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What are summative assessments and why are they being used?
Summative assessments are being used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition and academic achievement at the end of a project, unit, course, semester or school year. Summative assessments are defined by three major criteria:

They are used to determine whether students have learned what they were expected to learn.

They are generally evaluative, meaning that summative assessments are used to determine students' learning progress and achievement.

They are recorded as scores or grades that are factored into students' permanent academic record.

Examples of summative assessments include:

Chapter tests at the end of a unit

Exams at the end of the semester

Standardized tests

Resource: Great Schools Partnership. (2013, August). Summative Assessment. Retrieved October 23, 2021 from https://www.edglossary.org/summative-assessment/.

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Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement at the conclusion of a defined instructional period-typically at the end of a project, unit, course, semester, program, or school year. Generally speaking, summative assessments are defined by three major criteria:

The tests, assignments, or projects are used to determine whether students have learned what they were expected to learn. In other words, what makes an assessment "summative" is not the design of the test, assignment, or self-evaluation, per se, but the way it is used-i.e., to determine whether and to what degree students have learned the material they have been taught.

Summative assessments are given at the conclusion of a specific instructional period, and therefore they are generally evaluative, rather than diagnostic-i.e., they are more appropriately used to determine learning progress and achievement, evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs, measure progress toward improvement goals, or make course-placement decisions, among other possible applications.

Summative-assessment results are often recorded as scores or grades that are then factored into a student's permanent academic record, whether they end up as letter grades on a report card or test scores used in the college-admissions process. While summative assessments are typically a major component of the grading process in most districts, schools, and courses, not all assessments considered to be summative are graded.

Summative assessments are commonly contrasted with formative assessments, which collect detailed information that educators can use to improve instruction and student learning while it's happening. In other words, formative assessments are often said to be for learning, while summative assessments are of learning. Or as assessment expert Paul Black put it, "When the cook tastes the soup, that's formative assessment. When the customer tastes the soup, that's summative assessment." It should be noted, however, that the distinction between formative and summative is often fuzzy in practice, and educators may have divergent interpretations and opinions on the subject.

Some of the most well-known and widely discussed examples of summative assessments are the standardized tests administered by states and testing organizations, usually in math, reading, writing, and science. Other examples of summative assessments include:

End-of-unit or chapter tests.

End-of-term or semester tests.

Standardized tests that are used to for the purposes of school accountability, college admissions (e.g., the SAT or ACT), or end-of-course evaluation (e.g., Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams).

Culminating demonstrations of learning or other forms of "performance assessment," such as portfolios of student work that are collected over time and evaluated by teachers or capstone projects that students work on over extended periods of time and that they present and defend at the conclusion of a school year or their high school education.

While most summative assessments are given at the conclusion of an instructional period, some summative assessments can still be used diagnostically. For example, the growing availability of student data, made possible by online grading systems and databases, can give teachers access to assessment results from previous years or other courses. By reviewing this data, teachers may be able to identify students more likely to struggle academically in certain subject areas or with certain concepts. In addition, students may be allowed to take some summative tests multiple times, and teachers might use the results to help prepare students for future administrations of the test.

It should also be noted that districts and schools may use "interim" or "benchmark" tests to monitor the academic progress of students and determine whether they are on track to mastering the material that will be evaluated on end-of-course tests or standardized tests. Some educators consider interim tests to be formative, since they are often used diagnostically to inform instructional modifications, but others may consider them to be summative. There is ongoing debate in the education community about this distinction, and interim assessments may defined differently from place to place. See formative assessment for a more detailed discussion.

Reform

While educators have arguably been using "summative assessments" in various forms since the invention of schools and teaching, summative assessments have in recent decades become components of larger school-improvement efforts. As they always have, summative assessments can help teachers determine whether students are making adequate academic progress or meeting expected learning standards, and results may be used to inform modifications to instructional techniques, lesson designs, or teaching materials the next time a course, unit, or lesson is taught. Yet perhaps the biggest changes in the use of summative assessments have resulted from state and federal policies aimed at improving public education-specifically, standardized high-stakes tests used to make important decisions about schools, teachers, and students.

Debate

While there is little disagreement among educators about the need for or utility of summative assessments, debates and disagreements tend to center on issues of fairness and effectiveness, especially when summative-assessment results are used for high-stakes purposes. In these cases, educators, experts, reformers, policy makers, and others may debate whether assessments are being designed and used appropriately, or whether high-stakes tests are either beneficial or harmful to the educational process. For more detailed discussions of these issues, see high-stakes test , measurement error , test accommodations , , score inflation , standardized test , and value-added measures .

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Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement at the conclusion of a defined instructional period-typically at the end of a project, unit, course, semester, program, or school year. Generally speaking, summative assessments are defined by three major criteria: The tests, assignments, or projects are used to determine whether students [...]

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Formative assessments are planned, ongoing processes used during learning to elicit student learning to improve understanding of the teacher's desired learning outcomes.

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Formative assessments are used to:

help students better identify their strengths and weaknesses

locate knowledge gaps or target areas that students need improvement in

allow teachers to recognize opportunities to revise and modify their instructional methods to be more useful

provide faculty with information that can transformed into actionable student feedback

What is the difference between formative and summative assessment? (n.d). Eberly Center. Carnegie Mellon University. Retrieved October 23, 2021 from

https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/basics/formative-summative.html.

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Alber, Rebecca. (2014, January 15). Why Formative Assessments Matter. Retrieved October 23, 2021 from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/formative-assessments-importance-of-rebecca-alber.

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Formative assessments matter because teachers make important instructional decisions based on the data they provide.

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Formative assessments are assessments for learning and as learning. Continuously providing student feedback while also improving your teaching effective makes the learning process much more useful.

Below are some useful strategies teachers can test in their own classrooms:

Analyze Student Work

Round Robin Charts

Strategic Questioning

3-Way Summaries

Think-Pair-Share

3-2-1 Countdown

Classroom Polls

Exit Tickets

One-Minute Papers

Creative Extension Projects

Crockett, Lee. (n.d.). 10 Innovative Formative Assessment Examples for Teachers to Know. Retrieved October 23, 2021 from https://blog.futurefocusedlearning.net/formative-assessment-examples.

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10 Innovative Formative Assessment Examples for Teachers to Know — Future Focused Learning

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Formative assessment is assessment for learning and as learning. What follows are 10 innovative formative assessment strategies for teachers to try out.

