1. Summative
1.1. Definition and Purpose:
1.1.1. Assessment made at the end of a Unit in order to measure and verify how much the students have learned, and wether they have met the learning objectives for the unit.
1.2. Advantages and/or Disadvantages:
1.2.1. A: It provides a complete picture of student learning and and can serve as a verification of student achievement. It results in a grade or written report.
1.2.2. D: It does not necessarily capture the "journey" of learning, instead just focusing on the end result and what has been achieved. It might therefore not go into great detail or show some of the smaller tasks and goals the students have achieved.
1.3. Assessment OF or FOR Learning?
1.3.1. An assessment OF learning because it shows wether or not students have met the learning objectives for the activity or unit.
1.4. Example:
1.4.1. At the end of a math unit on measurement vocabulary, students are asked to build paper buildings and place their buildings in size order with the buildings of their classmates. They are then asked to describe their building using specific measurement vocabulary: such as tall, short and long.
1.5. Citation:
1.5.1. Dumb, Nuhad. (2012). Diagnostic/Formative/Summative Assessment. American University of Beirut. Retrieved from http://aub.edu.lb/ctl/Documents/CLO%20summer%202012/Diagnostic%20formative%20summative%20asst.pdf
2. Performance-based
2.1. Definition and Purpose:
2.1.1. Students display their knowledge of a certain subject by completing some type of project or task that may count as a "performance", where there is some type of end-result that can be shown or done as evidence of learning.
2.2. Advantages and/or Disadvantages:
2.2.1. A: Students have ownership of their learning and can think creatively to come up with a product or piece that displays their knowledge.
2.2.2. D: Sometimes the "performance" aspect may distract from the actual learning and to lead to a deeper reflection on what has been achieved.
2.3. Assessment OF or FOR Learning?
2.3.1. An assessment OF learning as the end result accumulates in a visual display of some sort that summarises in a sense what has been learned.
2.4. Example:
2.4.1. In an Early Years classroom, students could perform a number song and dance at the end of a numbers unit in order to display their understanding of the numbers and how to represent them with their fingers.
2.5. Citation:
2.5.1. Hilliard, Patricia. (2015). Performance-Based Assessment: Reviewing the Basics. Edutopia. Retrieved from https: //www.edutopia.org/blog/performance-based-assessment-reviewing-basics-patricia-hilliard
3. High-Stakes
3.1. Definition and Purpose:
3.1.1. A high-stakes assessment is any assessment where the results are important for some greater reason than just measuring student learning. The purpose typically relates to accountability where the test results are used to make larger decisions about the school, or district, students or teachers.
3.2. Advantages and/or Disadvantages:
3.2.1. A: Can provide necessary information on school performance and student achievement
3.2.2. D: Is not always representative of student knowledge as high-stakes testing rarely adjust for differentiation or different learning styles and intelligences.
3.3. Assessment OF or FOR Learning?
3.3.1. Mostly OF learning, but can also be FOR learning in the long run - once the results have come back and schools can become aware of improvements that can be made for student learning.
3.4. Example:
3.4.1. There are not many high-stakes tests pertinent to Early Childhood, students, however there are exams that are relevant in elementary schools, such as the ISA exam taken by grades 3-5 in International Schools - a standardised multiple-choice test of literacy and numeracy levels.
3.5. Citation:
3.5.1. High-Stakes Test. (2014). The Glossary of Education Reform. Retrieved from http: //edglossary.org/high-stakes-testing/
4. Authentic
4.1. Definition and Purpose:
4.1.1. A type of assessment that utilises real-world application where students can demonstrate some form of practical, relevant knowledge.
4.2. Advantages and/or Disadvantages:
4.2.1. A: Students learn a valuable skill that is relevant to the world around them and will therefore continue to be of use to them in their life.
4.3. Assessment OF or FOR Learning?
4.3.1. As assessment OF learning by allowing students to showcase a practical application of the knowledge and skills they have learned.
4.4. Example:
4.4.1. Students bake and get to sell their baked good at a role-play market where they get to practice counting their money and measuring ingredients whilst they are baking.
4.5. Citation:
4.5.1. What is Authentic Assessment. (2016). North Central College. Retrieved from http:// jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/whatisit.htm
5. Peer Assessment
5.1. Definition and Purpose:
5.1.1. A type of assessment where students have the opportunity to assess each other in order to allow students to take accountability for their learning and peer-grading, as well as to motivate students to engage with the material on a deeper level.
5.2. Advantages and/or Disadvantages:
5.2.1. A: Can motivate students to perform better while giving them a chance to better comprehend the task of assessing - a useful skill. Students can also experience multiple and diverse perspective by seeing another's work.
5.2.2. D: Might make certain students feel uncomfortable as they may not want a peer to know their scores.
5.3. Assessment OF or FOR Learning?
5.3.1. Assessment OF learning done by the students, because they get to evaluate the performance of a peer who completed the same task as them.
