Types of Assessment

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6. Assessing and Evaluating in TEFL TEFL Certificate Course
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Understanding the difference between formative and summative assessment is crucial for effective evaluation of student learning. Additionally, designing tests and quizzes requires careful consideration of assessment objectives and student needs. Here’s an overview:

Formative Assessment vs. Summative Assessment

1. Formative Assessment:

  • Purpose: Formative assessment is conducted during the learning process to provide ongoing feedback and monitor student progress. It aims to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses, guide instructional decisions, and promote learning improvement.
  • Characteristics: Formative assessment is often informal and ongoing, incorporating a variety of methods such as observations, questioning, quizzes, exit tickets, peer feedback, and self-assessment.
  • Benefits: It helps teachers identify areas where students may need additional support or clarification, allows for timely intervention and adjustment of teaching strategies, and encourages student engagement and reflection on learning progress.

2. Summative Assessment:

  • Purpose: Summative assessment is conducted at the end of a unit, course, or instructional period to evaluate student learning outcomes and assign grades or scores. It aims to assess students’ overall achievement and proficiency levels.
  • Characteristics: Summative assessment is often formal and standardized, involving assessments such as tests, exams, projects, presentations, or portfolios that measure students’ cumulative knowledge and skills.
  • Benefits: It provides a snapshot of students’ overall performance and achievement, informs grading and reporting decisions, and allows for comparison of student achievement across groups or time periods.

Designing Tests and Quizzes

1. Define Assessment Objectives:

  • Clarify the purpose and objectives of the assessment. Determine what knowledge, skills, and competencies you want to measure and what learning outcomes you want to assess.

2. Select Appropriate Assessment Methods:

  • Choose assessment methods that align with your objectives and accurately measure students’ learning. Consider using a variety of assessment formats, such as multiple-choice, short answer, essay, matching, or true/false questions.

3. Design Clear and Well-Structured Items:

  • Create test items that are clear, concise, and free from ambiguity. Provide clear instructions and ensure that the wording of questions is understandable to students. Organize test items logically and sequence them appropriately.

4. Ensure Fairness and Validity:

  • Ensure that the assessment is fair and valid by avoiding bias, cultural insensitivity, or discriminatory language. Use inclusive language and avoid stereotypes or stereotypes that may disadvantage certain groups of students.

5. Consider Accessibility and Accommodations:

  • Consider the needs of diverse learners and provide accommodations or modifications as needed to ensure equitable access to the assessment. Provide alternative formats, extended time, or other accommodations for students with disabilities or special needs.

6. Pilot Test and Revise:

  • Pilot test the assessment with a small group of students to identify any issues or problems with the test format, instructions, or items. Use feedback from the pilot test to revise and improve the assessment before administering it to the entire class.

7. Provide Clear Feedback:

  • After administering the assessment, provide clear and constructive feedback to students on their performance. Use feedback to highlight strengths, areas for improvement, and specific actions students can take to enhance their learning.

Conclusion

Understanding the distinction between formative and summative assessment is essential for effective evaluation of student learning. When designing tests and quizzes, it’s important to align assessment methods with learning objectives, ensure fairness and validity, and provide clear instructions and feedback to students. By employing appropriate assessment practices, teachers can accurately measure student progress and promote continuous improvement in learning.