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7 Low-Stakes Approaches to Formative Assessments

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7 Low-Stakes Approaches to Formative Assessments

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It's important that teachers use a variety of formative assessment tools as students learn and retain information in a wide range of ways. Also, it's important that we offer students with simple, low-stakes opportunities to showcase their knowledge.

Here are some quick ad easy ways to get a read on the overall progress of your classroom while also identify any students who might be struggling.

Entry and Exit Slips

Low-Stakes Quizzes and Polls

Dipsticks

Interview Assessments

Art-Related Activities

Find the Mistakes/Errors

Self Assessment

Lastly, it's important that the teacher make time to perform their own self reflection at times to ensure that your assessments are relevant and useful to the objective. If assessments are too complex or difficult to access/complete, it's perfectly acceptable to ditch it and try something else.

Thomas, Laura. (2019, April 26.). 7 Smart, Fast Ways to Do Formative Assessment. Retrieved October 23, 2021 from https://www.edutopia.org/article/7-smart-fast-ways-do-formative-assessment.

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Formative assessment-discovering what students know while they're still in the process of learning it-can be tricky. Designing just the right assessment can feel high stakes-for teachers, not students-because we're using it to figure out what comes next. Are we ready to move on? Do our students need a different path into the concepts? Or, more likely, which students are ready to move on and which need a different path?

When it comes to figuring out what our students really know, we have to look at more than one kind of information. A single data point-no matter how well designed the quiz, presentation, or problem behind it-isn't enough information to help us plan the next step in our instruction.

Add to that the fact that different learning tasks are best measured in different ways, and we can see why we need a variety of formative assessment tools we can deploy quickly, seamlessly, and in a low-stakes way-all while not creating an unmanageable workload. That's why it's important to keep it simple: Formative assessments generally just need to be checked, not graded, as the point is to get a basic read on the progress of individuals, or the class as a whole.

7 Approaches to Formative Assessment

1. Entry and exit slips: Those marginal minutes at the beginning and end of class can provide some great opportunities to find out what kids remember. Start the class off with a quick question about the previous day's work while students are getting settled-you can ask differentiated questions written out on chart paper or projected on the board, for example.

A quick way to see the big picture if you use paper exit tickets is to sort the papers into three piles: Students got the point; they sort of got it; and they didn't get it. The size of the stacks is your clue about what to do next.

No matter the tool, the key to keeping students engaged in the process of just-walked-in or almost-out-the-door formative assessment is the questions. Ask students to write for one minute on the most meaningful thing they learned. You can try prompts like:

What are three things you learned, two things you're still curious about, and one thing you don't understand?

How would you have done things differently today, if you had the choice?

What I found interesting about this work was...

Right now I'm feeling...

Today was hard because...

Or skip the words completely and have students draw or circle emojis to represent their assessment of their understanding.

2. Low-stakes quizzes and polls: If you want to find out whether your students really know as much as you think they know, polls and quizzes created with Socrative or Quizlet or in-class games and tools like Quizalize, Kahoot, FlipQuiz, Gimkit, Plickers, and Flippity can help you get a better sense of how much they really understand. (Grading quizzes but assigning low point values is a great way to make sure students really try: The quizzes matter, but an individual low score can't kill a student's grade.) Kids in many classes are always logged in to these tools, so formative assessments can be done very quickly. Teachers can see each kid's response, and determine both individually and in aggregate how students are doing.

Because you can design the questions yourself, you determine the level of complexity. Ask questions at the bottom of Bloom's taxonomy and you'll get insight into what facts, vocabulary terms, or processes kids remember. Ask more complicated questions ("What advice do you think Katniss Everdeen would offer Scout Finch if the two of them were talking at the end of chapter 3?"), and you'll get more sophisticated insights.

3. Dipsticks: So-called alternative formative assessments are meant to be as easy and quick as checking the oil in your car, so they're sometimes referred to as dipsticks. These can be things like asking students to:

write a letter explaining a key idea to a friend,

draw a sketch to visually represent new knowledge, or

do a think, pair, share exercise with a partner.

Your own observations of students at work in class can provide valuable data as well, but they can be tricky to keep track of. Taking quick notes on a tablet or smartphone, or using a copy of your roster, is one approach. A focused observation form is more formal and can help you narrow your note-taking focus as you watch students work.

4. Interview assessments: If you want to dig a little deeper into students' understanding of content, try discussion-based assessment methods. Casual chats with students in the classroom can help them feel at ease even as you get a sense of what they know, and you may find that five-minute interview assessments work really well. Five minutes per student would take quite a bit of time, but you don't have to talk to every student about every project or lesson.

You can also shift some of this work to students using a peer-feedback process called TAG feedback (Tell your peer something they did well, Ask a thoughtful question, Give a positive suggestion). When you have students share the feedback they have for a peer, you gain insight into both students' learning.

For more introverted students-or for more private assessments-use Flipgrid, Explain Everything, or Seesaw to have students record their answers to prompts and demonstrate what they can do.

5. Methods that incorporate art: Consider using visual art or photography or videography as an assessment tool. Whether students draw, create a collage, or sculpt, you may find that the assessment helps them synthesize their learning. Or think beyond the visual and have kids act out their understanding of the content. They can create a dance to model cell mitosis or act out stories like Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants" to explore the subtext.

6. Misconceptions and errors: Sometimes it's helpful to see if students understand why something is incorrect or why a concept is hard. Ask students to explain the " muddiest point" in the lesson-the place where things got confusing or particularly difficult or where they still lack clarity. Or do a misconception check: Present students with a common misunderstanding and ask them to apply previous knowledge to correct the mistake, or ask them to decide if a statement contains any mistakes at all, and then discuss their answers.

You can use sticky notes to get a quick insight into what areas your kids think they need to work on. Ask them to pick their own trouble spot from three or four areas where you think the class as a whole needs work, and write those areas in separate columns on a whiteboard. Have you students answer on a sticky note and then put the note in the correct column-you can see the results at a glance.

Several self-assessments let the teacher see what every kid thinks very quickly. For example, you can use colored stacking cups that allow kids to flag that they're all set (green cup), working through some confusion (yellow), or really confused and in need of help (red).

Similar strategies involve using participation cards for discussions (each student has three cards-"I agree," "I disagree," and "I don't know how to respond") and thumbs-up responses (instead of raising a hand, students hold a fist at their belly and put their thumb up when they're ready to contribute). Students can instead use six hand gestures to silently signal that they agree, disagree, have something to add, and more. All of these strategies give teachers an unobtrusive way to see what students are thinking.

