Learning progressions in action in a middle school: a case study

Learning progressions (LPs) have been touted widely for their promise in helping teachers to conduct formative assessment. A case study was conducted on a team of middle-school mathematics teachers as they studied and incorporated LPs into their planning, instruction and assessment. An existing framework on the beliefs, knowledge and practice needed to successfully implement formative assessment was used as a lens to interpret teachers’ experiences with the LPs. The findings reveal that while the teachers can use LPs to set goals, they need assistance and support to use LPs to find out what students know and to provide feedback.