Teacher as a facilitator in Assessment for Learning

Assessment for learning involves a type of assessment that is formative in nature in contrast to assessment of learning which is predominantly summative in nature. The results of such assessment provide information about the strengths and weaknesses of a learner related to a particular task, topic or subject area and this feedback then helps in planning required teaching-learning work in a classroom situation. 

Here a teacher switches over his role from a dominating position to a well wisher, facilitator and helper always standing by his students for arranging what is needed by them in their task of learning and development. The students themselves have to learn and make efforts from their side. No direct instruction or demonstration is available from the teacher's side. However, as a facilitator, a teacher has to help students in setting their learning goals, arranging better teaching learning situations, selecting appropriate learning styles, using appropriate devices and aids in tune with their capacities and potential for learning and striving. He is there to guide their path and assist them in their learning. 

Here cognitivism and constructivism emerge on the teaching-learning scene in place of the traditional behaviouristic perspective. The responsibility of learning is to be owned by the learner himself. However, in doing so he may need timely assistance, guidance and help from the teacher.

The role of the facilitator played by the teacher thus may result in guided discovery as proposed by Jerome Bruner in his guided discovery approach and scaffolding as suggested by Lev Vygotsky in his social constructionist learning.

Now, a teacher can help the students in carrying out the task of assessment for learning by playing the role of a facilitator so that they may get timely feedback in relation to their further learning in the following ways-

1. Encouraging and facilitating the mode of self-assessment 

Self-Assessment in its word meaning stands for a type of assessment of the self that is made by student or learner quite independently at his own. 

A teacher while playing the role of a facilitator should try to encourage and smoothen the task of self-assessment in the following ways- 

2. Encouraging and facilitating the mode of peer assessment

In school, the classmates are found quite close to each other. They understand each other's potential and way of expression and thus are a good source for assessing each other's potential or learning. 

A teacher while playing the role of a facilitator should try to encourage and smoothen this useful mode of assessment in the following ways-

The teacher should provide all the needed guidance and assistance to the students as a part of his role as facilitator for carrying out the assessment for learning of the group and individual performance of the students.