Innovative EdTech – May Recap: Formative Assessment, Reinvented – 10 EdTech Tools to Use Tomorrow

In Episode 15 of Innovative EdTech, Tristan Heron turned the spotlight on one of the most important aspects of teaching—formative assessment—and explored how educational technology can help make it more effective, engaging, and time-efficient. This practical workshop, titled Formative Assessment, Reinvented: 10 EdTech Ideas You Can Use in Class Tomorrow, delivered just that—real tools with real applications that educators can use right away.

What’s the Purpose of Formative Assessment?

Before diving into the tools, Tristan provided a valuable refresher on what formative assessment is: the ongoing process of gathering evidence during learning to guide teaching decisions, support student progress, and inform instruction. Unlike summative assessment, which typically happens at the end of a unit, formative assessment is about checking in during the learning journey.

Formative assessment:

• Tracks student progress in real time

• Informs teaching and planning

• Improves student outcomes through feedback

• Encourages active engagement

• Helps identify learning gaps early

And with the right EdTech tools, it can be faster, more interactive, and easier to manage—especially when teaching large or diverse classes.

Why Use EdTech for Formative Assessment?

Tristan shared five compelling reasons why educators should explore EdTech options for formative assessment:

1. Instant feedback – make timely adjustments based on real-time data

2. Increased engagement – use interactivity to motivate students

3. Catering to different learning styles – visual, audio, kinaesthetic, and written

4. Suitability for in-person, hybrid, or online settings

5. Time-saving for planning and marking

With this foundation set, it was time to dive into the tools.

10 EdTech Tools for Formative Assessment (With 30 Classroom Applications)

Tristan didn’t just list tools—he provided three example uses for each, making it easy for teachers across different year levels and subject areas to adapt and implement them.

1. Mentimeter

Create word clouds, polls, or slider-scale activities to check understanding in real time.
Examples: Science concepts, poetry analysis, or gauging staff PD confidence.

2. Padlet

Use as a collaborative online board for student brainstorming, reflection, and sharing.
Examples: Geography landform gallery, drama scene planning, lesson planning with pre-service teachers.

3. Kahoot

Gamify learning with quizzes and polls that build excitement and highlight gaps.
Examples: Maths drills, historical timelines, or terminology reviews in PD.

4. Canva Whiteboard

Enable collaborative visual learning by mapping ideas, labelling diagrams, or planning.
Examples: Science diagrams, narrative structure maps, or staff SWOT analyses.

5. Google Forms

Quickly collect responses with auto-marking, exit tickets, or wellbeing check-ins.
Examples: Reading comprehension, “one thing I still need help with,” or mood check surveys.

6. Blooket

A student-favourite for creating fun, competitive review games.
Examples: Vocabulary quizzes, financial literacy games, or strategy matching in staff training.

7. Wakelet

Curate student responses, portfolios, or resources for collaborative projects.
Examples: Reading reflections, STEM research collections, or goal-tracking for teachers.

8. Socrative

Run short quizzes or polls to check conceptual understanding.
Examples: Maths working-out, causes of WWII, or placement reflections.

9. Quizizz

Deliver content-rich lessons or quizzes in a fun, self-paced way.
Examples: Matching ICT terms to icons, body system quizzes, or engagement strategy reviews.

10. Answer Garden

A simple, no-login-needed way to create real-time word clouds.
Examples: Describing characters, listing environmental issues, or collecting favourite assessment strategies.

Tristan’s Challenge: Try One Tool in the Next 48 Hours

As always, Tristan wrapped up the session with a practical challenge: Choose one of the tools from this episode (or one you're already using) and apply it to a formative assessment task within the next 48 hours. Whether you’re in the thick of Term 2 (like we are in Australia) or winding down for summer in the Northern Hemisphere, there’s always time for one small step forward.

Want to Revisit the Episode?

Catch the full replay of Innovative EdTech – Episode 15 on the
Evolve EdTech YouTube Channel, and explore previous episodes in the dedicated Innovative EdTech playlist.

📅 Next Episode: Wednesday 18 June
Topic: Creating Exciting Learning Resources with Canva
Join Tristan for a practical, hands-on episode where he’ll demonstrate how to use Canva to create engaging classroom materials from scratch or from existing templates.

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