1. Diagnostic
1.1. Definiton
1.1.1. Diagnostic assessment involves the gathering and careful evaluation of detailed data using students' knowledge and skills in a given learning area.
1.2. Purpose
1.2.1. Used to diagnose strengths and areas of need in all students.
1.3. Advantages and Disadvantages
1.3.1. Teachers are able to see where their students are and where they need improvement.
1.3.2. Teachers are able to see where their student need help and plan for all learners.
1.3.3. Can be very stressful for students.
1.3.4. Not all students are great test takers so their best may not be shown through this type of testing.
1.4. For Learning or Of Learning
1.4.1. This assessment is Of learning because it measures what students need to know.
1.5. Example
1.5.1. Before students begin a unit on math, give them a diagnostic test to see what they know and help you plan for all learners.
2. Summative
2.1. Definiton
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.
2.2. Purpose
2.2.1. Summative assessments can help teachers determine whether students are making adequate academic progress or meeting expected learning standards, and results may be used to inform modifications to instructional techniques, lesson designs, or teaching materials the next time a course, unit, or lesson is taught.
2.3. Advantages and Disadvantages
2.3.1. Summative assessments are easier to use and easier to collect data.
2.3.2. Teachers can assess what their students have learned by the end of the unit or lesson.
2.3.3. Student's may have not received the information taught to them and then the focus will be on getting those students to that level.
2.4. For Learning or Of Learning
2.4.1. This assessment is Of learning because it focuses on measuring students knowledge after completing a lesson or unit.
2.5. Example
2.5.1. After reading a story, give students a small quiz that test their understanding of the story.
3. High-Stakes
3.1. Definition
3.1.1. A high-stakes test is any test used to make important decisions about students, educators, schools, or districts, most commonly for the purpose of accountability
3.2. Purpose
3.2.1. Used to determine punishments (such as sanctions, penalties, funding reductions, negative publicity), accolades (awards, public celebration, positive publicity), advancement (grade promotion or graduation for students), or compensation (salary increases or bonuses for administrators and teachers).
3.3. Advantages and Disadvantages
3.3.1. Teachers and school officials are able to see where their students are academically and where they need improvement.
3.3.2. Not designed for all learners and again all students may not be good test takers, therefore, these test may not test their accurate knowledge of tested information.
3.3.3. Teachers can focus more on teaching standards to raise test scores and not focus on the whole child.
3.3.4. Teachers and principals jobs could be at stake if test scores are not high enough.
3.4. For Learning or Of Learning
3.4.1. This assessment is Of learning because it measures what the students have learned.
3.5. Example
3.5.1. PARCC testing and DCCAS
4. Formative
4.1. Definition
4.1.1. A process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides explicit feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes.
4.2. Purpose
4.2.1. Teachers who engage in formative assessments give continual, explicit feedback to students.
4.2.2. Assist them in answering the following questions: Where am I going? Where am I now? How can I close the gap between the two?
4.3. Advantages and Disadvantages
4.3.1. Students are able to receive continuous feedback from their teachers and know where they need to improve.
4.3.2. When teachers use formative assessments, they are able to scaffold and differentiate lessons to fit the needs of diverse learners.
4.3.3. Using formative assessments might require a lesson to go longer than originally planned and students may loose interest.
4.4. For Learning or Of Learning
4.4.1. This assessment is For learning because it is used to measure understanding.
4.5. Example
4.5.1. After reading a story with the group, ask a series of questions and have the students answer the questions, record their answers on chart paper and that will be the formative assessment.
5. Performance-Based
5.1. Definition
5.1.1. Performance-based assessment is a way for students to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and material that they've learned.
5.2. Purpose
5.2.1. Performance-based assessment measures how well students can apply or use what they know, often in real-world situations.
5.3. Advantages and Disadvantages
5.3.1. Students are allowed to participate in group activities and encouraged to be themselves and take charge in their learning.
5.3.2. Projects can be geared to fit the needs and interest of students.
5.3.3. Performance-based assessments are time consuming and require a lot of prep work and if you don't have the time this may not work.
5.4. For Learning or Of Learning
5.4.1. This assessment is Of learning and For learning because it measures the knowledge of students but also allows teachers strengthen and help improve certain skills.
5.5. Example
5.5.1. After reading a story, have students work together to retell the story.
6. Portfolio
6.1. Definition
6.1.1. Portfolio assessment is an evaluation tool used to document student learning through a series of student-developed artifacts.
