php/j-tech
The Role of Formative Assessment in Developing English Language
Curriculum and Learning
Nurul Rahayu Ningsih1, Nur Aini Rosidah2, Dian Arief Pradana3
1,2,3 Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Banyuwangi, Indonesia;
[email protected],
[email protected] Received: 10/04/2024 Revised: 01/05/2024 Accepted: 11/05/2024
Abstract This research examines the role of formative evaluation in improving
curriculum development and the English language learning process.
Formative assessment (FA) is a comprehensive evaluation method that
provides feedback to teachers and students to improve teaching
effectiveness. It helps students understand their limitations and gives
teachers the ability to tailor lessons to students' needs. This article uses a
systematic literature review approach to collect data from various studies.
The results show that formative approaches are effective in increasing
students' motivation, engagement and response to learning, as well as
facilitating curriculum fulfillment based on students' needs. Formative
assessment can be conducted using many strategies, such as questioning,
group discussions, presentations, and the use of rubrics, journals, and
quizzes, supported by technology to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Keywords Formative Assessment; Curriculum; English Language
(*)Corresponding Author
Nurul Rahayu Ningsih
Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Banyuwangi, Indonesia;
[email protected] 1. INTRODUCTION
Changes in learning processes and materials are common in education. New
curricula may be episodic, occurring every 10 years or so and there may be almost
permanent changes (Westbury et al., 2016). The continuous changes have resulted in
the need for development in the curriculum development process by the government
and the education department. Some of the efforts of education departments and
governments mobilize many people, cause much controversy and public debate in
various bodies, school publications and the media, and consume many resources such
as curriculum development and revision (Westbury et al., 2016). The process of
curriculum development and change requires many considerations, such as needs
analysis, objectives, materials, teaching methods and syllabi that must be adapted to
the development of technology and information. This curriculum development is
learner-centered to increase motivation and participation in learning activities. The
© 2024 by the authors. Submitted for possible open access publication under the terms and conditions
of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY-SA) license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).
Published by Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan
Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Banyuwangi
J-TECH: Journal Technology, Education & Teaching
Ningsih, et.al., 1(2), 70-78
curriculum design process involves determining the characteristics of learners, what
learners learn or are able to do, the content of the subject matter to be learned, and how
to measure what has been achieved (Abie et al., 2023). Curriculum development also
requires teachers to be able to keep up with changes made in teaching methods.
Teachers can take the time to design lessons using various innovative teaching and
assessment methods to better meet the needs of learners (Leong & Tan, 2014).
Assessments conducted by teachers can be created to be more interesting and
make learners' abilities more developed, one of which is by means of formative
assessment. Formative assessment (FA) includes a large number of tools that provide
feedback to teachers or learners to make learning more effective (Dixson & Worrell,
2016). Formative assessment can be a measuring tool for the ability of students to
understand the material that has been given by the teacher. Formative assessment can
be conducted after each chapter, so that learners can know their own level of ability.
In short, formative assessment is a continuous process that helps learners manage their
own learning (Guo & Yan, 2019). Some researchers describe formative assessment
practices as formal and informal in nature (Cagasan et al., 2020). Formal ones include
assignments and tests that will be corrected by the teacher, while informal ones occur
spontaneously in class so that teachers and learners can respond to each other. In
contrast to formative assessment, summative assessment (SA) is an evaluation process
that will determine the value of a student's lesson. Summative assessment is widely
used to screen and select learners for the next level of education or employment (Guo
& Yan, 2019). Summative assessment focuses on numerical results that will indicate
the level of intelligence of learners. This assessment is in the form of formal exams that
are assessed in detail by teachers or authorities, such as mid-semester exams (UTS)
and end-of-semester exams (UAS).
