Formative assessment occurs while learning to assess understanding and inform learning; summative assessment occurs after learning to assess what learning has been achieved; examples include quizzes, exit tickets, and final exams or unit tests. In a nutshell: Formative is assessment for learning, and summative, assessment of learning.
As a teacher, you use both types daily, perhaps without realizing it. This blog will give you a clear understanding of Formative vs Summative Assessment in simple words, tables and examples, and use the appropriate Classroom Assessment method at the appropriate time.
What Is Assessment in Education?
A lot of people believe that assessment is synonymous with a test. However, it's a lot more than that. Assessment is any method used by the teacher to determine what a student knows or is able to do. Assessment can be broadly divided into two types: Formative and summative, also known as Assessment "for" Learning and Assessment "of" Learning. Both occur in classrooms, but they're for very different purposes.
The purpose of Good Assessment Methods in Education is to enable teachers to learn two things: 1) how well students are learning at this moment and 2) how well they learned by the end.
What Is Formative Assessment?
Formative assessment is similar to a check up during a lesson. It occurs during learning, not at the end of learning.
Formative assessment's main goal is to give feedback throughout the teaching/learning process to help determine strengths and weaknesses, enabling both the teacher and the student to know where to focus additional practice. They are informal and low stakes assessments that are carried out regularly.
The following are examples of simple formative assessment:
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Exit tickets at the end of class
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A quick thumbs up or thumbs down
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Short quizzes (no grades)
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Classroom discussions
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One sentence summaries of a lesson
Other common formative assessment activities include having students create a concept map, write a sentence stating the central idea of a lecture, or participate in reflective journals and question/answer periods. The aim is straightforward – to spot confusion early, before it gets to be a bigger issue.
What Is Summative Assessment?
Summative assessment is a final report card. It occurs at the conclusion of a unit, term or year to assess the actual learning of students.
Summative assessments are more high-stakes than formative assessments and are usually completed at the end of a unit, semester or academic year. Examples include instructor-made tests, multiple choice, short answer and essay questions, and final papers that test critical thinking and writing abilities.
Other summative assessment examples are:
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End-of-unit tests
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Final exams
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Board exams
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Projects or presentations that are large in scope
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State-level tests
Summative assessments consist of end-of-unit tests, final exams, performance tasks, and state tests, among other items, and this information is used to establish that teaching and the curriculum are achieving the desired results.
Formative vs Summative Assessment: Key Differences
This is a handy table to help you recall the difference:
|
Point |
Formative Assessment |
Summative Assessment |
|---|---|---|
|
Purpose |
Improve learning while it happens |
Measure learning at the end |
|
Timing |
During the lesson or unit |
After the lesson or unit |
|
Stakes |
Low-stakes, no big grade |
High-stakes, counts for grade |
|
Frequency |
Often, even daily |
Rare, once per unit/term |
|
Feedback |
Used to change teaching now |
Used to report final results |
|
Example |
Exit ticket, quiz, discussion |
Final exam, unit test, project |
Importantly, the type of assessment is not a marker of formative or summative assessment, but rather the context in which it is used – a test-style assessment can be an exit ticket (formative) or an end of unit (summative) assessment. Thus, a quiz may be summative or formative, depending on how the teacher uses the outcome.
Common Assessment Methods in Education
There are numerous ways teachers combine today, not just tests. In the classroom, the following are common Assessment Methods in Education:
|
Method |
Type |
Best Used For |
|---|---|---|
|
Exit tickets |
Formative |
Quick daily check |
|
Classroom discussion |
Formative |
Understanding in real time |
|
Peer assessment |
Formative |
Building critical thinking |
|
Unit test |
Summative |
End-of-topic result |
|
Final exam |
Summative |
End-of-year result |
|
Project/presentation |
Summative |
Applied skills |
|
Pre-test |
Diagnostic |
Starting point of learning |
Pre-tests are sometimes administered at the start of an instructional period to allow teachers to compare results with the summative assessment later in the period and monitor the progress of students over time.
Student Evaluation Techniques Every Teacher Should Try
Good Student Evaluation Techniques is not just about the giving of marks. They are concerned with getting to know each child. Here are some simple methods:
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Observation – notice student work during class activities.
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Quick polls – Get hands up by posing a question.
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One-minute papers – students write what they understood in one minute.
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Rubrics – Clear and fair grading criteria for assignments.
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Portfolios – a body of student work over time.
Black and Wiliam (1998) found that formative assessment provides continuous feedback which enhances understanding and aids long-term memory and thus builds knowledge over time.
Teaching Strategies to Balance Both Assessment Types
Smart Teaching Strategies do not rely on either formative or summative assessment, but both. Hattie and Timperley (2007) found that results of learning are better when both formative and summative methods are used together. When formative and summative data match up nicely, teachers can be more assured that daily instruction is well on track, and early warning from formative checks can even help predict summative performance.
The following are simple tips for teachers:
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Weekly formative checks will be used to identify confusion early.
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Use summative tests at the end of a unit and not at the end of each week.
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Provide feedback promptly following formative assessments.
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Utilize rubrics to make summative grading fair.
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Compare pre-test and post-test scores to demonstrate actual growth.
Role of Books and Practice Material
Good practice books can be a great help to students in preparation for both kinds of assessment as well as classroom techniques. Chapter-wise question banks provide for regular formative practice and full sample papers help in the preparation for summative exams. Most schools have structured study materials such as Oswaal Books which contain topic-wise questions for daily practice and also sample papers for final exams. This type of resource can be used to complement the good assessment planning that is used, where learners are taught to practise many times and then tested at the end.
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Summary
One of the most helpful concepts to grasp as a teacher is Formative vs Summative Assessment. Formative assessment is used to monitor learning as it happens, and allows teachers to adapt their teaching immediately. Summative assessment is an assessment of learning, which occurs after learning and provides a final measure of learning. Appropriate Assessment Methods in Education, effective Smart Student Evaluation Techniques and sensible Classroom Assessment habits enable students to learn more effectively and less stressed by tests. Strong Teaching Strategies incorporate both types and are accompanied by sound teaching tools such as Oswaal Books, so that each student can thrive and develop successfully, even in their final exams.