No matter which tools you select, make time to do your own reflection to ensure that you're only assessing the content and not getting lost in the assessment fog. If a tool is too complicated, is not reliable or accessible, or takes up a disproportionate amount of time, it's OK to put it aside and try something different.

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7 Smart, Fast Ways to Do Formative Assessment

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Within these methods you'll find close to 40 tools and tricks for finding out what your students know while they're still learning.

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Summative assessments:

evaluate students after learning

rank and grade assignments

evaluate students' achievements

compare through standardized testing

focus on results

cover the entire course

Summative assessments can be conducted in the following forms:

standardized tests

final reports, projects or presentations

end of unit / chapter tests

achievement tests

midterm and final exams

Resource: Joshi, Neha. (n.d.). Formative vs Summative Assessment. Retrieved October 23, 2021 from https://evelynlearning.com/formative-vs-summative-assessment/.

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Many people refer to diagnostic assessments are 'pre-tests' since they normally help teachers diagnose the amount of existing knowledge or information students already have.

This type of assessment is typically used at the start of a new course, thematic unit, or topic. It tells the teacher what the students know and don't know (or remember) about an upcoming topic, and they allow teachers to build better lesson plans and activities to focus on key areas that need more attention.

Tookoian, Jennie. (2018, August 16). What is a Diagnostic Assessment? Retrieved October 24, 2021 from https://edulastic.com/blog/diagnostic-assessment/#:~:text=Diagnostic%20assessments%20are%20pretests.%20They%20usually%20serve%20as,is%20exactly%20how%20teachers%20tend%20to%20use%20them.

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Diagnostic assessments are pretests. They usually serve as a barometer for how much pre-loaded information a student has about a topic. The word diagnosis is defined as an analysis of the nature or condition of a situation, which is exactly how teachers tend to use them.

Diagnostic tests help to tell the teacher (and the student) how much they know and don't know about an upcoming topic. This helps to inform the teacher's lesson planning, learning objectives, and identify areas that may need more or less time spent on.

Components of a Diagnostic Assessment

Happen at the beginning of a unit, lesson, quarter, or period of time.

Goal of understanding student's current position to inform effective instruction

Identify strengths and areas of improvement for the student

Low-stakes assessments (Usually do not count as a grade)

Difference Between Diagnostic and Formative Assessments

Though both diagnostic assessments and formative assessments aim to inform teachers to instruct more effectively, they emphasize different aspects. Formative assessments are taken during a unit to assess how students are learning the material that the teacher has been teaching ( click here to learn more). Diagnostic assessments come before this, analyzing what students have learned in the past, many times from different teachers or classes. Both are very helpful for the teacher, and the results are used to identify areas that need more attention in future instruction.

Diagnostic Assessments Examples

At the beginning of a unit on Ancient Greece, a teacher may give a pre-test to determine if the class knows the basic geography, history or culture. The class' responses will determine where the teacher begins and how much time is dedicated to certain topics. The teacher may learn from this diagnostic assessment that many students already have knowledge on cultural aspects of Greece, but know little about its history. From this, they may adjust the lesson plan to spend a bit more time on the history and origins of Ancient Greece and slightly less on culture.

Keep In Mind

Another valuable use of a diagnostic pre-test is to give the students an idea of what they will have learned by end of the learning period. When combined with a post test, their score on a pre-test will show students just how much knowledge they have gained. This can be a powerful practice for building esteem in students. In fact, some teachers even use the same pre-test and post-test to make this difference more evident. This strategy provides great data on how students have progressed is a sure-tell way to measure and analyze growth over the year.

The grading scale for a diagnostic assessment is usually not based on the number of correct answers and holds little weight for a student's final grade. You might consider this type of test to be a low-stakes assessment for students.

Diagnostic Assessment Tools

Teachers who use Edulastic, develop diagnostic assessments in a number of creative ways including introductory activities as well as classic multiple-choice or tech-enhanced "quizzes". The automated grading feature of Edulastic makes it easy to instantly know how much information the class as a whole already knows.

Love using @Edulastic to help prepare for online assessments during a review lesson! pic.twitter.com/hhu8s0HqJM

- Mrs Bell (@MrsBellWHS) December 7, 2017

Diagnostic assessments happen at the start to gauge pre-knowledge.

Access Free Diagnostic Assessments

Start off the year strong and know where student are at when they begin the school year. Access FREE grade level SmartStart diagnostic assessments for grades 3-12 ELA and Math. Click here to learn more or use the button below to log in and explore these diagnostic assessments and more in the Edulastic Test Library.

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Diagnostic assessments are pretests. They usually serve as a barometer for how much pre-loaded information a student has about a topic. The word diagnosis is defined as an analysis of the nature or condition of a situation, which is exactly how teachers tend to use them.

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Why are diagnostic assessments important?

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Why are diagnostic assessments important?

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Teachers in Education. (2016, December 16). Diagnostic Assessment: Examples & Overview (video). Retrieved October 24, 2021 from https://youtu.be/H-WEmsuvDsA

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Diagnostic Assessment: Examples & Overview

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As this site explains, there are many benefits that come from a teacher giving diagnostic assessments to your students.

1. They indicate a student's prior knowledge of the material.

2. They help assess the learning that has occurred during a learning session.

3. They assist teachers in adjusting lesson content and classroom activities to be more beneficial.

4. They make the learning process more effective by concentrating on specific information that needs to better explained or mastered.

5. They help students better understand the objective of a lesson or section of the course.

6. They can reveal the gaps in students' critical thinking or reasoning about the matter being taught.

7. They might inspire students to actively seek answers.

8. They demonstrate the commitment that their teacher has for them in learning content successfully.

Benefits of Diagnostic Assessments. (n.d.). Diagnostic Assessments: Assess Prior Knowledge. Retrieved October 24, 2021 from https://courses.dcs.wisc.edu/design-teaching/PlanDesign_Fall2016/2-Online-Course-Design/3_Learning-Assessments/5_assessment_diagnostic.html

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Diagnostic assessments (also known as pre-assessments) provide instructors with information about student's prior knowledge and misconceptions before beginning a learning activity and also diagnose students' strengths and areas of need.

