11.1 Types of Assessment: Formative, Summative, and Diagnostic
3 min read•august 7, 2024
Assessment is a crucial part of the teaching and learning process. It helps educators gauge student understanding and tailor instruction. This section explores three main types: formative, summative, and diagnostic assessments.
Each type serves a unique purpose in education. provides ongoing feedback, summative evaluates overall learning, and diagnostic identifies starting points. Understanding these types helps teachers create effective assessment strategies.
Types of Assessment
Formative and Diagnostic Assessments
Top images from around the web for Formative and Diagnostic Assessments
Phases of Cognitive Development: Learning Loop – Open at Scale: Project Guidelines View original
Is this image relevant?
6.1 Assessment and Evaluation | Foundations of Education View original
Is this image relevant?
Life of an Educator - Dr. Justin Tarte: September 2014 View original
Is this image relevant?
Phases of Cognitive Development: Learning Loop – Open at Scale: Project Guidelines View original
Is this image relevant?
6.1 Assessment and Evaluation | Foundations of Education View original
Is this image relevant?
1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Formative and Diagnostic Assessments
Phases of Cognitive Development: Learning Loop – Open at Scale: Project Guidelines View original
Is this image relevant?
6.1 Assessment and Evaluation | Foundations of Education View original
Is this image relevant?
Life of an Educator - Dr. Justin Tarte: September 2014 View original
Is this image relevant?
Phases of Cognitive Development: Learning Loop – Open at Scale: Project Guidelines View original
Is this image relevant?
6.1 Assessment and Evaluation | Foundations of Education View original
Is this image relevant?
1 of 3
Formative assessment monitors student learning to provide ongoing feedback teachers can use to improve their teaching and students can use to improve their learning
Involves low-stakes activities such as discussions, exit tickets, and that identify areas where students are struggling and need more support
is a type of formative assessment used to identify students' current knowledge, skills, and capabilities before instruction begins
Helps teachers determine where to focus their instruction and identify areas that need to be addressed (gaps in knowledge, learning difficulties)
Summative and Continuous Assessments
evaluates student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against a benchmark or standard
Includes high-stakes tests (final exams, standardized tests) and projects that are used to measure student mastery of learning objectives
Continuous assessment is an ongoing process of evaluating student performance throughout a course or academic year
Utilizes both formative and summative assessments to provide a comprehensive picture of student progress over time
Assessment Purposes
Assessment for Learning vs. Assessment of Learning
(formative assessment) is used to monitor student progress during the learning process and provide feedback to improve teaching and learning
Helps teachers identify areas where students need additional support or challenge and adjust their instruction accordingly
(summative assessment) is used to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit or course
Measures student mastery of learning objectives and assigns grades or scores based on their performance
Criterion-Referenced vs. Norm-Referenced Assessment
Criterion-referenced assessment measures student performance against a predetermined set of criteria or learning standards
Focuses on whether students have mastered specific knowledge or skills, regardless of how their peers perform (passing a driving test)
Norm-referenced assessment compares student performance to that of their peers or a national average
Establishes student rankings and is often used for high-stakes decisions (college admissions tests like the SAT or ACT)
Assessment Strategies
Pre-Assessment and Feedback Loop
Pre-assessment is a type of diagnostic assessment that determines students' prior knowledge, skills, and misconceptions before instruction begins
Helps teachers plan instruction that builds on students' existing knowledge and addresses their learning needs (pre-test on multiplication before teaching a unit on division)
Feedback loop is a continuous cycle of assessment and feedback that supports student learning and informs instructional decisions
Involves setting learning goals, assessing student progress, providing feedback, and adjusting instruction based on student needs
Strategies for Formative Assessment
Exit tickets are short, informal assessments given at the end of a lesson to gauge student understanding and identify areas that need clarification
Can be a quick quiz, a reflective prompt, or a problem to solve that provides to the teacher (3-2-1 exit ticket: list 3 things you learned, 2 questions you have, and 1 thing you found interesting)