Formative Assessment and Feedback as Predictors of Student Engagement

Assessment has always played an integral role in student engagement and learning. Thus, this quasi-experimental study aimed to explore the effects of formative assessment on further engagement in classroom communication as a result of providing frequent and efficient feedback. It is also assumed that formative assessment has a dramatic impact on student engagement in classroom communication. This study investigated such an impact through a pretest/posttest control group design. To this end, 60 EFL students, at Iranian Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research, IUT Branch (ACECR), Iran, chosen via convenient sampling, participated in the study. To serve the purpose of the study the participants were pre-tested. These participants were then randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group was then given prompt and constructive feedback on the results of their assignments and tests, and their ideas were thoughtfully responded to at a number of pedagogic tasks, while the control group did not receive any such treatment. Students performance was assessed over a two-month period. Using SPSS and running a paired t-test on the data, researchers found that the differences between the two groups were statistically significant. It was also concluded that formative assessment has a profound impact on the achievements of students. Providing timely and meaningful feedback and mentoring opportunity afforded in the feedback helped students improve and increased their goodwill. In addition, the findings provided evidence that formative assessment can provide insightful information about learners’ knowledge and performance and contribute to the reconceptualization of fairness in the language classroom. The findings of this study can help teachers avoid unfairness and follow an equal and equitable treatment in the classroom; hence enhancing students’ engagement and learning.