Formative assessment can support curriculum development and learning, as it
serves as a monitoring and feedback tool from both teachers and learners. Students'
goal orientation is not fixed and can be changed by the way feedback is given (Dweck,
2017). Feedback given directly by the teacher will make learners more motivated in
learning compared to writing. This is continuous with the informal formative
assessment process, where the teacher directly responds to students' questions and
vice versa students can respond to the teacher's answers. Research (Golzar et al., 2022)
shows that expressive feedback, self, peer, and assessment will increase learning
motivation. The study conducted by (Zhan, 2020) revealed that learners' perceptions
of this type of assessment increased formative promise and most students believed
that it served as a motivational force for learning.
Formative assessment can increase student engagement in the learning process
and make students maintain a positive response to various assessments (Evans et al.,
2014). Learners are more active in class to understand the material that will be tested
in each chapter. Indirectly, students become more responsive when they want to know
the material they have not learned before. The development of technology also affects
the formative assessment process in learning activities. Technology supports
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formative assessment to improve learning attitudes, motivation, and performance in
various disciplines (Bhagat & Spector, 2017). Formative assessment can be done with
several technological tools such as mobile phones and laptops to do a test or quiz that
can provide feedback quickly and efficiently.
2. METHODS
This article uses a systematic literature review approach. The author collects,
analyzes, and concludes the results of previous studies that are relevant to the topic
discussed. With this review, it is expected to produce a comprehensive conclusion
regarding the research objectives. Data were obtained from journal articles published
in reputable databases. Inclusion criteria in the selection of journal articles include:
articles published in the last 5-10 years, articles indexed in accredited national and
international journals, and studies directly related to the research topic.
3. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
The Role of Formative Assessment in Developing Curriculum
Curriculum development is divided into two branches, namely general education
and special or vocational education (Abie et al., 2023). In special education, the
materials and methods developed will be tailored to the needs of the department, for
example in English education. In the process of learning and teaching English, the
curriculum must be made as interesting as possible to increase student learning
motivation. Creative curriculum design can make the learning process more
interactive and fun, so that students do not feel difficult or bored in learning a second
language. Appropriate curriculum presentation can also help students to more easily
understand the material and face global challenges in the future. The curriculum
design process involves determining the characteristics of learners, what learners are
expected to learn or be able to do, the content of the subject matter to be learned, and
how to measure what has been achieved (Abie et al., 2023). Thus, curriculum has an
important contribution to make the English learning process more effective.
Curriculum development should be tailored to the learner's needs, what they
already understand and what they need to learn. Formative assessment can be used to
measure students' understanding of newly learned material (Andayani & Madani,
2023). Formative assessment plays an important role in providing feedback on the
learning process for students and teachers. Teachers can identify what students need,
how students are able to understand the material, and adjust learning methods
according to the needs of each student. In the context of English learning, if a student
has not been able to fulfill the assessment of simple present material then they cannot
continue with simple perfect or past perfect. Formative assessment can encourage
learners' involvement in measuring their own level of understanding and evaluating
what they need in the learning process. Formative assessment has an influence in the
process of achieving better learning outcomes, skill development, and critical and
innovative thinking.
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Formative Assessment in the English Learning Process
Formative assessment is an effective assessment for all areas of learning, including
English. In the context of English learning, formative assessment can be used to
improve several language skills. English language skills are divided into four skills,
namely speaking, writing, reading, and listening. In practice, formative assessment
can provide feedback in the learning and teaching process. When students don't
understand something about English, they will get feedback from the teacher. This
feedback can be in the form of evaluating the understanding of the material, correcting
mistakes, or reviewing the material that has been explained. With feedback, students
will feel more confident and motivated to be more active in learning English.
Formative assessment can facilitate the implementation of the curriculum, where
learning focuses on students and teachers become facilitators. This formative
assessment will help teachers to adjust students' level of understanding and needs in
the context of English learning.
There are several strategies that can be used to streamline the English formative
assessment process, including questioning, discussion, and presentation (Babakan,
2021). Formative assessment through questioning can be done by giving questions to
students, then students will answer according to a predetermined time. The
questioned material can be done by translating the meaning of a vocabulary,
explaining the content of the video that has been given by the teacher before, and
comparing the different texts in the table directly. The formative assessment process
with this strategy can help students improve their speaking skills in English. Students
can evaluate their own abilities after getting the formative assessment results. Then
the teacher can give feedback to students, give appreciation to students first and
evaluate the material that needs to be improved.
