Based on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), summative assessment is at the end of the year to identify how much students have learned up to that point. This “real time information” allows teachers, parents and schools to view the success level of the students towards graduating high school, succeeding in college and the workplace. Before then, formative and interim assessments are made. Interim assessments follow same measurements as summative assessment in accordance to the Common Core State Standards. Interims are held throughout the year during specific times to assess students progress and skill development. As for formative assessment, which is classroom based, allows the Smarter Balanced Governing and Advisory State members, key external stakeholders, and perspective venders a common understanding of the program in place. Essentially formative assessments allow opportunities to make improvements on an ongoing basis.
The purpose for these three assessments is to improve students’ learning. According to “Formative Assessment and Assessment for Learning” summative assessment helps students by allowing information gathered to make a “judgement of level of competence,” along with achievement and program effectiveness as a whole. Data could be used to make comparisons to other gathered information to make improvements for the following year. Interims are again identified as summative assessments at selected points throughout the year. Formative assessments are basically feedback to both teachers and their students. It allows for “present understanding and skill development” to move forward and adjust teachings and learnings as needed. Students will be able to assess their own skills as well as their peers, while enhancing their questioning and dialogue techniques and having ownership over their own learning.
This article also identifies benchmark assessment, along with interim assessment, as both summative and formative. Ideally, evaluating students’ learning should not be based only on one type of strategic measure. The focus is to meet both the state’s standards and the needs of students who require additional help. It is important to use the results of assessment to communicate to all parties: district, teacher, parents, and pupils. Then to use that data to analyze the programs needs, effectiveness and intervention plans. What it comes down to is the effectiveness of how assessment is taken and applied towards better learning for students.
References:
“Chapter1: Formative Assessment and Assessment for Learning.” Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning. Retrieved 2015, October 5 from http://ati.pearson.com/downloads/chapters/7%20Strats%20Ch%201.pdf
Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. Retrieved 2015, October 5 from http://www.smarterbalanced.org/interim-assessments/
The purpose for these three assessments is to improve students’ learning. According to “Formative Assessment and Assessment for Learning” summative assessment helps students by allowing information gathered to make a “judgement of level of competence,” along with achievement and program effectiveness as a whole. Data could be used to make comparisons to other gathered information to make improvements for the following year. Interims are again identified as summative assessments at selected points throughout the year. Formative assessments are basically feedback to both teachers and their students. It allows for “present understanding and skill development” to move forward and adjust teachings and learnings as needed. Students will be able to assess their own skills as well as their peers, while enhancing their questioning and dialogue techniques and having ownership over their own learning.
This article also identifies benchmark assessment, along with interim assessment, as both summative and formative. Ideally, evaluating students’ learning should not be based only on one type of strategic measure. The focus is to meet both the state’s standards and the needs of students who require additional help. It is important to use the results of assessment to communicate to all parties: district, teacher, parents, and pupils. Then to use that data to analyze the programs needs, effectiveness and intervention plans. What it comes down to is the effectiveness of how assessment is taken and applied towards better learning for students.
References:
“Chapter1: Formative Assessment and Assessment for Learning.” Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning. Retrieved 2015, October 5 from http://ati.pearson.com/downloads/chapters/7%20Strats%20Ch%201.pdf
Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. Retrieved 2015, October 5 from http://www.smarterbalanced.org/interim-assessments/