Relationship between formative assessment practices and students’ academic achievement: the mediating role of student engagement

Theoretical benefits attributable to formative assessment of students’ academic achievement are widely recognised. Empirical evidence has, however, shown that this positive relationship is not straightforward, prompting investigations into factors that may influence such a relationship. In the current study, we examine the mediating role of student engagement in the relationship between formative assessment practices and students’ academic achievement in mathematics. The survey sample consisted of 379 tenth-grade students from mainland China. Structural equation modelling revealed that formative assessment practices did not directly impact students’ academic achievement. Rather, the analysis indicated that student engagement mediated formative assessment practices’ indirect and positive impact on academic achievement. The findings suggest that student engagement plays an important mediating role in the relationship between formative assessment practices and students’ academic achievement.