Formative Assessment Analysis: Impacts of the industrial Revolution

At the time this formative assessment was given, students were nearing the end of direct instruction in a
unit on the Industrial Revolution. In the last week, students had learned through lecture and through a
simulation game the impacts of industrialization on Europe in societal, economic, and environmental
contexts. Through the use of a Google Form, I asked students to give examples of the societal and
environmental impacts of industrialization on Europeans. Below are student work samples and a
summation of my data.

After looking at student data, I broke students into the following 4 categories. Below each category is a
student work sample and an explanation of the categorization.

Students who can accurately explain both societal and environmental impacts of the Industrial Revolution

This student showed mastery of the

content. By addressing the growing
wealth disparity, long work hours, and
the rise of alcoholism as a response to
grueling working conditions, this
student successfully explained the
societal impacts. By explaining water
pollution caused by factories and
deforestation to make room for
growing cities, the student successfully
explained the environmental impacts.

Students who can accurately explain the Industrial Revolution’s societal impacts but not the
environmental impacts

By explaining gender and age pay

disparity and the growing gaps
between social classes, the student
successfully explained the social
impacts of industrialization. When
attempting to explain the
environmental impacts, the student is
unable to explain how urbanization and
the growth of factories had direct
impacts on the physical environment.
Students who can accurately explain the Industrial Revolution’s environmental impacts but not the
societal impacts

While this student is able to identify

an increase in employment during the
Industrial Revolution, they are unable
to explain how employment impacted
the lives of Europeans. This student is
able to successfully explain that
deforestation occurred due to
urbanization and air and water
pollution occurred because of the
power used by factories.

Students who cannot accurately explain the Industrial Revolution’s environmental or societal impacts

While this student is able to identify

an increase in employment during
the Industrial Revolution, they are
unable to explain how
unemployment impacted the lives of
Europeans. Additionally, while this
student is able to identify the growth
of cities, they are unable to explain
how the growth of cities impacted
the environment.

When looking specifically at my fourth hour as a sample, I was able to make the following distinctions:
● Fourteen students could accurately explain both societal and environmental impacts of the
Industrial Revolution
● Twelve students could accurately explain the Industrial Revolution’s societal impacts but not the
environmental impacts
● Six students could accurately explain the Industrial Revolution’s environmental impacts but not
the societal impacts
 ● Four students could not accurately explain the Industrial Revolution’s environmental or societal
impacts

Additionally, most students, sixty-five percent, rated their confidence in explaining the Industrial
Revolution’s impact at a 4 or 5, the top of the scale. Twenty-one percent rated themselves in the middle
and fourteen percent rated themselves at the bottom two tiers of the scale.

As a result of this data, I determined that I would need to do a brief reteaching of both the societal and
environmental impacts, focusing more specifically on the environmental. In order to achieve this, I had
students read a passage on the environmental and societal impacts, share their thoughts with their table
partner, and then had the partners share their ideas aloud. In doing this, we compiled a list from which
students could reference when looking at the Industrial Revolution’s impacts.