What are Assessments?

Assessments are the main ways in which your students will demonstrate their learning. Assessments come in two types: Formative and Summative.

Formative assessments take place throughout the learning process and are a way to get immediate feedback about how a student is learning. These kinds of assessments might include things like: short reflective writings, class discussions, surveys, exit slips, KWL charts, and so on. These assessments are typically low-stakes and may or may not be graded, but can give an instructor valuable insight into where misconceptions or confusion may be taking place during instruction.

What kinds of formative assessments do you do in your courses?

Summative assessments typically take place at predetermined points throughout a course and are a reflection of everything a student has learned up to that point. These kinds of assessments might include things like: chapter tests, midterm and final exams, portfolios, essays, standardized tests, and so on. These assessments are typically high-stakes and are almost always graded, giving an instructor information about whether or not a student has met the learning goals of the unit or course and is ready to move on.

What types of summative assessments do you do in your courses?

Cartoon image of a test attached to a clipboard