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.
Assessments should be looked at as gauges for student learning progress. Formative and summative assessments each have different purposes, but the goal should be the same. Utilizing techniques such as check-ins, quizzes, in-class participatory discussions, one-on-one conversations, reflections and exit tickets as assessments help to keep student progress moving forward, if the instructor holds universal design for learning as the top priority in assisting students in maximizing their potential for learning
This module taught me that assessments are much more than grades. Assessments provide valuable information about student learning, progress, and competency development. I learned the importance of aligning assessments with learning objectives and outcomes so that they accurately measure what students are expected to know and be able to do. I also learned the difference between formative assessments, which provide feedback during learning, and summative assessments, which evaluate learning at the end of instruction.
I learned that effective assessment should be ongoing, meaningful, and connected to real-world skills. In a Health Science classroom, this means assessing not only knowledge but also technical skills, critical thinking, professionalism, and employability skills. I also learned the value of competency-based assessment, where students demonstrate mastery through performance, skill demonstrations, projects, simulations, and other authentic assessments.
I will apply this knowledge by using a variety of assessments to monitor student progress, provide timely feedback, and measure competency. I will align assessments with learning objectives, use formative assessments to identify learning gaps, and incorporate hands-on performance assessments that reflect real healthcare workplace expectations. This approach will help ensure that students not only learn the content but can successfully apply their knowledge and skills in real-world healthcare settings.
Assessments are not just about grades.
I learned the importance of how assessments should be structured to ensure all of my students are learning at the same pace, and use formative assessments to see where my students are at and what they might need help with.
Engage with students by using prompts that focus on encouraging involvement, building personal responsibility, and fostering relationships or goal setting.
I learned that assessments are an important part of the learning process because they help measure student understanding and guide instruction. This module helped me better understand the difference between formative and summative assessments and the importance of aligning assessments with learning goals. I intend to use formative assessments throughout my lessons to monitor student progress, provide feedback, and adjust my instruction when needed. I also want to create assessments that give students opportunities to connect what they are learning to their own experiences and demonstrate their knowledge in meaningful ways.
I had assessment backwards—treating it as a terminal measure of what students know rather than a diagnostic tool to use while learning is still in progress. The safety quiz example forced me to confront that. A passing score measured reading comprehension and recall instead of procedural competence on equipment. I had confused validity with convenience and built a barrier into my own classroom without recognizing it.
I am shifting toward more frequent, low-stakes formative checks embedded in daily shop work, offering students multiple ways to demonstrate competency and framing feedback around process and next steps rather than grades. The open question is how to balance this formative orientation with the summative technical assessments required for industry credentials. I am not convinced that the two are incompatible, however they often operate on different design logics and I am still working through how to hold both of those effectively and equitably.
Assessments are an important part of teaching
Finally! A woodworking class was used as an example. Unfortunately, the example went nowhere. It was quickly abandoned after stating that traditional means of assessment may keep some student from participating. The challenge with teaching woodworking is that there must be a paper trail of the understanding of tool use for legal reasons. I definitely do utilize UDL in teaching and evaluating/assessing understanding so as to not exclude differently abled students. I handle it quite well, but found it interesting that there was no conclusion to the example.
I learned that assessments help guide instruction, not just measure learning. Formative assessments act like a GPS to adjust teaching in real time, while summative assessments measure final understanding. I plan to use more quick checks and reflections to better support student learning.
I learned it's better to provide positive feedback first, then constructive criticism, with a one on one help to engage the student positively.
I learned in this lesson to be more intentional with my feedback but also allow time in the lesson for one on one discussion to understand a students learning and provide individualized feedback.
Most definitely, and excited about being more intentional in using formative assessment strategies, and not just quizzing strategies
I learned that ongoing formative assessment and mastery-oriented feedback are essential for supporting diverse learners, especially in CTE. This year, I’ll use regular check-ins, reflections, and goal setting to build students’ executive functioning, increase engagement, and help students self-regulate before they fall behind.
I learned that assessments are not just about grades, but about understanding student learning and guiding instruction. Using different types of assessments—especially formative assessments—helps identify where students are struggling and what they need next. I also learned how important feedback is in helping students grow, particularly when it is timely, specific, and focused on improvement. In CTE, assessments should measure both technical skills and employability skills, not just content knowledge.
I have learned to give bellringers, exit tickets and formative and summative assesments. Its really away for all students to learn.
Formative assessments are very helping in keeping students motivated and on track and are solid indicators of a students' mastery of the content and progress towards the learning goals.
I want to design assessments that allow students more opportunity to apply course concepts to real world situations.
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.
