Learning Resources
Learning Resources
Assessment
• A tool to help you gather data about student learning and teacher effectiveness.
• A systematic process of documenting and using empirical data on the knowledge, skill, attitudes,
aptitude and beliefs to refine programs and improve student learning.
Purpose of Classroom Assessment
Assessment as Learning- Assessment AS learning is centered more toward actively involving students in
the process of learning. These assignments teach students crucial problem-solving and critical thinking
skills.
Assessment of Learning- This way is to evaluate students’ learning and whether they align with the grade
standards or the curriculum. These assessments are generally grade-based and include portfolios, exams,
final projects and standardized tests.
Assessment for Learning- Assessment for learning helps teachers map students’ learning by providing them
a clear snapshot of their students’ understanding and learning as they teach. These improve their teaching
tactics and classroom management strategies.
Assessment as a powerful tool to motivate leaners:
2. Formative Assessment- Higher education assessment and evaluation are not new ideas. Since the
beginning of time, teachers have assessed students' knowledge of a subject and tracked their
development through exams.
But over time, assessment practices in higher education have changed. Although traditional summative
exams are still widely used, educators are also placing more emphasis on evaluating students'
comprehension as they are learning. Formative assessment is the term for this kind of evaluation.
The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can
be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning. More specifically,
formative assessments: help students identify their strengths and weaknesses and target areas that need work.
Teachers are able to identify misconceptions or gaps in students' understanding thanks to the data
gathered via formative evaluations. With this newfound understanding, they can adjust their pedagogical
approaches to improve student comprehension. Likewise, students can use formative assessment feedback to
reflect on their learning and progress, identify their weaknesses, and adjust their study habits or approaches.
Unlike summative assessments, which occur at the end of a term, formative assessments are ongoing.
Hence, they serve as a tool for improving learning rather than solely for grading purposes. A recent study on
72 Iranian EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners found formative assessment more effective on
academic motivation, test anxiety, and self-regulatory skills than summative assessments. It underlines the
importance of formative assessment in education.
Some formative assessment examples include:
Class Discussions- Classroom discussion is a great way to increase student participation in the classroom.
Open-end discussions and debates allow students to express their thoughts and opinion regarding a topic and
foster an active learning environment. Through such debates, instructors can learn a great deal about their
students’ abilities and comprehension.
FAQS
Are formative assessments graded in higher education?
Formative assessments are typically not graded and do not contribute to a student’s final grade. They are
used to gather information on learning progress, guide teaching strategies, and provide targeted support for
better performance in summative assessments.
Yes, formative assessment can be adapted to both online and in-person education, with various techniques
such as online quizzes and classroom discussions.
3. Summative Assessment
Summative assessments are used to evaluate students' knowledge, growth in skills, and academic
achievement after the conclusion of a particular learning session, such as a project, unit, course, semester, or
academic year. Some well-known and often used examples of summative assessments include the
standardized tests administered by states and testing agencies; these tests are usually in the areas of
arithmetic, reading, writing, and science.
Whether the results end up on a report card or in the college admission process, they are frequently
documented as scores or grades that are subsequently taken into account in a student’s permanent academic
record.
1. Practicality and Ethical- The procedures for summative evaluation are workable, adaptable, and
calculable. Because of their alignment, it is easy for the instructor to include them in a training
program. Summative evaluation encourages distinct limits in instruction and learning. Before using
this technique, the educator must have the students' permission.
3. Variety- Under the summative assessment method, students are encouraged to demonstrate their
knowledge and abilities in a variety of ways. Remember that this approach is specific to the content
covered in the training or course, and it is employed for that specific purpose.
4. Validity- Never forget that summative assessments look at students' knowledge of a certain subject
in accordance with the training's or course's objectives and learning goals. For example, practical
exams and experiments are used in engineering courses to assess students' understanding of
fundamental concepts.
5. Quick Reports- Since evaluating students' progress is the primary goal of summative assessments, a
summary of the findings is always provided following the conclusion of the test. This facilitates the
instructors' comparison of the pupils' previous and current performance.
Advantages
Disadvantages
The performance of the student is not determined by his achievement of the other students.
It promotes competition among the students rather than cooperation.
It cannot be used when the class size is smaller than 40.
Not all students can pass the given subject or course.
Advantage
Students are not competing with each other and are thus more likely to actively help each other learn.
A student's grade is not influenced by the caliber of the class.
Disadvantage
It is difficult to set reasonable criteria for the students without a fair amount of teaching experience.
Most experienced faculty set these criteria based on their knowledge of how students usually perform
(thus making it fairly similar to the norm referenced system).
Instructors can utilize ipsative assessments to monitor students' progress over time if the goal is to
maximize each student's mastery. "Ipsative," which means "of the self" in Latin, is a term used in education
to describe evaluating a student's performance in relation to their own prior achievements. Students are
motivated to focus on improving themselves since it eliminates the point of competing against other students
whose aptitudes are better matched with a subject and whose mastery is stronger now.
The primary focus of ipsative assessments is self-awareness and personal development. They highlight
an individual's strengths and weaknesses over time, encouraging a growth-oriented mindset.
Advantages
Ipsative evaluation gauges a person's development. The participant can observe if things have
improved and if the prior criticism is being taken into consideration.
It is also helpful in assessing an employee's competency within a company.
Selecting the most qualified applicant for a post can also be aided by ipsative assessment.
Underachievers benefit from it as well because it pushes them to do better. Demotivation for lower
performance is eliminated as a result.
The fact that ipsative assessment is applicable to both objective and subjective metrics is an
additional benefit.
Disadvantages
Can evaluate the breadth of a student's knowledge and proficiency, providing a more complete
picture of their aptitudes, mental processes, and conceptual errors.
Possibility of interaction, especially in a remote setting, which fosters a stronger sense of connection
between teachers and students.
If students are solving issues, exhibiting their abilities, and interacting with others utilizing
disciplinary language and circumstances, the assessment will be more authentic.
May increase learning, as students often spend more time preparing for oral exams.
Generally, not appropriate for larger courses and requiring more time to deliver than written exams.
Students often experience higher levels of stress, which may affect how well they perform. The
format may be foreign to the students, which could cause worry and panic. Particularly unpleasant
exams for kids with mental health issues may be oral exams.
Possibility of unreliability and unfairness concerns if pupils receive various questions.
As grading cannot be done anonymously, there is a chance for bias and subjective evaluation.
Evaluations of students' knowledge and abilities can be influenced by a variety of factors, including
their articulation, shyness, pace of thought, gender, ethnicity, language proficiency, accent, etc.
Possibility of problems with academic integrity because students can share exam questions with
other students taking it later.
9. Gamified Assessment- Gamification refers to the process of evaluating and reporting on student
learning through the use of game elements including points, badges, levels, leaderboards, awards,
challenges, and narratives in assessment and feedback. Gamified assessments are a more
sophisticated form of traditional assessments that include Gamified assessments are a more
sophisticated form of traditional assessments that include game-based components in aptitude and
personality exams. These are quick and engaging due to their game format.
Benefits of Gamification
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