Assessing Student Learning Heather Holshouser CUR 528 September 19, 2015 University of Phoenix Siddeeqah Johnson

The definition of Assessment In education, the term assessment refers to the wide variety of methods that educators use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning progress, and skill acquisition of students from preschool through college and adulthood.

The contrast of three different types of assessments Formative Assessments are evaluations of student learning that are typically administered multiple times during a course. They have a primary objective of providing prescriptive feedback to a student to inform next steps in the instructional process. Educators tend to use quizzes in this fashion. The general purpose of a formative assessment is to give educators feedback on what their students are learning, or not learning. This gives them an idea of what instructional approaches and teaching materials are necessary and what will need to be modified according to the results. Formative assessments are usually not graded, and they may take a variety of forms, from more formal quizzes to informal questioning techniques and discussions with students. The general purpose of a formative assessment is to give educators feedback on what their students are learning, or not learning. This gives them an idea of what instructional approaches and teaching materials are necessary and what will need to be modified according to the results. Formative assessments are usually not graded, and they may take a variety of forms, from more formal quizzes to informal questioning techniques and discussions with students.

The contrast of three different types of assessments Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning at the conclusion of a specific instructional period. It is where the primary purpose is to give a quantitative grading and make a judgment about the participant's achievement. Summative assessments typically take place at the end of a course of instruction where the goal is to provide overall information on the amount and quality of student learning. These are often known as “mid-term exams” or “final exams.” Summative assessments are graded tests, assignments, or projects that are used to determine whether students have learned what they were expected to learn during the specific instructional period. Formative assessments are commonly said to be used for learning because educators typically use the results to modify and improve teaching techniques before or during an instructional period, while summative assessments are said to be used for learning because they evaluate academic achievement at the conclusion of an instructional period. Formative assessments are commonly said to be used for learning because educators typically use the results to modify and improve teaching techniques before or during an instructional period, while summative assessments are said to be used for learning because they evaluate academic achievement at the conclusion of an instructional period.

The contrast of three different types of assessments Pre-assessments are administered before the learners will begin a course. Students are not necessarily expected to know the material they are being evaluated on at this point. Pre-assessments are generally used to establish a baseline against which educators measure their students learning progress over the duration of a program, course, or instructional period. Pre-assessments are generally used to establish a baseline against which educators measure their students learning progress over the duration of a program, course, or instructional period.

example and explanation The following provides a brief overview of a few major ways in which assessments are used to improve schools and teaching: System and school accountability Instructional improvement Learning-needs identification System and school accountability: Assessments such as standardized tests have played an increasingly central role in efforts to hold schools and systems holding them accountable for improving the academic achievement of students. The most widely discussed and far-reaching example, the 2001 federal law commonly known as the No Child Left Behind Act, mandated that each state develop learning standards to govern what teachers should teach and students should learn in every grade level and content area from kindergarten through high school. Standardized tests were then developed to measure how well students were meeting the standards, and scores were then reported publicly by state departments of education. By publicly reporting the test scores achieved by different schools and student groups, and by tying those scores to penalties and funding, the law aimed to close achievement gaps and improve schools that were deemed to be underperforming. This is one example of how assessment results are being used as an accountability measure. Instructional improvement: Assessment results are often used as a mechanism for improving instructional quality and student achievement. Because assessments are designed to measure the acquisition of specific knowledge or skills, the design of an assessment can determine or influence what gets taught in the classroom. Learning-needs identification: Educators use a wide range of assessments and assessment methods to identify specific student learning needs, diagnose learning disabilities (such as autism, dyslexia, or nonverbal learning disability), or determine eligibility for special-education services. In recent years, the early identification of specialized learning needs and disabilities, and the proactive provision of educational support services to students, has been a major focus of numerous educational reform strategies.

An Assessment Framework. (n.d.). References Assessment Definition. (2013, May 15). http://edglossary.org/assessment/ An Assessment Framework. (n.d.). https://www.league.org/publication/whitepapers/0804.html