APERA Conerence 2006 28.docVIP

APERA Conference 2006 28 – 30 November 2006 Hong Kong 1 A Critical Analysis of the Use of Formative Assessment in Schools MARSH, Colin J. Curtin University , Perth, Western Australia Abstract: The literature is replete with exhortations about the need for teachers to use formative assessment. Clearly there are many advantages in doing so. Yet, empirical studies reveal that there is very little evidence that formative assessment is used frequently in classrooms. It is necessary to examine reasons why this is the case and to look for possible solutions to the problem. Introduction There are many