These assessments also provide a baseline for understanding how much learning has taken place after the learning activity is completed. Instructors usually build concepts sequentially throughout a course. A diagnostic pre-assessment provides an opportunity to determine if students remember the concepts they need. If some students don't remember important concepts, then a refresher will make the current activity more meaningful and improve learning outcomes for students.

Benefits of Diagnostic Assessments

Indicate students' prior knowledge.

Assess the learning that has occurred during a teaching/learning session.

Can help instructors adjust content and activities to encourage more effective learning.

May make the teaching/learning process more efficient and effective by zeroing in on content that needs to be taught and mastered.

Can help students understand the value of a lesson, module, or entire course.

Can point out to students the gaps in student's reasoning and misperceptions about subject matter.

May motivate students to seek accurate information and practice.

Demonstrate to students that their instructors care about them as people and about their success as learners.

Consider: What benefits of using diagnostic assessment can you see for your own classes? Consider these when drafting your course map and module worksheet at the end of this module.

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Diagnostic Assessments: Assess Prior Knowledge

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Diagnostic assessments (also known as pre-assessments) provide instructors with information about student's prior knowledge and misconceptions before beginning a learning activity and also diagnose students' strengths and areas of need. These assessments also provide a baseline for understanding how much learning has taken place after the learning activity is completed.

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Below is a list of diagnostic assessment examples:

Pre and post-tests

Self-assessments

Discussion board responses

Entry/Exit tickets

Interviews

Observations Polling

Riley, Susan. (2017, July 1). The Types of Assessment for Learning. Retrieved October 24, 2021 from https://artsintegration.com/2017/07/01/types-assessment-learning/.

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The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM

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Assessment Strategies for Integrated Studies

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There are so many types of assessment to use with arts integration and STEAM. Here's a guide with ideas and practical assessment strategies to try.

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Performance-based assessments measure the student's achievement of learning through application. These types of assessments normally involve using the students' critical thinking skills to complete a complex process; in most instances, the process simulates a real-life application that they might experience as a professional.

Most performance-based assessments have the following characteristics:

Complex

Authentic

Process/product-oriented

Open-ended

Time-bound

Hilliard, Patricia. (2015, December 7). Performance-Based Assessment: Reviewing the Basics. Retrieved October 24, 2021 from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/performance-based-assessment-reviewing-basics-patricia-hilliard

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Elements of a Quality Performance Assessment

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Elements of a Quality Performance Assessment

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Key elements of constructing a quality performance assessment include:

Aligns to learning targets and 21st century skills

Is open-ended and relevant to the real world

Requires application & transfer of learning

Is fair & culturally responsive

Outlines clear criteria for success

Results in original products or solutions

Corrow, Carisa. (2019, July 17). Performance Assessment Snopes: What’s True and What’s Nonsense. Retrieved October 24, 2021 from https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/performance-assessment-snopes-whats-true-and-whats-nonsense

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Simply stated, performance assessments provide situations for students to demonstrate their knowledge by completing real-world tasks rather than just answering questions.

Here are some key reasons why performance assessments should be used in the classroom by all teachers:

1. They creating personalized opportunities for students to have choice in the learning process. This often leads to higher levels of engagement and motivation as well.

2. Performance assessments can be integrated into other forms to provide added tracking for students' academic progress.

3. This assessment type lends itself well to longer, more complex projects that allow students to demonstrate a wide range of skills.

4. These are a great way to measure knowledge application with content that can be difficult to do (ex: collaboration, communication, problem solving).

Vander Ark, Tom. (2013, December 26). What is Performance Assessment?. Retrieved October 24, 2021 from https://www.gettingsmart.com/2013/12/26/performance-assessment/

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In the narrowest sense, according to ETS, performance assessment is "A test in which the test taker actually demonstrates the skills the test is intended to measure by doing real-world tasks that require those skills, rather than by answering questions asking how to do them."

Many educators use five criteria from Wiggins and McTighe in Understanding by Design (UbD) when creating and evaluating performance assessments: Real-World Goal, Role, Audience, Standards for Success, and Product/Performance. A productive alternative to coverage and activity-oriented plans, over the last decade UbD has become a widely used strategy of backward design of units and projects.

Similarly, Marc Chun, now at the Hewlett Foundation, wrote a paper on performance assessment in 2010 where he described the features of a quality performance task:

Real-world scenario: students assume roles in real-world scenarios.

Authentic, complex process: scenarios reflect complex and ambiguity of real-world challenges.

Higher-order thinking: requires critical thinking, analytic reasoning, and problem solving.

Authentic performance: the 'product' reflects what a professional would produce.

Transparent evaluation criteria: the learning outcomes drive the creation of the task.

More broadly, performance assessment is part of an approach to teaching and learning that values application over rote memorization. An ASCD publication says, "In the act of learning, people obtain content knowledge, acquire skills, and develop work habits-and practice the application of all three to 'real world' situations." Performance assessment is the "application of knowledge, skills, and work habits through the performance of tasks that are meaningful and engaging to students." These tasks, occasionally marking gateways in learning, are "strategically placed in the lesson or unit to enhance learning as the student 'pulls it all together'." ASCD says performance tasks "are both an integral part of the learning and an opportunity to assess the quality of student performance."

Projects. The broadest use of performance assessment is project-based learning. Schools that value Deeper Learning assign projects to students both as a learning experiences and a form of assessment. As noted in August, schools that exhibit Deeper Learning:

Engage students in authentic interdisciplinary work that is often community connected.

Ask students to explore-and often solve-real problems faced by employers and community members.

Ask students to produce and present professional quality work product to community audiences.

Value employability and they track work skills as well as academic progress

Schools in the Asia Society, Big Picture, Edvisions, Envisions, and New Tech Network provide best practice examples of schools that, in addition to project-based learning, incorporate work- and community-based learning.
Other Performance Tasks. There are many forms of performance tasks: short and long constructed response, drawings and videos, interview. Technology enables production of quality products as well as complex engagements and simulations; it expands the number of ways that teachers can observe, share and assess student work.

"Some innovative game-based and adaptive learning programs embed key elements of performance assessment," said Tim Hudson, Dreambox Learning. "These programs present students with new and unfamiliar situations that require them to engage in critical thinking and strategic problem solving to accomplish challenging and meaningful goals."

Visual game-based ST Math from MIND Research Institute involves challenging scenarios, requires critical thinking, demands a constructed response (not just a mouse click), and is constructed around learning outcomes.

