Understanding Assessments | Origin: EC150
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
Assessment Strategies for CTE Educators --> Understanding Assessments
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
Formative assessments allow students to find areas of improvement needed before they reach a summative assessment. The use of exit tickets to gather data on understanding will allow me to adjust instruction to ultimately reach the instructional goals of the courses I teach.
Formative assessments are frequent and have a low impact on grades. They should help guide the student to identifying areas of instruction that they need to focus on to reach the final instructional goal ie. a summative assessment.
That formative assessments are required to monitor and provide ongoing feedback and that summative assessments are overall the grasp of the curriculum.
In this module I learned that assessments should really connect with what we want students to achieve, not just be about giving a grade. For my fashion and sewing classes, I want to add more small check-ins, like reviewing sketches or fabric samples before the final garment. This way students get feedback along the way and feel more confident when they present their final project.
The importance of both formative and summative assessments and that their is a time and place for both in the classroom.
Comment on Samuel Makun's post: Awesome Samuel! Could you share with us the results of your exit tickets? Any insights or "ah-ha" moments you've gained from using "do now" or "exit tickets"?
Comment on MARITZA PLACENCIA's post: This is an important comment - about providing rubrics. Do you have any sample rubrics you could share with us? I tend to use single point rubrics - what about you?
Comment on Kylie Rolston's post: I agree totally Kylie. How do you use feedback in your classroom to motivate students to think "outside" the box. I would love to know what specific strategies for approaches you use!
Giving. feedback to students is essential because it helps them think outside the box and also see the lesson/project from a different lens
Comment on Kathryn Laurentius's post: Kathryn lo que dices es verdad, la retroalimentación a tiempo rectifica, pasado la evaluación los estudiantes reconocen el esfuerzo de su docente, sin embargo cuando ya pasó el momento, ellos se frustran porque no fue inmediato. Lo mejor es trabajar con rubricas así les das la ruta y también enviarles un vídeo donde fortaleces la ruta de logro. Es muy importante valorar el esfuerzo de los estudiantes y gratificarse por el contenido de tu aula virtual.
Con aprecio Maritza
Comment on Takesia Martinez's post: Excelente la información que nos proporcionas en cuanto a la evaluación, lo que puedo sugerirte es que puedas hacer una investigación de tipo IAP investigación Acción y Práctica donde tienes un antes y un después, puedes aplicar la evaluación formativa o la sumativa y al mismo tiempo finalizando la sumatoria de las dos que evalúa el rendimiento académico. Esa evidencia te dará resultados sumamente publicables mediante la curva de aprendizaje de tus estudiantes, afianzando las actividades que has programado y realizado, así como aquellas que te han resultado menos exitosas y puedes cambiarlas para innovar otras.
Felicitaciones por tus aportes.
Getting feedback early and often I find to be the best and most effective. That way, I can intervene early if something is not making sense for students.
I learned that is not about changing the student in order for them to do better. It's about understand their environment and seeing how we as instructors make adjustments to help the student perform better on exams or just in the classroom
Formative and summative assessments are two types of assessments used in education to gauge student understanding and performance, but they serve different purposes and are implemented in different ways.
Formative Assessments:
Formative assessments are ongoing assessments that take place during the learning process. They are designed to monitor student progress, identify areas of improvement, and inform instruction. These assessments are not graded in a traditional sense but provide valuable feedback to both the teacher and the student.
Examples of formative assessments:
Quizzes or exit tickets
Observations or class discussions
Peer assessments or group work
Drafts of assignments or projects
Interactive activities (e.g., polls or surveys)
How I will implement formative assessments in your classroom:
Frequent and Low-Stakes: Use formative assessments regularly to check for understanding. Keep them informal and low-stakes so students are not worried about grades.
Provide Feedback: Give timely, constructive feedback that helps students improve their understanding and performance. Encourage them to act on the feedback to enhance their learning.
Use Data to Adjust Instruction: Analyze formative assessment data to identify trends or gaps in student understanding. Use this information to modify your teaching strategy or adjust lesson plans.
Variety of Methods: Utilize a range of assessment tools and methods to cater to different learning styles and provide more accurate insights into student progress.
Summative Assessments:
Summative assessments are typically given at the end of a unit, semester, or course to evaluate overall student learning, achievement, or proficiency. These assessments are often more formal and are graded, contributing to the final score or grade in the class.
Examples of summative assessments:
Final exams
End-of-unit tests
Research papers or projects
Standardized tests
Final presentations
How I will implement summative assessments in your classroom:
Clear Objectives: Ensure that summative assessments align with the learning objectives and outcomes I have set for the unit or course. Students should understand what is expected of them.
Preparation: Provide students with opportunities to prepare for summative assessments through review sessions, study guides, and practice activities.
Fair and Transparent Grading: Clearly communicate how the summative assessments will be graded and what the criteria are. This transparency helps students understand how their work will be evaluated.
Summarize Learning: Use summative assessments to get a snapshot of student achievement, which can inform decisions about grades, future instruction, or curriculum adjustments
Balancing Formative and Summative Assessments:
In my classroom, combining both formative and summative assessments can create a balanced approach to monitoring and evaluating student learning. Here are some tips on how to balance both:
Use formative assessments to guide your teaching and make real-time adjustments. They help students learn and give you insights into how they are progressing.
Save summative assessments for evaluation at the end of the learning cycle. This allows you to assess overall mastery and achievement.
Encourage a growth mindset: Use formative assessments to promote improvement rather than focusing solely on grades. Summative assessments should reflect what has been learned, but the formative assessments help students improve throughout the process.
Incorporating both types of assessments creates a more dynamic learning environment where students receive continuous feedback and have the chance to improve their performance before final evaluations.
I learned how to give feedbacks to my students and how to connect their learning goals with their daily lives. Iplan to make more use of Do Nows and Exit Tickets.
