1. Formative
1.1. Definition
1.1.1. Formative assessment refers to a wide variety of methods that teachers use to conduct in-process evaluations of student comprehension, learning needs, and academic progress during a lesson, unit, or course. Formative assessments help teachers identify concepts that students are struggling to understand, skills they are having difficulty acquiring, or learning standards they have not yet achieved so that adjustments can be made to lessons, instructional techniques, and academic support. The general goal of formative assessment is to collect detailed information that can be used to improve instruction and student learning while it’s happening. What makes an assessment “formative” is not the design of a test, technique, or self-evaluation, per se, but the way it is used—i.e., to inform in-process teaching and learning modifications. http://edglossary.org/formative-assessment/
1.2. Pros
1.2.1. effective ways to ensure students are all understanding the material and if the instructor needs to reteach
1.3. Cons
1.3.1. may take up class time and/ or require more planning on the teachers' part. However, I really believe there really are no downsides to using formative assessments. It would take more time to reteach an entire unit if students don't master the material than it does to use formative assessments.
1.4. Example
1.4.1. Exit quiz
1.4.2. Thumbs up
1.4.3. Conversation circles
1.4.4. Conferencing individually
1.4.5. Head nodding
1.4.6. Mid-class survey
1.4.7. White boards
1.4.8. Corners
2. Summative
2.1. Definition
2.1.1. Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement at the conclusion of a defined instructional period—typically at the end of a project, unit, course, semester, program, or school year. I think of it as a book end with diagnostic assessments.http://edglossary.org/formative-assessment/
2.2. Pros
2.2.1. Using an extended essay prepares students for university classes, it teaches them to choose deep, complicated topics and to investigate them using critical thinking skills. Helps students to review skills learned at to take it one step further. This kind of assessment is used to show mastery of a subject before moving on to a new one.
2.3. Cons
2.3.1. NA
2.4. Example
2.4.1. Summative assessments can be almost any of the previously discussed assessments-project based, high stakes, authentic or portfolio. They are designed to showcase what the students have learned in the unit of study, in one way or another.
3. Diagnotstic
3.1. Definition
3.1.1. Diagnostic assessment is an essential device in a teacher’s “tool kit”. It can be used to diagnose strengths and areas of need in all students. Diagnostic assessment involves the gathering and careful evaluation of detailed data using students’ knowledge and skills in a given learning area. The data assist teachers to plan for appropriate pedagogy and targeted learning to more effectively scaffold the learning needs of their students. http://www.education.nt.gov.au/parents-community/assessment-reporting/diagnostic-assessments/diagnostic-assessments
3.2. Pros
3.2.1. Allows you to get an idea of where new students are in your discipline or the beginning of a new unit. It also allows an instructor to place a student in the correct level class or group.
3.3. Cons
3.3.1. Can pigeonhole students if instructors think of them as only a certain level for the remainder of the time in their class.
3.4. Example
3.4.1. Give an survey or an entrance quiz at the beginning of a new unit. Speaking tests can be used to see where ELL students are.
4. Performance Based
4.1. Definition
4.1.1. Any assessment strategy designed to estimate a child's knowledge, understanding, ability, skill and/or attitudes in a consistent fashion across individuals emphasizing methods other than standardized achievement tests, particularly those using multiple choice formats. http://www.p12.nysed.gov/technology/library/SLMPE_rubric/Glossary_SLMPE_rubric.html
4.2. Pros
4.2.1. Students can demonstrate knowledge in a tangible, practical way. Good for kinesthetic learners. Good for collaboration.
4.3. Cons
4.3.1. A downside is that grading can be subjective.
4.4. Example
4.4.1. Oral presentations or historical figure reenactment,
5. High Stakes
5.1. Definition
5.1.1. high-stakes test is any test used to make important decisions about students, educators, schools, or districts, most commonly for the purpose of accountability—i.e., the attempt by federal, state, or local government agencies and school administrators to ensure that students are enrolled in effective schools and being taught by effective teachers. http://edglossary.org/high-stakes-testing/
5.2. Pros
5.2.1. Can check for student IQ or for basic testing ability/ content knowledge. Can show student levels on a very basic and general level. Across districts or states, for example.
5.3. Cons
5.3.1. Cause unnecessary stress/ strain on test takers - Don't test students for application of knowledge in a real-world environment - Don't reveal the actual competence for students who are not good "test takers"
5.4. Example
5.4.1. The SAT test or for IB Diploma Years, the summative assessment at the end of the year (thesis paper). Yearly standardized tests given at most schools.
6. Portfolio
6.1. Definition
6.1.1. Portfolio assessment is an assessment form that learners do together with their teachers, and is an alternative to the classic classroom test. The portfolio contains samples of the learner's work and shows growth over time. https://files.itslearning.com/help/en-gb/content/courses/portfolio_assessment.htm?
6.2. Pros
6.2.1. Gives real application to learning; allows students to take something with them out of the classroom and gives them a sense of accomplishment/ completion
6.3. Cons
6.3.1. May not be appropriate for all students' learning styles and/or class subjects
6.4. Example
6.4.1. In my class, we keep track of all the writing we do all year and at the end of each unit the students keep their favorite 3 writing pieces. At the end of the year, we compile it into a binder and they can keep it as an example of their growth throughout the year.
7. Authentic
7.1. Definition
7.1.1. In education, the term authentic learning refers to a wide variety of educational and instructional techniques focused on connecting what students are taught in school to real-world issues, problems, and applications. http://edglossary.org/formative-assessment/
7.2. Pros
7.2.1. I think the pros are that it encourages links between learned information and real life application, just as many of the other assessments we've talked about do. I also like that students are more engaged in these because they feel real.
7.3. Cons
7.3.1. The cons are that they can be time consuming, costly and expensive
7.4. Example
7.4.1. Students who are studying geometry could design blue prints for a house using their skills. They could take it one step farther and submit the plans to architects to get a professional's opinion on how they did.
8. Peer Assesment
8.1. Definition
8.1.1. A form of assessment that relies on student feedback and peer-work.
8.2. Pros
8.2.1. Great for differentiation; helps students get to know one another and feel safer in the space of the classroom; Can relieve workload for instructor. Students might be more willing to work hard on the assignment because they know their peers will be seeing it.
8.3. Cons
8.3.1. students may not want to work with certain students; they may misunderstand a task and confuse a partner further. These must be really well managed and structured, from my experience. Students have to be well instructed on proper procedure for feedback to ensure that mean or inappropriate comment aren't said
8.4. Example
8.4.1. Peer review of essays on Google Docs using the "suggesting feature" and accompanies with a worksheet telling students what to look for in their partners' essay.