Problem-based platforms like Mathalicious "ask real questions in open-ended ways that require students to make sense of problems and empower students to develop their own strategies for solving them." Students learn to support and justify their conclusions; they evaluate the validity of others' arguments; they model findings in a variety of ways-they use math to understand how the world works.

The Role of Performance Assessment. At most schools, performance tasks supplement more traditional forms on teaching and learning-they extend and apply learning and provide a form of alternative assessment.

There are a few hundred schools (most are part of Deeper Learning networks) where the instructional program is a sequence of performance tasks. Projects are the heart of the instructional program at Summit Public Schools. The Summit assessment plan says, "They are the assessments that frame our curriculum and define our courses,merging cognitive skill development with the most important content knowledge that students need to be prepared for college

There are four reasons to use performance assessments:

Personalized Learning. Performance assessment is a critical component of creating high engagement learner-centered environment and show what you know culture. Many open ended forms of performance assessment are at least partially interest-based. Project often give students some control over themes, pacing, and the final product. Compared to didactic instruction and selected response tests, performance tasks can produce high levels of motivation and engagement.

Formative Assessment. Short performance assessment can be incorporated into units of instruction to check for understanding. Performance tasks can be combined with other forms of assessment to guide progress through units of study. In schools operated by Michigan's Educational Achievement Authority, each student is responsible for bringing forward three forms of evidence for each learning target, including a performance assessment.

1. Competency Education. Longer and more comprehensive performance assessments can serve as a matriculation gateway in a competency-based environment. For example, end of year projects at Expeditionary Learning schools, called Passages, demonstrate a student's preparation to advance to the next level. Senior projects are required for graduation at many high schools and in some states.

2. Standards-based Education. Performance assessments are often the best way to apply knowledge and skills-particularly those difficult to measure in traditional ways such as critical thinking, collaboration, effective communications, and academic mindset.

Mastery Tracking. As formative and summative assessments, performance tasks and resulting products scored using standards-aligned rubrics can be important role in demonstrating academic growth. However, creating standards-aligned projects, scoring projects, combining performance assessments with other forms of assessment, and providing useful reports can be very challenging and time consuming because the toolset available to schools remains weak and undeveloped.

Useful performance assessment tools and resources make it easier for teachers to create, support, and assess performance tasks. Mastery tracking tools capture assessment results in a standards-based gradebook and provide reporting tools for individual students and aggregation and analysis tools for groups of students. Data visualization tools, like MasteryConnect's mastery tracker (below) provide useful summary level details.

Badges (and other data visualization strategies) can be used to certify and celebrate achievement. They can also personalize learning by guiding choices on what to learn, how to learn, and how to demonstrate learning. Badge systems are likely to become common matriculation management systems.

Portfolio systems, like eduClipper and Pathbrite, create a running record of artifacts that reflect personal bests. Portfolios are gaining post-secondary importance as an alternative market signaling device that supplements or, with a badging system, replaces traditional degrees and certificates.

Well constructed performance assessments and useful mastery tracking tools can create a high agency learning environments where students take responsibility for their own learning. Sonny Magana, Marzano Research, said, "When students use technology to chart their progress toward target learning goals, it prompts them to take an active role in understanding the learning target, processing their current level of achievement, and planning action steps."
Watch for a full report on performance assessment tools, strategies, and resources in February.

MasteryConnect, eduClipper are portfolio companies of Learn Capital where Tom is a partner. MIND Research and Dreambox are Getting Smart Advocacy Partners

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Performance assessments are real-world scenarios that reflect the ambiguity of real-world challenges. They require higher-order thinking and problem solving. They are concluded with authentic performance. Projects are the most common performance assessment. The tools to support projects and track academic development are (slowly) getting better .

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Below are six types of activities than be used to develop effective performance-based assessments.

1. Presentations - have the students give a presentation or report where they are able to create their own visual aids using a tool of their choosing.

2. Portfolios - collect the work that students have created over a period of time to allow for the opportunity for self reflection throughout the year.

3. Performances - students can perform or provide their own creative response to a topic through their own form of expression.

4. Projects (PBL) - allow students the opportunity to apply various elements of a topic through various stages of a project (group or individual).

5. Exhibits and Fairs - give students an in-depth look at a product or process by developing their own exhibit or display.

6. Debates - teach students about giving and receiving unique opinions through gathering research, forming a stance, and arguing their case.

Kelly, Melissa. (2019, May 17). Authentic Ways to Develop Performance-Based Activities. Retrieved October 24,2021 from https://www.thoughtco.com/ideas-for-performance-based-activities-7686

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Performance-based learning is when students participate in performing tasks or activities that are meaningful and engaging. The purpose of this kind of learning is to help students acquire and apply knowledge, practice skills, and develop independent and collaborative work habits. The culminating activity or product for performance-based learning is one that lets a student demonstrate evidence of understanding through a transfer of skills.

A performance-based assessment is open-ended and without a single, correct answer, and it should demonstrate authentic learning, such as the creation of a newspaper or class debate. The benefit of performance-based assessments is that students who are more actively involved in the learning process absorb and understand the material at a much deeper level. Other characteristics of performance-based assessments are that they are complex and time-bound.

Also, there are learning standards in each discipline that set academic expectations and define what is proficient in meeting that standard. Performance-based activities can integrate two or more subjects and should also meet 21st Century expectations whenever possible:

There are also Information Literacy standards and Media Literacy standards that require performance-based learning.

Clear Expectations

Performance-based activities can be challenging for students to complete. They need to understand from the beginning exactly what is being asked of them and how they will be assessed.

Examples and models may help, but it is more important to provide detailed criteria that will be used to assess the performance-based assessment. All criteria should be addressed in a scoring rubric.

Observations are an important component and can be used to provide students with feedback to improve performance. Teachers and students can both use observations. There may be peer to peer student feedback. There could be a checklist or a tally to record student achievement.

The goal of performance-based learning should be to enhance what the students have learned, not just have them recall facts. The following six types of activities provide good starting points for assessments in performance-based learning.

Presentations

One easy way to have students complete a performance-based activity is to have them do a presentation or report of some kind. This activity could be done by students, which takes time, or in collaborative groups.

The basis for the presentation may be one of the following:

Providing information

Teaching a skill

Reporting progress

Persuading others

Students may choose to add in visual aids or a PowerPoint presentation or Google Slides to help illustrate elements in their speech. Presentations work well across the curriculum as long as there is a clear set of expectations for students to work with from the beginning.

