Summative versus formative- Which is Best
If given the opportunity I would sue both types of testing in the classroom, but online it is not always quite so possible to do this. I have always leaned towards testing that puts the student into a situation like they would be faced with in the real world and then encourage them to research the topic fully and respond.
James,
Why can't use both types of assessment in an online course? What makes the online environment different regarding assessment than f2f.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
We do both in our online classes. The summative assessment and formative assessments actually use the same test, however we use certain questions embedded into the test to help us create formative assessment. We look at the essay answers to those embedded questions across all students taking the exam and use it to develop objectives and goals for the next quarter.
Lisa,
What a great strategy. This is the ideal way of using assessment tools. You have a strategy that provides you data to adjust learning.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Of course both should be used, but if you're asking for a definite choice, I would choose formative--especially at the college level. Bloom's tells us that as learners we should be progressing toward the application of what is being learned and not just the 'summary' of it.
Michelle,
True, the formative assessment does provide you with information that allows you to tailor learning to the student.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
