There are a good number of digital tools out there that allow you to do a formative assessment in your class. (Reminder = formative assessments are used to help guide (inform) instruction, not to end a unit or to determine a grade.) I will go over 2 of the big tools out there that you can use right away but there are many other possible tools. The key is finding one that works for you as a teacher and gives you the information necessary to make the decisions you need about instruction. If you have any other suggestions for tools to use for formative assessments, please leave a comment at the bottom of the page.
Google Forms
You can create a Google Form in a short period of time and assign it either by giving your students the link or by embedding it into your Google Site. You have a lot of options and the data comes back as soon as they finish the form.
YOUTUBE VIDEO
Socrative
Socrative is a tool that had its beginnings using cell phones and other mobile devices but it still works well on a computer. You can easily post a question or quiz and have your students respond very easily. You do not have to create student accounts but if you are looking for very specific information about each student, you may want to. The video below will show you how you can create a quick formative assessment but you can go to their site (http://socrative.com/) to get more information.
Updated – Socrative 2.0 Directions
Donovanscience 