Portfolios

Student portfolios can include items that students have created and collected over a period. Art portfolios are for students who want to apply to art programs in college.

Another example is when students create a portfolio of their written work that shows how they have progressed from the beginning to the end of class. The writing in a portfolio can be from any discipline or a combination of disciplines.

Some teachers have students select those items they feel represents their best work to be included in a portfolio. The benefit of an activity like this is that it is something that grows over time and is therefore not just completed and forgotten. A portfolio can provide students with a lasting selection of artifacts that they can use later in their academic career.

Reflections may be included in student portfolios in which students may make a note of their growth based on the materials in the portfolio.

Performances

Dramatic performances are one kind of collaborative activities that can be used as a performance-based assessment. Students can create, perform, and/or provide a critical response. Examples include dance, recital, dramatic enactment. There may be prose or poetry interpretation.

This form of performance-based assessment can take time, so there must be a clear pacing guide.

Students must be provided time to address the demands of the activity; resources must be readily available and meet all safety standards. Students should have opportunities to draft stage work and practice.

Developing the criteria and the rubric and sharing these with students before evaluating a dramatic performance is critical.

Projects are commonly used by teachers as performance-based activities. They can include everything from research papers to artistic representations of information learned. Projects may require students to apply their knowledge and skills while completing the assigned task. They can be aligned with the higher levels of creativity, analysis, and synthesis.

Students might be asked to complete reports, diagrams, and maps. Teachers can also choose to have students work individually or in groups.

Journals may be part of a performance-based assessment. Journals can be used to record student reflections. Teachers may require students to complete journal entries. Some teachers may use journals as a way to record participation.

Exhibits and Fairs

Teachers can expand the idea of performance-based activities by creating exhibits or fairs for students to display their work. Examples include things like history fairs to art exhibitions. Students work on a product or item that will be exhibited publicly.

Exhibitions show in-depth learning and may include feedback from viewers.

In some cases, students might be required to explain or defend their work to those attending the exhibition.

Some fairs like science fairs could include the possibility of prizes and awards.

A debate in the classroom is one form of performance-based learning that teaches students about varied viewpoints and opinions. Skills associated with debate include research, media and argument literacy, reading comprehension, evidence evaluation, public speaking, and civic skills.

There are many different formats for debate. One is the fishbowl debate in which a handful of students form a half circle facing the other students and debate a topic. The rest of the classmates may pose questions to the panel.

Another form is a mock trial where teams representing the prosecution and defense take on the roles of attorneys and witnesses. A judge, or judging panel, oversees the courtroom presentation.

Middle school and high schools can use debates in the classroom, with increased levels of sophistication by grade level.

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Great Ideas for Performance-Based Activities

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These six kinds of authentic performance-based activities allow students to apply knowledge, practice skills, and develop independent work habits.

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Pros:
Summative assessments can provide motivation for students to study and pay attention in class, especially for older students when grades become important to them to get into college. Summative assessments also give great insight to teachers. The results or data collected from summative assessments can help teachers make decisions based on the instruction that has already been complete.

Cons:
Many teachers can be accused of "teaching to the test" when students spend a lot of time drilling exercises to get a good score instead of reading, writing and understanding naturally. Furthermore, summative assessments are not the most accurate reflection of learning because students might not be able to show their best performance under extreme pressure or nervousness.

Resource: The Editorial Team. (2020, August). Summative Assessment: What Teachers Need to Know. Retrieved October 24, 2021 from https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/summative-assessment-what-teachers-need-to-know/.

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What are Summative Assessments? Pros, Cons, Examples | Resilient Educator

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Weeks or months of study in a classroom generally culminate in a summative assessment. This refers to a test that evaluates a student’s comprehension of the material covered thus far.

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Norm-referenced assessment is a type of standardized test that compares students' performances to one another. In other words, norm-referenced assessments compare a student's performance to the course median.

This assessment ranks students on a "bell curve" to determine the highest and the lowest performing students. This method is used to understand how students' scores compare to a predefined population with similar experience.

Resource: Top Hat. (n.d.). Norm-Referenced Assessment. Retrived October 24, 2021 from https://tophat.com/glossary/n/norm-referenced-assessment/.

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Norm-Referenced Assessment Definition and Meaning - Top Hat

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Norm-Referenced Assessment meaning and definition, learn what Norm-Referenced Assessment means and browse hundreds of other educational terms for higher learning on Top Hat’s education glossary

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Norm-Referenced Assessment

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These days, many educational institutions are moving to computer-based testing (CBT). As a consequence, taking summative assessments, such as exams, on laptops or other devices brings a new list of potential security issues. This includes access to the internet or other applications during an exam. Another point to consider is ensuring that students are not sharing assessment items with others. Thus, keeping questions secure is vital.

Providing students with feedback from summative assessments
Even though summative assessments happen after the students' learning occurs, teachers can still provide feedback to students. Categorizing summative assessment questions can give teachers the performance data they and their students need. By tagging exam items to course topics or learning objectives, faculty can provide the detailed feedback students need to be more focused in their study efforts.

Resource: ExamSoft. (2019, March). What is Summative Assessment? Retrieved October 23, 2021 from https://examsoft.com/resources/what-is-summative-assessment.

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When most think of the word "assessment" they envision the large, high-stakes exams that caused stress and sleepless nights while a student. In actuality there are many different types of student evaluation-the most common form being summative assessment.

What is Summative Assessment?

While formative assessment is the evaluation of learning as it takes place (assessment for learning), summative assessment is the practice of evaluating what a student has learned at the end of a given period of time (assessment of learning). As content is taught within a course, educators should evaluate how well the information is absorbed and retained-this is where summative assessment becomes useful. By assessing students at the end of a module, course, or even entire program curriculum, summative assessment provides faculty insight into how well their students have mastered the delivered content.

When Should It be Used

Being the evaluation of learning, assessments should occur at the end of the given period of teaching. Generally, they are an end-of-course or end-of-year exam; however, these are not the only applicable use of summative assessment. Evaluating students' learning could come at the end of a chapter, learning module, or semester. Thus, summative assessments are not only high-stakes final exams, but can (and should) be viewed as a way to gauge, or spot-check, student mastery of a particular area of content.

Keeping Them Secure

Most summative assessments are given with the understanding that the student's score counts towards their final grade. As such, keeping these secure from academic dishonesty is paramount to providing a fair experience for all test takers. Many educational institutions are moving to computer-based testing (CBT); however, testing on laptops or other devices brings an entirely new list of security issues such as access to the internet or other applications during an exam. An effective way to ensure exam integrity for high-stakes assessments is choosing a testing software that does not utilize Wi-Fi during an exam and prevents students from accessing any other information within the device.

