Bridging the Feedback Gap: How EdTech Can Revive Formative Assessment in Overwhelmed Classrooms

In a bustling Grade 2 classroom in Metro Manila, Mrs. Reyes glances at the clock. She’s just finished a jam-packed lecture on photosynthesis and is about to launch into another topic—without knowing whether her students truly understood the first one. Like many teachers managing oversized classes, she rarely has time for thoughtful, personalized feedback. In such environments, formative assessment, the key to responsive teaching, often gets lost.

This silent struggle isn’t unique to Mrs. Reyes. It echoes through classrooms across the Philippines—and, unfortunately, across research findings.

The Problem: An Underutilized Pillar of Learning

Formative assessment is meant to be a feedback loop—frequent, low-stakes checks that help teachers adjust instruction and help students track their own progress. But in practice, this loop is broken.

The DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2015 recognizes formative assessment as vital for learning, encouraging teachers to use evidence of student understanding to adjust instruction. Yet, the Formative Assessment Project – Phase 1 Report (ACTRC, 2016) revealed a stark contrast between policy and practice:

• Assessment was largely summative, focused on grades.
• Feedback was minimal or generic.
• Teaching followed rigid structures, often ignoring student response data.

Later, in the Phase 2 Study, 56% of classrooms were still stuck at the most basic level of formative practice—teachers teaching at class level without responding to real-time student progress.

So, what's missing? According to the ESRU model (Teacher Elicit Response→ Student Responds → Teacher Recognizes Students Response→ Teacher Uses Students Response), most teachers stop at "Recognize." Very few “use” student data to shape their instruction in real time. That’s the real feedback gap—and it’s costing students meaningful learning opportunities.

A Tech-Infused Solution

Educational technology isn’t a magic wand, but it can act as a bridge to rebuild that broken feedback loop. When used thoughtfully, it transforms formative assessment from an extra task into an embedded practice.

Tools and approaches that address the issue include:

• AI-powered quizzes that adapt based on student responses
• Interactive videos (e.g., Edpuzzle) that embed formative checks in the lesson
• Google Forms & real-time polling apps to gather class data in minutes
• Digital boards like Padlet for open-ended, process-oriented thinking
• LMS dashboards that summarize who’s falling behind—and why

In one pilot program cited in Phase 2 research, teachers in rural schools used mobile-based quizzes. The instant analytics allowed them to spot misconceptions early and adjust lesson plans—something barely possible with traditional assessments.

This kind of tech isn’t flashy—it’s functional. It empowers teachers to interpret and use student responses mid-lesson, even in large, high-demand classrooms.

Challenges and Realities

Of course, it’s not as simple as installing an app.

• Access and Infrastructure: Many areas still suffer from limited connectivity or lack of devices.
• Teacher Capacity: Most teachers weren’t trained in digital pedagogy or formative assessment strategies.
• Cultural Norms: As noted in Phase 2, the Philippines’ hierarchical classroom culture (high power distance) often discourages students from engaging in peer or self-assessment—key components of higher-level formative practice.

The solution isn’t to force immediate tech adoption but to scaffold growth:

• Use offline-compatible tools for basic digital quizzes and feedback.

• Offer targeted teacher development aligned with the four levels of formative proficiency identified by the research—moving teachers step by step from “delivering lessons” (Level 1) to “coaching metacognitive learners” (Level 4).

• Empower student voice gradually through structured, tech-supported dialogues.

Conclusion: From Policy to Practice—with Help from Tech

The Philippines has a solid policy framework in DepEd Order No. 8, and we now have research that outlines what’s working—and what’s not. The missing link is not intent but implementation.

That’s where educational technology, thoughtfully integrated, can play a pivotal role. It enables the shift from “teaching content” to “teaching learners.” From data collection to data use. From grading to growing.

It’s time to ask not just what students are learning, but how we know—and what we do next.

This article is grounded in Philippine education policy and data from the Formative Assessment Project (ACTRC, 2016), and is intended to inspire evidence-based practices that elevate teaching through practical and equitable technology use.