This work documents the findings of a research project which investigated the ways in which teachers and students used formative assessment to improve the teaching and learning of science in some New Zealand classrooms. It will be of interest to graduate students and researchers, as well as teacher educators, curriculum developers, and assessment specialists.

Acknowledgements. 1. Introduction. 2. A review of the relevant literature. 3. A case study of formative assessment. 4. The characteristics of formative assessment. 5. A model of formative assessment. 6. Cameos of formative assessment. 7. Learning and formative assessment. 8. Doing formative assessment. Appendix. References. Index. Figures. Table.