Types of assessments and how to use assessments are big ideas
for this module. A practicing teacher can use assessments to deliver feedback
to students, to guide and motivate students in learning, to make improvements
on instruction, and to identify modifications for improvement. Assessment data
is used by teachers to assist in diagnosis, placement, guidance and counseling,
admissions, and certification. In regards to assessment a practicing teacher
needs to be able to choose and develop appropriate assessments for students,
grade and interpret the outcomes of assessments, use assessment results appropriately
to make modifications, have a valid grading system, communicate results, and to
recognize inappropriate assessment methods. A practicing teacher needs to be
able to know when it is appropriate to give each type of assessment. The types
of assessments can be formal or informal and formative or summative. Formal
assessments are used to see what the students have learned and informal are
used to see how students behave and perform in class. Formative assessments are
used to look at progress, understanding, and make adjustments and summative are
used for evaluation of student and teacher progress. Performance assessments are also a big idea in this module. They can be assessed by presentations, portfolios, or projects.
I am confused by informal assessment. It says that informal
assessment includes observing and asking questions. Does informal assessment
not include documentation? How is data from informal assessment collected and
used?
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FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
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SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
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FORMALLY ASSESSED
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Giving students a worksheet for homework after a new math
equation has been taught.
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Giving students a test over the unit of a math chapter.
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INFORMALLY ASSESSED
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Observing students and answering questions while students
complete practice problems following lesson on a new math equation.
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Listening, observing, and answering questions after
wrapping up a unit of math.
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You cannot tell the difference between a formative or
summative assessment because just by looking at it you cannot tell whether the
students are still learning the material or if they have already learned the
material completely.
There are different ways to think about the distinction between formal/informal assessments. I think a basic way of thinking about it is whether it sends a message to students that "this is a test!" So, in that way, asking questions and observing does not make students feel they are in a testing situation. You could always make a check or a note based on these observations (recording data to look at later). Similarly, I think a quick/fun writing prompt might also serve the same purpose. For example, you ask 'everyone write down two things they know about the civil war' (similar to if you asked them to tell you this information, but writing it down) to start off a lesson and determine what students already know before you begin teaching about a subject. To make it even more informal, you might ask them to draw a picture or write a short story depicting what they know about the topic.
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