• NATIONAL STEM LEARNING CENTRE

Planning for Learning: Formative Assessment

Develop the way you use evidence of student understanding to inform your teaching and enable learning during and across lessons.

15,661 enrolled on this course

Planning for Learning in STEM Teaching
  • Duration

    5 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours
  • Accreditation

    AvailableMore info
The CPD Certification Service

This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.

Improve learning outcomes in STEM subjects through effective planning

Guided by experts in assessment for learning, on this course you’ll plan to identify your learners’ thinking, clarify learning goals and fine tune your teaching to progress your students’ understanding, both in and between lessons.

Plan based on learners’ starting points, use success criteria, and develop your classroom questioning to adjust your teaching approach and respond to student learning. You’ll also look at medium-term planning and the benefits of working with colleagues as you change your practice.

Download video: standard or HD

Skip to 0 minutes and 6 seconds [Andrea Mapplebeck] As teachers we all know that planning is essential, so how do you make sure it drives forward student progress? How do we plan for learning? As a teacher who wants to promote the learning of your students, you’ll want to make evidence-informed judgements and apply a range of approaches to respond and adapt teaching during and in between lessons. [Dylan Wiliam] Planning for Learning in STEM Teaching is for teachers of all phases, from primary to secondary and post-16. Assessment for learning helps teachers collect evidence to tailor student learning. [Chris Harrison] We’ll look at planning to identify students’ starting points before exploring ways to tune teaching approaches and techniques for responding to student learning.

Skip to 0 minutes and 45 seconds Finally we look at medium term planning and planning with colleagues. [Andrea] Through combining evidence-based research with your own experiences and understanding of your students and classroom environment, you will develop effective approaches to improve student achievement and engagement with their learning. [Laura (Teacher)] We need to think not just about what they can do the next two weeks, but how that’s going to help them in the future when they move on to future topics. [George (Teacher)] Children aren’t able to achieve, if you just give them a task, as well as if you give them tasks built on what they already know.

Skip to 1 minute and 15 seconds [Amy (Teacher)] And it’s about knowing where children are at coming into the lesson, and how you’re going to get them to the next step leaving the lesson so none of the children get left behind. [Ashley (Teacher)] Every lesson is different, every student’s different, every group you put together is different. You have to be ready to adapt your timing and if you can’t get something in that particular lesson it’s not the end of the world. [Chris Harrison] On this course you will see a range of approaches exemplified by teachers and learn ways to listen in to your students and infer their progress. These approaches will help you become better able to support the learning of all your students.

Skip to 1 minute and 48 seconds [Dylan Wiliam] Planning for Learning is one of many online CPD courses provided by the National STEM Learning Centre as part of the STEM teaching program on FutureLearn. [Andrea Mapplebeck] You will learn with other teachers from around the world, contextualise the course within your own teaching environment and will be supported by educators and mentors online. [Chris Harrison] We look forward to you joining us on the course.

What topics will you cover?

  • Planning to gather evidence about your students’ learning
  • Planning to address misconceptions
  • Collecting evidence to inform your teaching
  • Planning to respond to student understanding during lessons
  • Medium-term planning to respond to student understanding across lessons

Who is this accredited by?

The CPD Certification Service
The CPD Certification Service:

The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Identify students' starting points and how to plan to move them forward successfully
  • Demonstrate how to make evidence informed judgements about your students
  • Apply a range of approaches to respond and adapt teaching during and in between lessons
  • Develop your planning for flexibility and evidence collecting opportunities, including addressing difficult areas and misconceptions

Who is the course for?

This course is for teachers, curriculum leaders, newly qualified teachers, trainee teachers and others involved in teaching Science, Engineering, Technology, Computing or Maths. It’s suitable for educators working at primary, secondary or further education (ages 5-19 years).

Teachers of other disciplines may find this course useful in applying assessment for learning approaches.

Who will you learn with?

Former physics teacher & leader, now supporting educators to develop teaching. Commissioned by National STEM Learning Centre to work with Dylan Wiliam & Chris Harrison to design & support AfL courses.

Reader in Science Education and Chair of ASE 2014-2015. Lead UK Researcher on Assessment for Learning. Research interests in Inquiry-learning, professional learning and CPD.

Former school teacher, academic, and university administrator, now working with teachers and leaders around the world to improve educational outcomes for young people.

Who developed the course?

National STEM Learning Centre

The National STEM Learning Centre provides world-class professional development activities and resources to support the teaching of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

Learner reviews

Learner reviews cannot be loaded due to your cookie settings. Please and refresh the page to view this content.

Join the conversation on social media

You can use the hashtag #FLSTEMPlanning to talk about this course on social media.