The second strategy that can be used is group discussion. This group discussion
can help students' ability to think more critically, analytically, collaborate, and
exchange ideas. In the context of English learning, group discussion can help students
to understand complex language structures. Teachers can provide materials that can
train 4 skills, such as reading, writing, listening, and speaking. When there is an
obstacle in doing the task, students can discuss to find out how to solve the problem.
With this discussion, students can train their confidence to argue and speak in front of
many people. The process of assessing group discussions is not only seen in the final
results, but also during the discussion process. Aspects that need to be assessed
include student participation in contribution and involvement in the discussion.
Students' communication skills in expressing opinions, listening, and responding to
other people's opinions. Students' collaboration skills in working together, managing
conflict, and supporting each other during the discussion. During the discussion
process, the teacher can be a facilitator for students. The teacher can oversee the course
of the discussion, provide guidance when students have difficulty, and check students'
understanding.
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The third strategy is presentation which has an important role as a tool to practice
speaking skills in a real-world context. This strategy can train students in developing
more practical and interactive language skills. Through presentations, students can
develop speaking skills, especially in the aspects of pronounciation and fluency. By
daring to perform in front of the class, students can manage their nervousness and be
more confident in communicating in English. Preparation of presentations by groups
can foster an attitude of collaborative skills and integrate ideas together. Presentations
can be done by analyzing a topic related to English material. The assessment aspects
are assessed from the students' pronounciation when performing in front of the class,
fluency that reflects mastery and practice, delivery of relevant information, and
cooperation of each group. After the presentation, the teacher can give feedback to
students on pronounciation errors or give suggestions so that students can improve
fluency.
Formative Assessment Techniques and Tools in English Language Learning
The tools and materials used in the formative assessment process are very diverse,
including the use of rubrics, reflection journal assessment, and assessment with
quizzes. A rubric is an assessment tool used to assess students, college students or
employees in a particular task or project. By using rubrics teachers can provide clear
and measurable criteria for each aspect assessed, so that the assessment becomes more
fair and objective. Examples of the application of formative assessment include
assessing essays, presentations, or group projects. According to research conducted by
(Brookes & Lin, 2010) rubrics are used as a discussion tool to evaluate assignments.
According to (Brookes & Lin, 2010) rubrics are divided into four broad concepts both
horizontally and vertically. The horizontal concept (ability to evaluate) refers to a
person's ability to assess and analyze from various aspects such as models, equations,
solutions, and claims. The vertical column (achievement level) indicates the level of
achievement or mastery of the evaluation ability. The columns consist of missing,
inadequate, needs improvement, and adequate. According to (Pittenger & Lounsbery,
2011) rubrics are able to produce a diverse and easy assessment process for students.
Students can achieve learning objectives with feedback provided by the teacher.
Formative assessment using rubrics can have a positive impact on students' ability to
assess learning progress and critical thinking.
Reflection journal assessment is the process of evaluating personal notes or
writings that a person makes to reflect on their experiences, learning or development.
A reflection journal can be a diary, a record of an event, and a record of the learning
process. Reflection journals are one way of formative and summative assessment that
allows students to communicate what they read, collaborative discussions, and
personal experiences (Naughton et al., 2011). In addition to texts, reflections can
include checkable informational websites and blogs, interactive videos, and other
media sources. Reflection journals can be sent by educators or posted online with
comments and reviews, allowing students to evaluate each other.
