It’s time to rethink assessment for learning

For decades, formative assessment has been a silent engine for learning—powering insights about student progress and worker readiness. But let’s be honest, in a world where technology is evolving faster than human skills, it’s time to ask questions about traditional teaching and learning models, and in many cases, modernize them.

So, let’s talk about formative assessment in the age of AI. Formative assessment is the ongoing process educators and workplace trainers use to understand where students are in their learning and how to adjust instruction accordingly, through homework, essays, quizzes, and short writing assignments. Eighty percent of educators rate formative assessment as extremely or very important. Unfortunately, but understandably, the arrival of generative AI has made it difficult for instructors to determine what students genuinely understand, as AI tools can produce polished work instantly.

THE FUTURE OF ASSESSMENT DESIGN

While administrative policy can help address improper AI use, the real potential for progress comes from evolving assessment design itself. When assessments are built to prioritize the thought process rather than just the product, AI becomes far less disruptive and far more beneficial. Asking students to make their thinking visible—through reflections, revisions, or short explanations of how they approached a task—restores the instructional signal that AI might otherwise obscure. For educators, this means being able to spot misconceptions earlier, tailor feedback more precisely, and differentiate support without increasing workload.

This shift isn’t about adding complexity. If anything, it’s about adding clarity. And it’s an opportunity to modernize assessment in ways that mirror the world students are entering. In most professional environments, AI assistance is not only allowed; it is expected. Success comes from knowing how to use these tools responsibly: checking sources, critiquing the quality of generated outputs, and adapting insights to novel contexts. Assessments that emphasize reasoning, analysis, and the ability to apply knowledge to new situations better reflect these real-world demands. They prepare students not just to complete tasks, but to think with AI in ways that enhance their learning and judgment.

TEACHER BENEFITS

For instructors, thoughtfully integrating GenAI within formative assessment can also reduce friction. Well‑designed tools can automate repetitive tasks such as generating varied practice items, suggesting targeted feedback language, or providing examples at different proficiency levels. This allows educators to spend more time on the high‑value interactions that deepen learning and provide individualized support. In an era of rising expectations and constrained capacity, that shift matters.

There is another often overlooked benefit: insight. When AI helps surface patterns in student work, it gives educators a clearer starting point for instruction. With better visibility, teaching becomes more adaptive, and learning becomes more personalized. This is especially powerful in large classes, hybrid formats, or virtual learning environments where real‑time insight can be harder to access. Recent Pearson research reveals strategies for schoolteachers and higher education instructors to evolve their formative assessments in a GenAI era.

Of course, none of this happens automatically. Bold, collaborative action is required across school and higher‑education leadership, administrators, and policymakers to ensure formative assessment evolves in meaningful and sustainable ways. Together, these groups play a critical role in providing a clear AI strategy, supporting educator training, and shaping an ecosystem that aligns curriculum, instruction, and assessment with responsible GenAI use.

This transition also requires assessments that reward thoughtfulness over polish, reasoning over rote, and application over replication. And it requires a shared understanding that AI is not a shortcut to learning but a catalyst for insight—one that can elevate the quality of teaching when used intentionally.

A LOOK AHEAD

The future of formative assessment isn’t about outsmarting AI or pretending it doesn’t exist. Formative assessment must remain fundamental to good teaching and effective learning.

Ensuring AI strengthens reflection, feedback, and understanding will allow it to become a partner, rather than a substitute for learning. With thoughtful action, the integration of AI into teaching and learning can move us closer to what education has always aspired to deliver: deeper learning, clearer understanding, and better outcomes for every learner.

Tom ap Simon is the president of higher education and virtual learning at Pearson.

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