The exam environment isn't the only area of the summative assessment process that needs to remain secure-ensuring assessment items remain protected is also a concern. Once a test question has been compromised, it's no longer a valid measurement of student learning. Thus, keeping questions secure in a password protected, cloud-based environment is vital.

Providing Students with Summative Assessment Feedback

While the use of formative assessment hinges around providing students with feedback to help with the learning process, summative assessment happens after the student learning occurs. However, this doesn't mean that communicating students' performance to them is any less important. For students to understand what content they have mastered and which topics might need additional study time, they need detailed information on how they performed not only on the assessment as a whole, but also which specific topics they performed well on.

This type of granular performance data is gained by categorizing summative assessment questions. By tagging exam items to course topics or learning objectives, faculty provide the detailed feedback students need to be more direct in how and what they study moving forward within the curriculum.

Summative assessment is an important part of the assessment process and is incredibly valuable to both students and faculty. Inserting into key moments within the curriculum, ensuring that these high-stakes exams are secure and thus a valid measurement of student learning, and providing students with performance feedback, educators gain insight into how well their content is learned and absorbed.

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What is Summative Assessment and Why Does it Matter?

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When most think of the word "assessment" they envision the large, high-stakes exams that caused stress and sleepless nights while a student. In actuality there are many different types of student evaluation-the most common form being summative assessment.

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The purpose of norm-referenced assessments is to compare and rank test takers in relation to another. They report whether test takers performed better or worse than a hypothetical average student, which is determined by comparing scores against the performance results of a statistically selected group of test takers from the same age or grade level. Norm-referenced scores are generally reported as a percentage or percentile ranking.

Calculating norm-referenced scores is called the "norming process" and the comparison group is called the "norming group." Test developers use a variety of statistical methods to select norming groups, interpret raw scores and determine performance levels.

Norm-referenced assessments are usually based on some form of national standards, not locally determined standards or curricula. Norm-referenced assessments include:

IQ /EQ test

Developmental-screening test to identify learning disabilities in young children

Test to determine a young child's readiness for preschool or kindergarten

Test to evaluate basic reading, writing and math skills

SAT or ACT exam

Resource: Great Schools Partnership. (2015, July). Norm-Referenced Test. Retrieved October 24, 2021 from https://www.edglossary.org/norm-referenced-test/.

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Norm-referenced refers to standardized tests that are designed to compare and rank test takers in relation to one another. Norm-referenced tests report whether test takers performed better or worse than a hypothetical average student, which is determined by comparing scores against the performance results of a statistically selected group of test takers, typically of the same age or grade level, who have already taken the exam.

Calculating norm-referenced scores is called the "norming process," and the comparison group is known as the "norming group." Norming groups typically comprise only a small subset of previous test takers, not all or even most previous test takers. Test developers use a variety of statistical methods to select norming groups, interpret raw scores, and determine performance levels.

Norm-referenced scores are generally reported as a percentage or percentile ranking. For example, a student who scores in the seventieth percentile performed as well or better than seventy percent of other test takers of the same age or grade level, and thirty percent of students performed better (as determined by norming-group scores).

Norm-referenced tests often use a multiple-choice format, though some include open-ended, short-answer questions. They are usually based on some form of national standards, not locally determined standards or . IQ tests are among the most well-known norm-referenced tests, as are developmental-screening tests, which are used to identify learning disabilities in young children or determine eligibility for special-education services. A few major norm-referenced tests include the California Achievement Test, Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Stanford Achievement Test, and TerraNova.

The following are a few representative examples of how norm-referenced tests and scores may be used:

To determine a young child's readiness for preschool or kindergarten. These tests may be designed to measure oral-language ability, visual-motor skills, and cognitive and social development.

To evaluate basic reading, writing, and math skills. Test results may be used for a wide variety of purposes, such as measuring academic progress, making course assignments, determining readiness for grade promotion, or identifying the need for additional academic support.

To identify specific learning disabilities, such as autism, dyslexia, or nonverbal learning disability, or to determine eligibility for special-education services.

To make program-eligibility or college-admissions decisions (in these cases, norm-referenced scores are generally evaluated alongside other information about a student). Scores on SAT or ACT exams are a common example.

Norm-Referenced vs. Criterion-Referenced Tests

Norm-referenced tests are specifically designed to rank test takers on a "bell curve," or a distribution of scores that resembles, when graphed, the outline of a bell-i.e., a small percentage of students performing well, most performing average, and a small percentage performing poorly. To produce a bell curve each time, test questions are carefully designed to accentuate performance differences among test takers, not to determine if students have achieved specified learning standards, learned certain material, or acquired specific skills and knowledge. Tests that measure performance against a fixed set of standards or criteria are called criterion-referenced tests.

Criterion-referenced test results are often based on the number of correct answers provided by students, and scores might be expressed as a percentage of the total possible number of correct answers. On a norm-referenced exam, however, the score would reflect how many more or fewer correct answers a student gave in comparison to other students. Hypothetically, if all the students who took a norm-referenced test performed poorly, the least-poor results would rank students in the highest percentile. Similarly, if all students performed extraordinarily well, the least-strong performance would rank students in the lowest percentile.

It should be noted that norm-referenced tests cannot measure the learning achievement or progress of an entire group of students, but only the relative performance of individuals within a group. For this reason, criterion-referenced tests are used to measure whole-group performance.

Reform

Norm-referenced tests have historically been used to make distinctions among students, often for the purposes of course placement, program eligibility, or school admissions. Yet because norm-referenced tests are designed to rank student performance on a relative scale-i.e., in relation to the performance of other students-norm-referenced testing has been abandoned by many schools and states in favor of criterion-referenced tests, which measure student performance in relation to common set of fixed criteria or standards.

It should be noted that norm-referenced tests are typically not the form of standardized test widely used to comply with state or federal policies-such as the No Child Left Behind Act-that are intended to measure school performance, close " achievement gaps," or hold schools accountable for improving student learning results. In most cases, criterion-referenced tests are used for these purposes because the goal is to determine whether schools are successfully teaching students what they are expected to learn.