5.4. Example:
5.4.1. In Early Childhood Education this would need to be relatively teacher-guided, where the teacher and students could work together to fill out a small visual rubric based on smiley faces about one of their peers.
5.5. Citation:
5.5.1. Peer-Assessment. (2012). Cornell University Centre for Teaching Excellence. Retrieved from https: //www.cte.cornell.edu/teaching-ideas/assessing-student-learning/peer-assessment.html
6. Diagnostic
6.1. Definition and Purpose:
6.1.1. To determine student knowledge before instruction. It is a distinct form of measurement.
6.2. Advantages and/or Disadvantages:
6.2.1. A: It allows teachers to create a relevant lesson plan as he/she will better be able to understand what students already know, and what the lesson needs to focus on. It can serve to identify student's strengths, and weaknesses.
6.3. Assessment OF or FOR Learning?
6.3.1. It is an assessment FOR learning, because it allows a teacher to better prepare for a lesson prior to giving it.
6.4. Example:
6.4.1. Before a lesson on measurement vocabulary, Early Years students are asked to identify which toy car won the race, and came in 1st, second, and third. Which car is in last place, and in first place. This activity gives the teacher an idea of what kind of vocabulary the students have to describe and measure.
6.5. Citation:
6.5.1. Dumb, Nuhad. (2012). Diagnostic/Formative/Summative Assessment. American University of Beirut. Retrieved from http://aub.edu.lb/ctl/Documents/CLO%20summer%202012/Diagnostic%20formative%20summative%20asst.pdf
7. Formative
7.1. Definition and Purpose:
7.1.1. Assessments made during a unit to check in with student learning as it is happening and to identify areas of improvement.
7.2. Advantages and/or Disadvantages:
7.2.1. A: Checks in with learners as their learning is happening - and instruction can therefore be adjusted to differentiate for individual students and their needs.
7.2.2. D: Might not provide a complete image of a student's learning and progress by the end of the unit - a summative assessment is needed for that.
7.3. Assessment OF or FOR Learning?
7.3.1. As assessment OF learning and FOR learning - OF because it tells the teacher how much students know, and FOR because it allows a teacher to change and/or adjust the lesson/unit to better meet the student's needs.
7.4. Example:
7.4.1. During circle story time, the teacher reads "The Hungry Caterpillar" and asks the students to show with their fingers how many apples the caterpillar eats, and then how many pears - they have to show the right amount with their fingers.
7.5. Citation:
7.5.1. Dumb, Nuhad. (2012). Diagnostic/Formative/Summative Assessment. American University of Beirut. Retrieved from http://aub.edu.lb/ctl/Documents/CLO%20summer%202012/Diagnostic%20formative%20summative%20asst.pdf
8. Portfolio
8.1. Definition and Purpose:
8.1.1. A collection of student work in order to capture samples and evidence of student learning for a specific subject or unit. It often includes evaluation of work, as well as student reflections on the work.
8.2. Advantages and/or Disadvantages:
8.2.1. A: Students can take ownership of their learning by assembling a thoughtful collection of their work. They have a chance to show their talents as well as highlight their own areas of improvement.
8.3. Assessment OF or FOR Learning?
8.3.1. FOR and OF. FOR because it can help students and teachers realise areas for improvement, and OF because it is a showcase of the work that students have done.
8.4. Example:
8.4.1. At the end of the school year students look through their work binders with the teacher and get to pick out the pieces they would like to add to their portfolio, to be shared with their parents at the student-led conferences. They are told to pick a few pieces they are proud of and to explain why, as well as a piece that was difficult or challenging for them and where they might be able to improve next time.
8.5. Citation:
8.5.1. Valenzuela, Julia. (2002). Defining Portfolio Assessment. The University of New Mexico. Retrieved from http://www.unm.edu/~devalenz/handouts/portfolio.html
9. Self-Assessment
9.1. Definition and Purpose:
9.1.1. An evaluation taken by the student where he/she is assessing him/herself for the purpose of his/her own learning. The assessment is created by the student, for the student.
9.2. Advantages and/or Disadvantages:
9.2.1. A: Students are able to take charge of their own learning by evaluating the depth of their own learning and thinking. It gives them a sense of responsibility and accountability. It can serve to enhance student motivation and, in turn, student achievement.
9.3. Assessment OF or FOR Learning?
9.3.1. An assessment OF and FOR learning as the student will better be able to work on improving their learning and understanding by evaluating the depth and quality of their thinking and working towards improvements.
9.4. Example:
9.4.1. Self-assessment for Early Years classroom would have to be guided by the teacher as it involves students being able to self-monitor their thinking and reflect upon their learning. It could therefore include a guided reflection activity where students are asked "do you think you understand your learning? What do you want to learn more about? What interests you?"
9.5. Citation:
9.5.1. McMillan, James. (2008). Student Self-Assessment. Virginia Commonwealth University. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ815370.pdf