2. We measure our students’ learning
for a number of reasons:
3. 1. Assessment for Learning (Formative)
• The purpose of Formative Assessment is
to provide students with feedback on how
they are doing. The aim is to help
students improve their performance and
make their next piece of assessed work
better. It is developmental or formative to
nature; hence the term “Formative
Assessment”
4. • The feedback students receive is the key
component of formative assessment.
Feedback is intended to help them
identify weakness and build on strengths
to improve the quality of their next piece
of assessment. The focus is on comments
for improvement, not marks, and the
awarding of marks in formative
assessment can actually be
5. H2.
2. Assessment for Certification (Summative)
• Another key purpose of assessment is to
gather evidence to make judgment about a
student’s level of performance; against the
specified learning objectives.
6. • Students are usually assessed at the end of an
element of learning, such as the end of a
module, mid semester or end of semester.
They are awarded results typically as marks or
grades to represent a particular level of
achievement (high, medium, low). This
judgmental “summative” process formally
provides the evidence, to verify or “certify”
which students may progress to the next level
of their studies.
7. 3. Protect Academic Standards
• Grades from cumulative assessment are used
to certify that a person has the necessary
knowledge and skills (and can apply them
appropriately) to be awarded a qualification.
Consequently, the quality and integrity of
assessment is essential to guarantee the
credibility of qualifications and the academic
reputation of the issuing institution.
8. • There is considerable local,
national and international concern
to ensure that the ways we protect
academic standards stand up to
scrutiny or careful examination.
9. 4. Feedback for Teaching
• The results from both formative and summative
assessment can help you track how your students are
going throughout your courses. Closely looking at the
results can help you identify any patterns of difficulties
or misunderstanding students might have. This in turn
allows you alter your approach to teaching and adjust
your curriculum accordingly. For example, you may
identify that you need to offer more detailed
explanations or provide additional resources in particular
area.
10. • We use assessment as a tool to provide
feedback to students about their learning
(Formative Assessment); as well as
certifying their level of achievement
(Summative Assessment). It is a means by
which we protect our academic standards
and institutional reputations; and a
method or evaluating and adjusting
teaching.
11. Therefore:
• It measures student’s achievement.
• It evaluates instruction.
• It motivates learning.
• It predicts success.
• It diagnoses the nature of difficulties.