6.2. Purpose
6.2.1. Portfolio assessment gives both teachers and students a controlled space to document, review, and analyze content leaning.
6.3. Advantages and Disadvantages
6.3.1. Portfolio assessment gives both teachers and students a controlled space to document, review, and analyze content leaning.
6.3.2. Students' work is compiled throughout the year and your able to see their progression.
6.3.3. Student's are not challenged to reflect on their own because they are not looking at their work but just putting it into a folder,
6.4. For Learning or Of Learning
6.4.1. This assessment is Of learning because students' work throughout the year is used to measure their academic growth.
6.5. Example
6.5.1. Compile student writing samples for the entire year in one folder.
7. References
7.1. Learn NC, "Formative Assessments." K-12 TEACHING AND LEARNING FROM THE UNC SCHOOL OF EDUCATION. Retrieved on October 18, 2015, from http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/5212
7.2. The Glossary of Education Reform. "Summative Assessments." Retrieved October 18, 2015, from http://edglossary.org/summative-assessment/
7.3. The Glossary of Education Reform. "High-Stakes Assessments." Retrieved on October 18, 2015, from http://edglossary.org/high-stakes-testing/
7.4. Edutopia. "Performance-Based Assessment: Engaging Students in Chemistry." Hampton High School. Retrieved on October 18, 2015, from http://www.edutopia.org/practice/performance-based-assessment-engaging-students-chemistry
7.5. Education.com. "Portfolio Assessments." by Linda Fernsten. Retrieved on October 18, 2015, from http://www.education.com/reference/article/portfolio-assessment/
7.6. NCLRC. The Essentials of Language Teaching. "Assessing Learning Peer and Self Assessment." Retrieved on October 18, 2015, from http://www.nclrc.org/essentials/assessing/peereval.htm
8. Authentic
8.1. Definition
8.1.1. Authentic assessment is the measurement of "intellectual accomplishments that are worthwhile, significant, and meaningful," as contrasted to multiple choice standardized tests.
8.2. Purpose
8.2.1. Authentic assessment tends to focus on contextualised tasks, enabling students to demonstrate their competency in a more 'authentic' setting.
8.3. Advantages and Disadvantages
8.3.1. Teachers can actually measure students' performance by the actual product they produce.
8.3.2. Students can use real-life situations to demonstrate or display their knowledge
8.3.3. Very time consuming and may need outside resources and/or technology to successfully carry out assessment.
8.4. For Learning or Of Learning
8.4.1. This assessment is an assessment of learning that becomes an assessment for learning because it is process oriented.
8.5. Example
8.5.1. Students will work together to retell a story shared to their peers.
9. Self-Assessment
9.1. Definition
9.1.1. Students can become better language learners when they engage in deliberate thought about what they are learning and how they are learning it. In this kind of reflection, students step back from the learning process to think about their language learning strategies and their progress as language learners.
9.2. Purpose
9.2.1. Encourages students to become independent learners and can increase their motivation.
9.3. Advantages and Disadvantages
9.3.1. Students are able to look at their work and reflect.
9.3.2. Students are able to actually read their own work and see where they went wrong.
9.3.3. Students may not always be honest and teachers may have to do double work.
9.4. For Learning or Of Learning
9.4.1. This assessment is For learning because students are able to reflect on their own work and get a better understanding of the information.
9.5. Example
9.5.1. Have students write a short story where they would create a rough draft, first draft and final draft and have the students edit their first draft and make the corrections.
10. Peer Assessment
10.1. Definition
10.1.1. Peer assessment is a process through which students and instructors share in the evaluation of student work.
10.2. Purpose
10.2.1. Peer assessment deepens students’ understanding of their own learning and empowers students to become more actively engaged and self-directed in their learning processes
10.3. Advantages and Disadvantages
10.3.1. Students can give value feedback from their peers on areas of improvement.
10.3.2. Students can assess their peers work and note the good and the bad and apply that to their work.
10.3.3. Some peers may not accept their peers' criticism.
10.3.4. It may not always be fair.
10.4. For Learning or Of Learning
10.4.1. This assessment is For learning because students are learning from their peers good or bad and their teacher's are able to assess that knowledge based on their peer assessment.
10.5. Example
10.5.1. After students have completed their rough draft and self-assessed it and wrote the first draft their peers can assess their first draft and give feedback for their final draft.