Assessment is the process of gathering data. More specifically, assessment is the way instructors gather data about their teaching and their students’ learning (Hanna & Dettmer, 2004). In a balanced assessment system, both summative and formative assessments are an integral part of information gathering. Depend too much on one or the other and the reality of student achievement in your classroom becomes unclear.
Formative Assessment
Formative assessment occurs throughout the learning process. It provides feedback and information during the instructional process, while learning is taking place, and while learning is occurring. It provides multiple opportunities to the measure the progress of identified targeted goals for both the student and instructor without concerns about grading. Because it is non-graded, it is considered low-stakes and is used to encourage student and teacher reflection.
Formative assessment is concerned with how judgments about the quality of student responses (performance, pieces, or works) can be used to shape and improve the student’s competence by disrupting the randomness and inadequacy of trail-and-error learning.
According to Garrison & Ehringhaus (2007), “One distinction is to think of formative assessment as "practice." We do not hold students accountable in "grade book fashion" for skills and concepts they have just been introduced to or are learning. We must allow for practice. Formative assessment helps teachers determine next steps during the learning process as the instruction approaches the summative assessment of student learning” (p. 2).
Examples of formative assessments include but are not limited to:
Summative Assessment
Summative assessment is a high-stakes type of assessment that takes place after the learning has been completed and provides information and feedback that sums up the teaching and learning process. Its purpose is to make final judgments about student achievement and instructional effectiveness and typically happens when no more formal learning is taking place. Summative assessment is the combination of the performance measurement and current learning level of achievement.
High-stakes summative assessments typically are given to students at the end of a set point during or at the end of the semester to assess what has been learned and how well it was learned. Grades are usually an outcome of summative assessment: they indicate whether the student has an acceptable level of knowledge-gain. Because they are spread out and occur after instruction every few weeks, months, or once a year, summative assessments are tools to help evaluate the effectiveness of programs, school improvement goals, alignment of curriculum, or student placement in specific programs.
Examples of summative assessment include but are not limited to:
Differences
Summative contrasts with formative assessment in that it is concerned with summing up or summarizing the achievement status of a student, and is geared towards reporting at the end of a course of study especially for purpose of certification. It is essentially passive and does not normally have immediate impact on learning, although it often influences decisions which may have profound educational and personal consequences for the student. The primary distinction between formative and summative relates to purpose and effect, not the timing. (Sadler, 1989)
Below is a diagram that shows the differences and similarities between formative and summative assessments. While most educators are used to using summative assessments for grading, formative assessment must be done in order to drive future instruction on a day-to-day basis.
Formative Assessment
Formative assessment occurs throughout the learning process. It provides feedback and information during the instructional process, while learning is taking place, and while learning is occurring. It provides multiple opportunities to the measure the progress of identified targeted goals for both the student and instructor without concerns about grading. Because it is non-graded, it is considered low-stakes and is used to encourage student and teacher reflection.
Formative assessment is concerned with how judgments about the quality of student responses (performance, pieces, or works) can be used to shape and improve the student’s competence by disrupting the randomness and inadequacy of trail-and-error learning.
According to Garrison & Ehringhaus (2007), “One distinction is to think of formative assessment as "practice." We do not hold students accountable in "grade book fashion" for skills and concepts they have just been introduced to or are learning. We must allow for practice. Formative assessment helps teachers determine next steps during the learning process as the instruction approaches the summative assessment of student learning” (p. 2).
Examples of formative assessments include but are not limited to:
- Reflections journals that are reviewed periodically during the semester
- Conferences between the instructor and student at various points in the semester
- Observations
- Journals
- In-class activities where students informally present their results
Summative Assessment
Summative assessment is a high-stakes type of assessment that takes place after the learning has been completed and provides information and feedback that sums up the teaching and learning process. Its purpose is to make final judgments about student achievement and instructional effectiveness and typically happens when no more formal learning is taking place. Summative assessment is the combination of the performance measurement and current learning level of achievement.
High-stakes summative assessments typically are given to students at the end of a set point during or at the end of the semester to assess what has been learned and how well it was learned. Grades are usually an outcome of summative assessment: they indicate whether the student has an acceptable level of knowledge-gain. Because they are spread out and occur after instruction every few weeks, months, or once a year, summative assessments are tools to help evaluate the effectiveness of programs, school improvement goals, alignment of curriculum, or student placement in specific programs.
Examples of summative assessment include but are not limited to:
- Examinations (major, high-stakes exams)
- Final examination (a truly summative assessment)
- Projects
- Portfolios (could also be assessed during its development as a formative assessment)
Differences
Summative contrasts with formative assessment in that it is concerned with summing up or summarizing the achievement status of a student, and is geared towards reporting at the end of a course of study especially for purpose of certification. It is essentially passive and does not normally have immediate impact on learning, although it often influences decisions which may have profound educational and personal consequences for the student. The primary distinction between formative and summative relates to purpose and effect, not the timing. (Sadler, 1989)
Below is a diagram that shows the differences and similarities between formative and summative assessments. While most educators are used to using summative assessments for grading, formative assessment must be done in order to drive future instruction on a day-to-day basis.
References
Cole, R. Formative vs Summative Assessments. Retrieved from: http://kingcolemedia.com/?page_id=1137
Garrison, C., & Ehringhaus, M. (2007). Formative and summative assessments in the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.amle.org/Publications/WebExclusive/Assessment/tabid /1120/Default.aspx
Hanna, G. S., & Dettmer, P. A. (2004). Assessment for effective teaching: Using context-adaptive planning. Boston, MA: Pearson A&B.
Just Science Now! (n.d.). Assessment-inquiry connection. Retrieved from: http://www.justsciencenow.com/assessment/index.htm
Sadler, R. D. (1989). Formative assessment and the design of instructional systems. Instructional Science, 18(2), 119-144.
Cole, R. Formative vs Summative Assessments. Retrieved from: http://kingcolemedia.com/?page_id=1137
Garrison, C., & Ehringhaus, M. (2007). Formative and summative assessments in the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.amle.org/Publications/WebExclusive/Assessment/tabid /1120/Default.aspx
Hanna, G. S., & Dettmer, P. A. (2004). Assessment for effective teaching: Using context-adaptive planning. Boston, MA: Pearson A&B.
Just Science Now! (n.d.). Assessment-inquiry connection. Retrieved from: http://www.justsciencenow.com/assessment/index.htm
Sadler, R. D. (1989). Formative assessment and the design of instructional systems. Instructional Science, 18(2), 119-144.
