Slide 1
Purpose of formative assessment
Help students identify their strengths and weaknesses
Aid faculty identify struggling students
Assist in the development of a concept map
Help an institution develop long-lasting solutions
Formative assessments play a critical role in exemplifying learners’ strengths and weaknesses required to develop the right course of action. In addition, formative assessments are vital in identifying struggling learners and offer the right form of advice needed to address education needs. Most of the students are affected by lack of awareness hence impeding their learning development over time (Dixson & Worrell, 2016). Moreover, a concept map is developed through formative assessments to develop a visual organization and organization of knowledge. As such, keywords which are sometimes enclosed in boxes and circles are utilized to develop a relationship between learning ideas. As a result, a learning institution is capable of developing long-lasting solutions to problems impeding its service delivery.
Slide 2
Purpose of summative assessments
Evaluate student learning
Comparison with standards
Outline learners’ skills acquisition
Summative assessments are useful in assessing student at the end of instructional units. As such, the tutor is capable of gauging the learning and comprehension levels of learners based on set standards and goals. Besides, summative assessments help compare learners progress based on set goals and objectives in learning. Therefore, students cover the required topics within the provided timeframe outlined in the syllabus (Dixson & Worrell, 2016). Moreover, students’ skills acquisition can be assessed by summative assessments due to their capability to develop high point value in final projects and papers. As such, it is easier to evaluate, and grade students relative to their overall understanding of concepts learned in the class context. Overall, summative assessments develop data required to outline learners overall thinking capacity.
Slide 3
Characteristics for formative assessment
Improves learning and achievement
Collaborative
Fluid
Adopt the role of intentional learners
Formative learning is utilized in learning to continuously improve students’ grades which are reflected in their overall academic achievements. As such, the assessment is carried out while learning is in progress to ensure students achieve set academic goals and objectives. Furthermore, formative assessments are collaborative; hence learners and teachers know where they are headed. As such, learning needs are outlined relative to information developed from feedback which adapts to the student needs (Gulikers et al., 2013). also, formative assessments are fluid hence depicted as an ongoing process influenceable by learners and teachers. Finally, the assessment adopts the role of intentional learners, thus allowing tutors to gather information required to develop continuous development in learning.
Slide 4
Characteristics for summative assessment
Measure attainment
Focused on learning products
Teacher-directed
Rigid
Summative assessment is directed towards measuring the level of attainment by learners hence carried out from time to time. Besides, the assessment is developed to attain stipulated learning goals and objectives in a manner which aligns to the overall learning outcome. As such, the assessment is viewed as a separate activity undertaken after the end of the learning cycle. In addition, the assessment is teacher-directed since tutors outline what learners have to do and later assess how well assignments are completed (Gulikers et al., 2013). As such, teachers evaluate the effectiveness of different learning strategies utilized within the class context. Rigidity also characterizes summative assessments since it is an unchanging measure of what learners have achieved in a given period of time.
Slide 5
Examples of formative assessment
In-class discussions
Clicker questions
Weekly quizzes
In-class discussions help learners to interact with each other hence developing the concept of practice in daily learning activities. As a result, classroom discussions help develop sustained exchange between students and learners through the development of learning skills and capabilities. Also, clicker questions are examples of summative, formative assessments and done by asking learners to initially respond to outlined queries (Gulikers et al., 2013). Afterwards, the instructors generated answers are provided to the learners hence providing timely learning venture. Finally, weekly quizzes help test learner’s knowledge of key topics on a weekly basis. Weekly quizzes as a form of a formative assessment help learners to continuously maintain set learning standards hence fulfilling set learning objectives.
Slide 6
Examples of summative assessments
Final projects
Final essays
Standardized tests
Final projects are done at the end of the semester and serve as a summative form of what has been learned throughout the term. As such, final projects provide learners with the opportunity to distinct subjects hence developing a deeper insight into their context (Dixson & Worrell, 2016). Similarly, final essays help design summaries into a comprehensive conclusion which sums learning of an entire semester. So, final essays serve as summative assessments since they conclude key points learned in a semester in one final document. Topics are clearly selected to ensure they articulate some of the key points learned throughout a given learning period. Finally, Standardized tests are given to the learners in a consistent manner, with time allocated to each learner being equal.
Slide 7
Pros and cons of using technology in formative assessment
Advantage: provide instant feedback
Disadvantage: time-consuming
Formative assessment is advantageous since they provide instant feedback to teachers hence evaluate how well learners have grasped key concepts. Hence, the teachers are capable of adjusting their teaching styles and curriculum within the shortest time possible. As a result, formative assessments encourage learner’s participation and cooperation hence improving learning effectiveness (Dixson & Worrell, 2016). On the other hand, the use of technology in formative assessment is disadvantageous because it takes a lot of time for teachers to get the right perception of their students. Hence, the time consumed for formative assessments reduces teaching opportunities since huge resources are utilized in the process. Furthermore, learners do not respond well to formative assessments as compared to summative tests.
