Assessment in Education

Assessment in education is meant to inform us about student progress and needs. These are the best classroom assessment techniques teachers should use.

Educators should use differentiated assessment tools.

This means that teachers use different types of evaluations to assess background knowledge, current understanding, and overall learning.

Classroom assessment techniques fall into two distinct categories: formative assessments and summative assessment.

Both of these types should be used in a balanced approach as they are equally valuable in gathering information about students.

A classroom performance based assessment can be either summative or formative, and they can also be used as diagnostic tools to direct instruction.

Summative Assessment

Report cards for school performance are based on these. So are chapter tests, exams and mid-terms.

The problem with this type of classroom assessment is that it happens so far down the road that the real growth and value of what has been learned is not apparent. It does little to help teachers know what their students need to continue on towards mastery learning.

The only way to make adjustments and interventions is during the learning process, not at the end. That is why we use the formative assessment in education.

Formative Assessments

Adjustments can be made quickly using these evaluations. Perhaps a child requires intervention, or maybe needs differentiation in the classroom.

A key difference between a summative and a formative assessment in education is that a formative assessment is "practice." It gives teachers an opportunity to consider the next steps that are needed based on practice results.

Another important factor is that the students are completely involved in assessing their own learning. They learn to identify what they need help with, what is going well, and the teacher provides targeted feedback.

However, teachers often are great at gathering information with formative assessments, but never put it to good use. How can educators use this?

• Set goals with students
• Take the opportunity to have individual conferences with students
• Flexible grouping based on formative assessments
• Provide a means for students to display understanding during practice

How to Use Assessment in Education

• Kids learning styles inventory
• Multiple intelligences inventories
• Survey about attitudes towards subjects
• Spelling Assessment

2. Unit of Study Pre-Assessment (Formative Assessments)

• KWLS Charts: What I Know, Want to Know, Learned, Still Want to Know
• Word Sorts (Sorting relevant terms by categories)
• Chapter Pretest (research supports the fact that students who pretest perform better)
• Compacting Curriculum through Differentiated Instruction
• True or False Anticipation Guide (not to be confused with T/F Summative Assessment)

3. Check for Understanding (Formative Assessments)

• Dry erase boards for quick checks
• Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down
• Paint Chips

4. Closing Assessments (Formative Assessments)

• Exit slips explaining one thing you learned today
• Ball Toss (answer questions as the ball is thrown to you)

5. Traditional Assessments (Summative Assessment)

• Multiple choice, True/False, Matching, Fill in the Blank
• Essay writing, Extended response or Short Answers
• "Pop" or "Quick" quizzes
• End of Unit Tests

6. Self Assessments (Formative Assessments)

• Assessment Rubrics
• Journal Entries or Essays
• Checklists
• Likert Scales (rating items from 1-5, agree-disagree, etc.)

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