In this episode of EdTechnical, Libby and Owen speak with assessment expert Dylan Wiliam, Emeritus Professor at UCL Institute of Education, about how formative assessment and AI are reshaping classroom practice. Dylan brings decades of experience in educational research and teacher development to a timely conversation about what works, what doesn’t, and what’s next for assessment. They cover:

Why formative assessment remains underused despite its proven impact
How AI is reshaping summative assessment and teacher workload
The limits of AI in delivering meaningful feedback
Rethinking homework in the age of AI
Oral exams, conversational assessment, and the future of grading
The potential for AI to shift the teacher-student dynamic for the better

Links

Book: Student Assessment: Better Evidence, Better Decisions, Better Learning
Dylan and others explore how assessment can be redesigned to better support learning and decision-making in schools.
Podcast episode: Formative Assessment, AI, and the Future of Teaching
Dylan discusses how AI can support teacher growth and formative assessment, while cautioning against overreliance on tech.

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BOLD (@BOLD_insights), Libby Hills (@Libbylhhills) and Owen Henkel (@owen_henkel)
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Credits: Sarah Myles for production support; Josie Hills for graphic design; Anabel Altenburg for content production.

Assessment in Education: To AI or Not to AI?