Assessments

1. Formative

1.1. Formative assessments help teachers understand student progress and level of understanding during a unit of instruction

1.2. It helps teachers adjust instruction, identify errors early, and provide re-teaching when needed

1.3. Helps students with effective feedback and learning to self-evaluate

1.4. Examples: Do-Now activity at the beginning of class; Exit Tickets at the end of each class.

1.5. It is an assessment for learning as it happens during the learning process and adjustment to instruction can be made to accommodate the students and where they need more support or help

2. Diagnostic

2.1. Diagnostic tests are a form of pre-test to determine student strengths, weaknesses, difficulties, and what they already know about the concepts that will be covered

2.2. Occurs before instruction begins

2.3. Used for lesson and curriculum planning

2.4. benefits both teachers and students

2.5. Creates a baseline for future learning

2.6. It is an assessment both for and of learning because it helps the teacher identify where the students are and how to adjust instruction as well as what the students already know so far.

3. Summative

3.1. Summative assessments evaluate what students learned at the end of a unit.

3.2. it is used to evaluate learning and serve for comparisons and rankings between groups of students, classes, or schools

3.3. It does not have an immediate influence on instruction

3.4. It is an evaluation of long-term learning

3.5. Examples: SATs, exams, papers, presentations.

3.6. It is an assessment of learning as it comes at the end of instruction and provides data to assess the learning over a period of time but does not allow immediate adjustment to instruction

4. Performance-based

4.1. In performance-based assessments, teachers observe and make judgement about students' demonstration of a skill in creating a product or making a presentation

4.2. Alternative assessment

4.3. Students learn and apply knowledge aligned to real-world challenges

4.4. Requires students to use critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, metacognition

4.5. Feedback is given to students during the leaning, freedom to think independently

4.6. Examples: Science labs, documentary videos, case studies

4.7. It is an assessment for and of learning based on the process of learning through real-world problem solving skills as the teacher continues to give feedback during the project to the students, and uses the data to grade and evaluate the students work

5. HighStakes

5.1. Definition: High-stakes assessments are tests used to make important decisions about students such as whether a student should be allowed to graduate or admitted to a program.

5.2. They are designed to measure whether or not content and perfromance standrads established by the state have been achieved.

5.3. Some test results may be used to set penalties for schools, replacement of staff members, or even closure.

5.4. The use of high-stakes assessments is controversial in public education because they are increasingly being used to increase teacher accountability.

5.5. They are an assessment of learning because they are used to measure where students are in terms of reaching standards and not used for adjusting the instruction or as a form of feedback to students.

6. Portfolio

6.1. Definition: A portfolio assessment is an alternative assessment that contains a collection of student work and shows growth over time used for students to reflect on their own work.

6.2. It helps students identify their strengths and weaknesses as well as improvement goals

6.3. It helps teachers document achievement for grading purposes

6.4. It can be used to help place students appropriately

6.5. Each portfolio needs to be assessed with reference to a specific learning objective

6.6. It can help prepare a sample of best work for college admission or employment

6.7. It is an assessment of learning because it gives a good number of student work that shows improvement or growth over time which helps teachers evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the student

7. Authentic

7.1. Definition: Authentic assessment is a form of assessment in which students are asked to perform real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills

7.2. Students are given a task to perform and a rubric by which their performance will be evaluated

7.3. Evaluates several skills in hands-on activities

7.4. Students demonstrate abilities to apply new information

7.5. Reflects growth in a skill and ability

7.6. Examples: Long term research papers, Project Based Learning in a specific topic, capstone project, short digital video clips

7.7. It is an assessment for and of learning as it gives real-life challenges for students to work through where real-life skills are acquired. It also helps the teacher evaluate the earnign taking place during the process of the assessment.

8. Self-Assessment

8.1. Definition: a self-assessment is a process of formative assessment for students to reflect on and evaluate the quality of their own work and learning

8.2. It provides an opportunity for setting specific goals and revise learning

8.3. It helps students to learn independently and think critically

8.4. Students must be provided with appropriate rubrics for it to give effective and meaningful results

8.5. It is an assessment for learning because it teaches students a life-long learning skill of self evaluation of their strengths and weakness and think about how they can improve

8.6. Examples: Reflection activities such as blog posts or reflections on artwork using specific rubrics

9. Peer Assessment

9.1. Definition: Peer-assessment involves students taking responsibility for assessing the work of their peers against assessment criteria set by the teacher.

9.2. Students provide feedback to each other

9.3. It is an opportunity for students to understand assessment criteria

9.4. It increases motivation and engagement for learning

9.5. It improves metacognitive skills

9.6. Students take more responsibility for their own learning

9.7. Facilitates group work and encourages discussion

9.8. Examples: Students use the 4 steps of art criticism to evaluate the art work of their peers

9.9. It is an assessment for learning because it helps students think about the objectives and how they were met as well as think about strengths and weaknesses of the learning process