Analyzing peer-assisted reflections in developmental college mathematics course

Formative assessment is defined as classroom activity that gives insight into students' understanding and learning to the teacher and students that is then used to adapt the teaching to fit learning needs. There have been several studies conducted that show the benefits of using formative assessment in the classroom; one specific instance of this was seen in a study done by Reinholz [Reinholz, 2015], in which he studied the effects of having university level calculus students partake in peer-assisted reflections with fellow classmates. In this research study I conducted a similar experiment to that of Reinholz in which I observed four different sections of algebra 1 during the summer of 2016 at San Francisco State University. I documented the ways that students seemed to be affected by participating in peerassisted reflection, specifically studying student learning and understanding of linear functions throughout the experimental study. This thesis discusses data and findings based off peer-assisted reflections and their effect on student learning and other classroom dynamics.