How do you choose the best assessment method for K-12 students?

1 Formative assessment

Formative assessment is a type of assessment that occurs during the learning process, and aims to monitor student progress, identify strengths and weaknesses, and provide timely and specific feedback. Formative assessment can take many forms, such as quizzes, exit tickets, self-assessments, peer feedback, observations, discussions, and portfolios. Formative assessment is useful for both teachers and students, as it helps them adjust their teaching and learning strategies accordingly, and improve their performance.

2 Summative assessment

Summative assessment is a type of assessment that occurs at the end of a unit, a course, or a program, and aims to evaluate student achievement, compare student performance to a standard or a criterion, and assign grades or certificates. Summative assessment can take many forms, such as tests, exams, projects, essays, presentations, and performance tasks. Summative assessment is useful for measuring the effectiveness of the curriculum and the instruction, and providing a summary of student learning outcomes.

3 Diagnostic assessment

Diagnostic assessment is a type of assessment that occurs before the learning process, and aims to determine students' prior knowledge, skills, attitudes, and interests. Diagnostic assessment can take many forms, such as pre-tests, surveys, interviews, questionnaires, and inventories. Diagnostic assessment is useful for informing teachers about the students' readiness, needs, and preferences, and for planning differentiated and personalized instruction.

4 Authentic assessment

Authentic assessment is a type of assessment that requires students to perform real-world tasks that demonstrate their application of knowledge and skills. Authentic assessment can take many forms, such as simulations, experiments, case studies, debates, role plays, and portfolios. Authentic assessment is useful for engaging students in meaningful and relevant learning experiences, and for assessing their higher-order thinking skills, such as analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and creativity.

5 Alternative assessment

Alternative assessment is a type of assessment that differs from the traditional paper-and-pencil tests, and allows students to demonstrate their learning in various ways. Alternative assessment can take many forms, such as portfolios, journals, rubrics, self-assessments, peer assessments, and conferences. Alternative assessment is useful for accommodating students' diverse learning styles, abilities, backgrounds, and cultures, and for providing a holistic and comprehensive view of their learning.

6 How to choose

When selecting the best assessment method for K-12 students, several factors must be taken into account, such as the learning objectives, curriculum standards, instructional methods, resources, time constraints, and students' characteristics. There is no universal approach to assessment, so teachers may need to use a combination of different methods to meet different purposes and contexts. To determine the best assessment method for their students, teachers should consider questions such as what they want to assess, how they want to assess it, why they want to assess it, when they want to assess it, who they want to assess, how they will use the results, and how they will communicate the results.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?