Assessment - Formative or Summative?

Many teachers learn about formative and summative assessments while they are engaging in education coursework; however, translating these types of assessments to the practical classroom can be a significant challenge. Using formative and summative assessments in tandem enables teachers to monitor progress and achievement while also implementing engaging and relevant authentic assessments for standards and criteria. The figure below outlines some differences between the two (Dixson and Worrell, 2016).

Even if teachers understand the difference between formative and summative assessments, they can often struggle to identify how to use these in their classrooms. Below are some examples of formative and summative assessments used commonly by teachers (Yale, 2021).

Formative: Exit tickets, class discussions, weekly quizzes, Kahoots, homework assignments.

Summative: Projects, essays, standardized testing, unit tests, presentations.

Striking a balance between formative and summative assessments ensures that students know that they can still achieve success even if they are struggling, as a growth mindset is essential in education.

References

Dixson, D. D., & Worrell, F. C. (2016). Formative and summative assessment in the classroom. Theory Into Practice, 55(2), 153–159. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2016.1148989

Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning. (2021). Formative and summative assessments. https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/Formative-Summative-Assessments

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