Assessment and AI: how formative assessment gives teachers a fuller picture

More students are using AI to write essays, solve maths problems and design presentations, making it increasingly difficult for teachers to assess the understanding behind the work.

Detecting AI content is getting more difficult, yet an outright ban on GenAI tools risks leaving students unprepared for an AI-powered world. Future workplaces will need digital skills paired with strong critical thinking, and teachers are the best people to help students understand and practice that balance.

Formative assessment offers teachers a reliable overview of how students are progressing. It’s a way of measuring real understanding outside of potentially AI-generated output. Let’s take a look at some strategies that can help.

Seven formative assessment strategies for real-time insights

Formative assessment in the classroom is one of the best tools teachers have when navigating AI and assessment. It allows us to see what students know, gain a clear picture of their progress and where they need help. Embedding quick, low-stakes opportunities during class allows teachers to see real effort, growth and understanding as it happens.

Here are practical ways to check student learning in the moment, where AI cannot do the work for them.

1. Low-stakes checks for instant feedback

Have students answer quick questions using mini whiteboards, traffic-light cards or online polls to check prior knowledge, gauge mid-lesson progress or wrap up a class. Use hinge questions at key moments to decide whether to re-teach or move on, and exit tickets for quick written checks. These activities don't require heavy marking. Instead, you get instant data - scanning a room of whiteboards in ten seconds lets you create quick micro-groups or clear up confusion right away. Our article on rethinking assessment in primary science has more ideas for using low-stakes checks in daily lessons.

2. Documenting incremental growth over time

Start new topics with KWL charts where students record what they know, what they want to learn and what they discover. Pair these with reflection sheets so students can track their own growth over time. Regularly reviewing these ongoing notes enables students to visualise and take ownership of their learning journey, reinforcing their sense of personal growth. Because these notes are created step by step in class, they build an authentic, AI-proof record of student thinking.

3. Small-group practical stations in action

Rotate small groups through short, hands-on tasks while you observe. Mix up the information each group uses so students cannot simply copy answers. Focus on the process rather than just the final answer: watch how they use equipment, check if their method works and notice where they hesitate. Assign clear rotating roles, like facilitator, recorder or manager, to keep everyone involved. Live observation clearly shows which skills students have mastered and where they still need support.

4. Unscripted dialogue as the ultimate test of understanding

Move past "does everyone understand?" and ask specific questions that prompt students to explain their reasoning: what changed, why did that happen or how does this fit the pattern? As one IB physics teacher notes, live dialogue is one of the clearest forms of assessment because students cannot prepare responses ahead of time. Combining this with think-pair-share activities gives you a chance to hear their thinking before larger group discussions. It’s crucial that teachers create a supportive environment for these unscripted moments to help reduce the pressure that often leads students to rely on AI for "perfect" answers.

5. Asking students to talk through their working

Instead of only marking a finished project, ask students to explain the thinking behind their work. Encourage them to talk through their logic rather than just repeat facts and treat mistakes as helpful learning steps. You can also use 'think-alouds' where students describe their process as they solve a problem. Short follow-up questions during or after a task challenge students to justify their decisions and help teachers confirm that the work reflects genuine understanding.

6. Collaborative scenario-solving and seminars

Replace traditional essays with live case studies, problem-solving scenarios or open-ended enquiries where students must work together. Engaging in collaborative dialogue encourages peer learning and collective problem-solving, making it far more challenging for students to rely on isolated tools. It also mirrors real-world demands, where problem-solving is likely to be conducted as part of live team discussion. As the teacher, you should monitor individual understanding and guide, not lead, the discussion.

7. Critical evaluation of students’ own use of AI

Instead of viewing AI use as something to monitor and detect, treat it as a tool for students to evaluate critically. Ask them to explain their choices when using AI to help them with their work: a student using AI effectively can show how it helped, point out its mistakes and highlight their own original thinking. To guide this, you can provide a reflection log with questions like:

What was your original prompt and how did it evolve?

What did AI suggest that you ultimately chose to reject or rewrite?

Which part of this final piece represents your distinct voice?

When students can thoughtfully evaluate their own work and tools, teachers gain a clearer, deeper understanding of their true progress and growth.

Balanced assessment that reflects real understanding

Formative assessment does not replace submitted projects; it supports them by ensuring final work reflects real, independent learning and growth. By focusing on assessment methods that foster and evaluate deeper understanding, we help students to develop skills they need to thrive beyond school.

By combining AI-assisted tasks with live discussions, practical observations and self-reflection, teachers encourage curiosity and gain an accurate picture of student growth. This does more than help us navigate and manage AI, it also helps our students become creative and critical thinkers who can use technology effectively.

Further reading

Read AI and assessment: the challenges and opportunities for international educators and learn how we can move from GenAI creating disruption to opportunities in education in our Big Think on how to evolve formative assessment for an AI-driven future. Watch the webinar on demand.