Module 42

Differentiate between formative and summative assessment and give examples of how each might be used in your own teaching situation.

 

Formative assessment is ungraded testing used before or during instruction to aid in planning and diagnosis. Summative assessment is testing that follows instruction and assesses achievement. Basically formative helps instruction and summative summarizes students' accomplishments. In my teaching situation I would use formative assessment with the use of pop quizzes or homework checks, just to make sure all of my student were keeping up with the material at hand. My summative assessments would be in the form of either tests, essays, projects, or presentations to see how well my students comprehended the material. Each form of assessment works hand-in-hand in the intellectual accomplishments of each and every student.