Slide 8
Pros and cons of the use of technology in summative assessment
Advantage: increase students’ motivation
Disadvantage: compel teachers to teach the test
The assessment helps learners who are motivated by grades and scores. As such, the students benefit by comparing the results from those achieved by their peers hence promoting healthy competition in learning (Gulikers et al., 2013). Also, summative assessment is helpful to teachers since students collective scores depict the effectiveness of strategies adopted by the tutor. On the other hand, the assessment is disadvantageous because teachers are compelled to teach what is likely to be in the exam. Hence, tutors only concentrate on specific areas while ignoring other crucial parts. In addition, summative assessment encourages memorization rather than comprehending the subject matter hence jeopardizing education qualities despite initiatives to continuously improve learning (Dixson & Worrell, 2016).
Slide 9
How teachers align assessments to objectives.
Instructional strategies
Learning objectives
Generating plan
Critique assessment
Instructional strategies help align assessment to objectives by identifying the kind of activities that need to be carried out in and out of the classroom context. As such, such strategies reinforce learning objectives and consequently prepare learners for future assessments. Besides, learning objectives align assessments by exemplifying what students ought to do to fulfil set requirements in the classroom context (Looney, 2011). Also, generating a plan help align assessment to objectives by explaining how activities such as research projects and essays ought to be structured. So, the plan helps develop the best course of action that should be adopted by learners while carrying out their learning activities. Finally, critique assessments develop an evaluation of a student’s performances based on set targets.
Slide 10
How teachers align assessments to objectives
Understand
Apply
Analyze
Evaluate
To align assessment to objectives, teachers, have to understand, interpret, and exemplify readings learned in class. Hence, tutors have to compare, and contrast theories learned in class relative to their applicability in real-life situations. Also, teachers have to apply key concepts used to teach in a manner that discriminates between the different levels of learners (Gulikers et al., 2013). Moreover, analysis is required while aligning assessments to objectives based on what must be achieved in learning. Lastly, teachers have to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies used in learning to align assessment to objectives. Evaluation enables teachers to perform a wide range of activities which require learners to test their judgement capabilities based on set standards and criteria.
Slide 11
The use of gathered data in the lesson planning process
Goal setting
Balancing assessments
Questioning strategies
Pre-planning
The data gathered from the assessments would be vital during pre-planning step in the lesson preparation process. The collected information is crucial in selecting resources having more relevancy in learning. As such, the data stands to provide key skills and competencies required in the learning process. Also, the information is crucial in goal setting since it helps engage learners while going through set instructions relative to set goals and expectations (Looney, 2011). Besides, the data would be critical in balancing learning assessments into several learning categories. In such a case, teachers would be in a prime position to develop comprehensive assessment programs during the learning process. Finally, questioning strategies would be developed since the information provided develop the best course of action.
Slide 12
The use of gathered data in the lesson planning process
Differentiation
Time
Writing the plan
Information accrued from the summative assessment is crucial in the lesson planning process since it responds to the need of addressing learners’ differences in the classroom context. Hence, the lesson planning process would adopt competent learning styles needed to improve performance. Besides, initiatives to reduce time spent in summative assessment stands to address time issues required in the lesson planning process (Dixson & Worrell, 2016). As a result, time would be allocated based on its necessity in the provision of learning services by the tutors—finally, the data collected from the assessments is crucial while writing the lesson plan. Hence, the lesson plan process is carried out in a manner which provides a chance to update and mend areas which need rectification.
Slide 13
Alignment to assignments standards and learning objective
Formative assessment:
Impromptu quizzes
Impromptu quizzes align with the assignment’s standards and learning objectives since they check a learner’s level of understanding in quick succession. In most cases, impromptu quizzes help a learner to always prepare for lessons in advance since their timeline is not specified by the tutor. As such, teachers ensure that learners are always conversant with selected topics because the questions are offered on a frequent basis (Looney, 2011). moreover, the quizzes align to the standards of the assignment because they ensure the teacher is always in direct contact with the learners hence developing the much-needed rapport for a classroom setting. Finally, the quizzes ensure that students grasp contents easily as compared to other forms of learning.
Slide 14
Alignment to assignments standards and learning objective
Summative assessment
Final projects type of summative assessment aligns to the assignment’s standards and objectives since it provides a comprehensive analysis of what has been learned throughout the semester. As such, final projects align to set standards for the assignment since they help a student focus on a topic of their own. Hence, a learner has the opportunity to develop a great depth of analysis on the subject matter (Dixson & Worrell, 2016). The goal of the final project is to provide an ongoing dialogue between learners and tutors, which doubles as the standard for this assignment. As a result, continued research is achieved hence aligning the standards and learning objectives.
References
Dixson, D. D., & Worrell, F. C. (2016). Formative and summative assessment in the classroom. Theory into Practice, 55(2), 153-159.
Looney, J. W. (2011). Integrating formative and summative assessment: progress toward a seamless system?.
Gulikers, J. T., Biemans, H. J., Wesselink, R., & van der Wel, M. (2013). Aligning formative and summative assessments: A collaborative action research challenging teacher conceptions. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 39(2), 116-124.