Blog 13 - Assessments

This week in class we talked about and worked with the idea of assessments. There are two main types of assessments which we covered. The first is a formative assessment. A formative assessment is some assignment, quiz, activity, or other learning tool which is used to help students gain an understanding of content.  The other is a summative assessment. These are tests or quizzes which are usually assigned at the end of a unit or class which measures a students understanding of material and thus tracks their proficiency. These relationship between these two types of assessments is that the formative assessment is more of a tool to prepare students and help them learn the material that they will be accountable for during the summative assessment.  This relationship is the guidepost by which we understand how we might use these tools in the classroom. One or several formative assessments could (and should) be used throughout a single unit to help the student grow in understanding of the material. For example, a science instructor might include lab activities or take home worksheets for which students explore concepts and see how they play out practically. Then, at the end of a unit, a summative assessment, such as a test, is a good way to hold students accountable for the material, and to make sure they have reached a proficient level to be able to move deeper into the course. Instructional technologies are very beneficial when creating assessments. They provide many options for interactive activities which can be made into excellent formative assessments, as well as many platforms by which to form and administer a summative assessment. As a future teacher, I believe that this is one area where instructional technology will be of one of its most impactful benefits in the classroom.