Formative assessment is a crucial component of supporting effective literacy instruction in any classroom. Research has taught us that teachers can responsively inform their literacy instruction through intentional and varied assessments of student learning. (For more information about effective formative assessment, see Johnston and Afflerbach).
A powerful formative assessment tool is observation. Teachers gain valuable data by observing individuals or small groups of students reading and thinking aloud about the text or their reading processes. Documenting these think-alouds can be time-consuming given the ratio of students to teachers in most classrooms. It is here that teachers can leverage digital technologies.
By using apps that allow students to record images and audio (Educreations, Shadow Puppet, Book Creator, ShowMe, Seesaw), teachers reduce the time it takes to conduct individual or small-group think-alouds about specific literacy concepts or skills. Well-structured formative assessment tasks allow students to work independently or in small groups, either recording simultaneously or through structured rotations, with limited support from the teacher. The resulting digital videos can be viewed any time and shared with wider audiences.
Creating videos to understand text features
To understand the potential of digital formative assessment, I asked Robin Schuhmacher, second-grade teacher and 2014 Apple Educator of the Year, to share an example. Robin developed a cross-curricular literacy and science unit in which one of many goals was identifying informational text features (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.5). After several initial lessons, she had the second graders participate in a formative assessment of their current knowledge about informational text features. Students embarked individually on a nonfiction scavenger hunt in books selected on the basis of interest and reading level. Then, in pairs, students discussed and selected the best representations of informational text features. Over the course of a single lesson, they used Shadow Puppet on their iPads to take pictures of specific text features and to record audio that named and described the characteristics of each feature.
Robin reviewed the videos outside of class time, identifying gaps in knowledge and planning responsive instruction for future lessons. Robin shared selections of the videos with the whole class, reviewing text features that students had mastered and those that still needed reinforcement. When reviewing videos with each pair of students, Robin could more specifically identify gaps in knowledge. Supported by additional targeted instruction, the pair then recorded a new video to demonstrate new understanding about text features they had previously missed.
Tips for using digital tools for assessment
Teachers can use a number of digital tools to enhance formative assessment. When getting started, consider your current assessment practices and evaluate whether a digital tool could provide new or unique opportunities to assess students’ literacy knowledge. Choose an app that is easy for students to use and high-interest texts at an appropriate reading level for each student. Model the creation process and a sample video of what you expect from students. Consider pairing or grouping students when first using the app. If you are recording simultaneously, spread students out to minimize audio overlap. Be intentional in the process, and you will find the power of using digital tools for formative assessment.
Kara 
Sevensma is an assistant professor of education at Calvin College. She is currently researching educational technology and human flourishing with a grant supported by the Kuyers Institute for Christian Teaching and Learning. She can be contacted at sevensma@calvin.edu.
Robin Schuhmacher is a second-grade teacher and differentiation coach in Cherry Creek School District. She has 12 years of experience in the primary classroom and holds a B.A. in elementary education and an M.A. in special education. She can be contacted at rschuhmacher@cherrycreekschools.org or via Twitter @robin_schuh.
This article is part of a series from the International Literacy Association’s Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG).