A while back, I had read this quote from Paul Black (1998):
"When the cook tastes the soup, that’s formative assessment; when the customer tastes the soup, that’s summative assessment.”
That made sense to me then, but somehow I just can’t remember why. The analogy is now lost on me. Perhaps, because of the advances in technology, my opinion of what is (or could be) formative assessment has changed from being a way to more frequently assessment student understanding (and allowing this to shape teaching) to being a way for students to assess their own understanding based on the answers given and the discussions held.
Which is why we may want to avoid giving the answers too soon.
Imagine asking a question to the students and the students all “vote on the given choices” or “type in a response” on their keypads. (Obviously I’m referring to ActiVotes or ActivExpression)
Once the input is given, the students immediately see if they got it right or got it wrong. Cool, huh?
But...what if we can sort the answers into groups and have these groups argue, justify or prove their answer? Then have the student re-vote based on the discussion. This makes having the “wrong” answer a learning experience, not a disappointing one.
Maybe the students should get to taste the soup!
For those who may not have watched some of the “Teacher Features” on Promethean Planet, you may want to look at Gautam Saha’s video about the HEI method of instruction. I found that a very exciting and “active” way of learning. And you’ll see who inspired this story! I want to be in his chemistry class! : )
http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/professional-development/teacher-feature/gautam-saha.aspx
[...] Tasting the Soup. - Is this really formative assessment? From Promethean Planet… [...]
I think the soup analogy works better if you see teachers and their pupils as joint 'cooks' of the fantastic soup that is learning.
It is becoming more and more standard these days in UK primary education at least to see learning as a joint journey that a class and their teacher(s) make together. The soup is an experience, not an end product. And as such, tasting by these joint cooks seems to me to be spot on as a metaphor for formative assessment.
I passionately believe that the 'trend' for pupils to be at the centre of their school experience through assessment for learning is the sanest development in education I have seen in my time in education both as child and as educator. I love the way that technology enhances this - and am delighted by my current exploration of the potential of Activexpression to enhance this - but it is the positioning of child at centre of their learning journey that is the key here - not the technology.