FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT VS SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Formative assessments are in-process evaluations of student learning that are typically administered multiple times during a unit, course, or academic program. The general purpose of formative assessment is to give educators in-process feedback about what students are learning or not learning so that instructional approaches, teaching materials, and academic support can be modified accordingly. Formative assessments are usually not scored or graded, and they may take a variety of forms, from more formal quizzes and assignments to informal questioning techniques and in-class discussions with students.

Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning at the conclusion of a specific instructional period—typically at the end of a unit, course, semester, program, or school year. Summative assessments are typically scored and graded tests, assignments, or projects that are used to determine whether students have learned what they were expected to learn during the defined instructional period.

Formative assessments are commonly said to be for learning because educators use the results to modify and improve teaching techniques during an instructional period, while summative assessments are said to be of learning because they evaluate academic achievement at the conclusion of an instructional period. Or as assessment expert Paul Black put it, “When the cook tastes the soup, that’s formative assessment. When the customer tastes the soup, that’s summative assessment.”




The Purpose of Formative Assessment and Summative Assessment and the Way it is Conducted

My personal's view/ reflection/ opinion about the issues raised by the assessment

Formative Assessment is an assessment FOR learning. It occurs when teachers use inferences about student progress to inform their teaching.

However, Summative Assessment is an assessment OF learning. It occurs when teachers use evidence of student learning to make judgement on student's achievement against goals and standards.

In my opinion, formative assessment is the pipeline or can be say that is the stair for student to achieve summative assessment. 

More formative assessment done before real test, more well the student will be while facing the summative assessment.


The Suggestion and Ways to Improve Formative Assessment and Summative Assessment

Just as the picture above, enough of formative assessment, then the student just can achieve summative assessment. So, how to conduct a effective formative assessment, so that summative assessment can be too?

Based on the Tesol Connections, tips for Effective Formative assessment and Summative assessment:

Assessment literate teachers should:

• set a comprehensive assessment plan that includes both AfL (formative) and AoL (summative) to assess learning outcomes.
• select assessment tasks that serve the intended purpose: AfL (formative) or AoL (summative), or both, that are also appropriate for the learning outcomes. Assessment tasks or tools that can be used both formatively (AfL) and summatively (AoL), depending on the learning outcomes, are:
• performance tasks
• papers
• essays
• projects
• demonstrations
• oral reports and presentations
• quizzes
• tests
• homework
• reflection journals
• classroom participation  
• be careful about using some assessment tasks such as homework, reflection journals, and classroom participation as AoL (summative) because they may not be appropriate for the intended learning outcomes. For example, if the learning outcomes do not include developing students’ reflection skills or classroom participation, then these assessments are more appropriate as AfL (formative).
• use classroom instructional strategies such as observation of classroom activities, questioning strategies, conferences, classroom discussions, oral and written feedback, and peer and self assessment for AfL (formative). AfL should not be separated from teaching.
• be careful about using the same assessment tasks for both AfL (formative) and AoL (summative) purposes, particularly tests. Otherwise, teachers will restrict themselves to teaching to the test.

Conclusion

To conclude, understanding and appreciating the difference between formative assessment (assessment FOR learning) and summative assessment (assessment OF learning) does matter and constitutes one of the fundamental principles of the knowledge-base of any assessment literate teacher.

Other key assessment principles that teachers should master are quality assurance of classroom assessments ensuring that assessment results are valid, reliable, and fair as well as appropriately preparing students for and interpreting students’ results on standardized external assessments. All teachers should work on continuously developing their assessment literacy knowledge, skills, principles, and practices to help their students learn better and achieve more.




REFERENCES

Alber, R. (15 January, 2014). Why Formative Assessments Matter. Retrieved from Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/formative-assessments-importance-of-rebecca-alber

Dawe, T. (n.d.). What Is a Summative Assessment? Retrieved from eHow: http://www.ehow.com/info_8659314_summative-assessment.html

Matter?, F. v. (n.d.). Formative vs. Summative Assessment: Does It Matter? Retrieved from Tesol Connections: http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/tesolc/issues/2012-09-01/3.html

Summative Assessment. (January, 2011). Retrieved from Best of Bilash: http://www.educ.ualberta.ca/staff/olenka.bilash/best%20of%20bilash/summativeassess.html