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Assessment with quizzes is a method that can measure students' abilities by using
a series of short questions such as multiple choice, true-false, or short fill-in-the-blank
designed to test students' knowledge quickly and efficiently. The purposes of
assessment with quizzes include measuring student understanding, providing
feedback to monitor learning progress, and motivating learning. One important
teaching strategy that can be used is multiple-choice quizzes, exams, and formative
assessments that engage students interactively in the classroom. Quiz texts that have
appropriate feedback on the learning material can make multiple-choice quiz scores
increase in summative assessments, which in turn will result in an increase in yearly
or semesterly grades. These assessments focus more on learning outcomes than on
how learners are portrayed following the educational process. However, tests and
exams administered through web-based assessments will not have a negative impact
on students.
Challenges and Solutions in Implementing Formative Assessment
Formative assessment has many benefits for both students and teachers, but it is
possible that there are some challenges in it. Based on interviews conducted by
(Widiastuti & Saukah, 2017) that teachers feel pressured, because teachers get too
many topics that must be delivered on the final exam, which is why they have little
time to implement formative assessment. Another obstacle that is often experienced
by teachers is the lack of time, because the study load is so busy that it is difficult for
teachers to organize enough time to design. Busy schedules can also limit the time to
provide individualized feedback to students. Not only that, the lack of conceptual
understanding causes teachers to have difficulty in designing valid and reliable
assessment instruments. Difficulty in interpreting results can make it difficult for
teachers to conduct an assessment on their students. Lack of communication and
interaction between teachers and students can also hinder the formative assessment
process. Therefore, there must be an appropriate solution so that these obstacles can
be minimized and overcome.
To overcome some of the challenges experienced by teachers in the process of
implementing formative assessment, several ways can be applied, including:
1. Provide training specifically for teachers to learn the concepts and techniques of
formative assessment. Teachers can be taught about how to compile or design
formative assessments and how to implement them in the classroom.
2. Provide sufficient time for teachers and students in the process of implementing
formative assessment. Where when formative assessment is carried out on an
ongoing basis, the load of material taught must be reduced or adjusted so that time
remains efficient.
3. Encourage teachers to be more active in providing feedback to students. The
feedback given should be specific and constructive so that learners can understand
what they need to evaluate.
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4. Improve good communication between teachers and students to create an
interactive learning environment. Both parties must be equally active in the
learning process so that the results of formative assessment can be maximized.
This requires a comfortable classroom atmosphere and mutual respect for each
other.
4. CONCLUSION
Formative assessment plays an important role in the learning process, especially
in curriculum development and classroom implementation. In this process, formative
assessment acts as a monitoring tool and provides feedback to teachers and students
to improve material understanding and student engagement. The difference between
formative evaluation and summative evaluation lies in the purpose and timing of
implementation. Formative assessment is more flexible and continuous, allowing
teachers to assess student understanding and receive immediate feedback, while
summative assessment is used at the end of learning to determine final results,
students will be evaluated in the form of grades.
In the context of the curriculum, formative assessment helps map students'
learning needs and development, particularly in the area of English, and allows
materials and strategies to be tailored to students' performance levels. Effective
formative assessment strategies include questioning, group discussions and
presentations that engage students more actively in their learning. Feedback provided
in various forms such as rubrics, reflection journals and quizzes motivate students and
increase their desire to improve their language skills. As an evaluation tool that
provides feedback on an ongoing basis, formative assessment helps students
understand their level of understanding of the material, increases learning motivation,
and develops critical and innovative skills. In the context of English language learning,
formative assessment contributes to the development of four key skills: speaking,
writing, reading and listening. Strategies such as questioning, discussion and
presentation are effective ways to increase student engagement and support
collaborative skills, communication and confidence.
However, there are challenges in implementing formative assessment, particularly
related to time constraints and teachers' understanding of how to design and
implement effective assessment tools. Overcoming this requires support from the
education system so that teachers can have more flexible time, understand the concept
of formative assessment and be innovative in developing adaptive curriculum. Better
integration of formative assessment makes the learning process more interactive and
meaningful, increasing student motivation to optimally achieve learning objectives. By
addressing these challenges, formative assessment can be a key component in creating
an adaptive curriculum and effective learning, supporting students to achieve optimal
learning outcomes and be ready to face global challenges.
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