Similarly, the assessments being developed to measure student achievement of the Common Core State Standards are also criterion-referenced exams. However, some test developers promote their norm-referenced exams-for example, the TerraNova Common Core-as a way for teachers to "benchmark" learning progress and determine if students are on track to perform well on Common Core-based assessments.

Debate

While norm-referenced tests are not the focus of ongoing national debates about " high-stakes testing," they are nonetheless the object of much debate. The essential disagreement is between those who view norm-referenced tests as objective, valid, and fair measures of student performance, and those who believe that relying on relative performance results is inaccurate, unhelpful, and unfair, especially when making important educational decisions for students. While part of the debate centers on whether or not it is ethically appropriate, or even educationally useful, to evaluate individual student learning in relation to other students (rather than evaluating individual performance in relation to fixed and known criteria), much of the debate is also focused on whether there is a general overreliance on standardized-test scores in the United States, and whether a single test, no matter what its design, should be used-in exclusion of other measures-to evaluate school or student performance.

It should be noted that perceived performance on a standardized test can potentially be manipulated, regardless of whether a test is norm-referenced or criterion-referenced. For example, if a large number of students are performing poorly on a test, the performance criteria-i.e., the bar for what is considered "passing" or "proficient"-could be lowered to "improve" perceived performance, even if students are not learning more or performing better than past test takers. For example, if a standardized test administered in eleventh grade uses proficiency standards that are considered to be equivalent to eighth-grade learning expectations, it will appear that students are performing well, when in fact the test has not measured learning achievement at a level appropriate to their age or grade. For this reason, it is important to investigate the criteria used to determine "proficiency" on any given test-and particularly when a test is considered "high stakes," since there is greater motivation to manipulate perceived test performance when results are tied to sanctions, funding reductions, public embarrassment, or other negative consequences.

The following are representative of the kinds of arguments typically made by proponents of norm-referenced testing:

Norm-referenced tests are relatively inexpensive to develop, simple to administer, and easy to score. As long as the results are used alongside other measures of performance, they can provide valuable information about student learning.

The quality of norm-referenced tests is usually high because they are developed by testing experts, piloted, and revised before they are used with students, and they are dependable and stable for what they are designed to measure.

Norm-referenced tests can help differentiate students and identify those who may have specific educational needs or deficits that require specialized assistance or learning environments.

The tests are an objective evaluation method that can decrease bias or favoritism when making educational decisions. If there are limited places in a gifted and talented program, for example, one transparent way to make the decision is to give every student the same test and allow the highest-scoring students to gain entry.

The following are representative of the kinds of arguments typically made by critics of norm-referenced testing:

Although testing experts and test developers warn that major educational decisions should not be made on the basis of a single test score, norm-referenced scores are often misused in schools when making critical educational decisions, such as grade promotion or retention, which can have potentially harmful consequences for some students and student groups.

Norm-referenced tests encourage teachers to view students in terms of a bell curve, which can lead them to lower academic expectations for certain groups of students, particularly special-needs students, English-language learners, or minority groups. And when academic expectations are consistently lowered year after year, students in these groups may never catch up to their peers, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. For a related discussion, see high expectations.

Multiple-choice tests-the dominant norm-referenced format-are better suited to measuring remembered facts than more complex forms of thinking. Consequently, norm-referenced tests promote rote learning and memorization in schools over more sophisticated cognitive skills, such as writing, critical reading, analytical thinking, problem solving, or creativity.

Overreliance on norm-referenced test results can lead to inadvertent discrimination against minority groups and low-income student populations, both of which tend to face more educational obstacles that non-minority students from higher-income households. For example, many educators have argued that the overuse of norm-referenced testing has resulted in a significant overrepresentation of minority students in special-education programs. On the other hand, using norm-referenced scores to determine placement in gifted and talented programs, or other "enriched" learning opportunities, leads to the underrepresentation of minority and lower-income students in these programs. Similarly, students from higher-income households may have an unfair advantage in the college-admissions process because they can afford expensive test-preparation services.

An overreliance on norm-referenced test scores undervalues important achievements, skills, and abilities in favor of the more narrow set of skills measured by the tests.

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Norm-referenced refers to standardized tests that are designed to compare and rank test takers in relation to one another. Norm-referenced tests report whether test takers performed better or worse than a hypothetical average student, which is determined by comparing scores against the performance results of a statistically selected group of test takers, typically of the ...

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What are criterion-referenced assessments?
Criterion-referenced assessments is designed to measure a student's academic performance against some standard or criteria. This standard or criteria is predetermined before students begin the test. Schools or districts choose a standard, such as a percent of items answered correctly or a state test benchmark, as the criteria for the test.

What are these tests used for in schools?
Criterion-referenced assessments are used to assess the specific knowledge and skills students have most likely learned in order to assess how close a student is to mastering a specific standard.

Why are these tests important?
Criterion-referenced assessments allow teachers to know what students have already learned and what they can do to help students achieve proficiency or meet the desired learning standard.

Resource: Renaissance. (n.d). Criterion-Referenced Test. Retrieved October 24, 2021 from https://www.renaissance.com/edwords/criterion-referenced-test/.

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Criterion-Referenced Test - What are they? - EdWords | Renaissance

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Criterion-referenced test - what are they and how do they help teachers? Learn the science behind these tests. See the latest EdWords from Renaissance.

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Criterion-referenced test

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Norm-Referenced Assessments: Advantages and Disadvantages 

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Norm-Referenced Assessments: Advantages and Disadvantages 

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Advantages:

high and reliable test quality

standardized procedures

meaningful information about average performance

facilitation of making decisions on educational needs

determination of standards for student progress

identification of student risk for failure

Disadvantages:

measures a small part of a subject and a minor section of human abilities

focuses too much on memorization and routine procedures, leaving out critical thinking and reasoning

has only multiple-choice or short answer questions

causes academic expectations to be lower for students how have low scores

Resource: Staff Writer. (2020, April). What are Some of the Advantages of the Norm Referenced Test? Retrieved October 24, 2021 from https://www.reference.com/world-view/advantages-norm-referenced-test-363d5abb704ddcd5.

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Some advantages of norm referenced testing are high and reliable test quality, standardized procedures and meaningful information about average performance. Using norm referenced testing also facilitates decisions regarding educational needs, determines standards for student progress and identifies student risk for failure.

The norm referenced test is easiest to use when comparing student progress and performance. These tests provide a quick view of the things that students are expected to learn and are cheap and easy to administer.

Norm referenced testing assumes that human traits are distributed along a normal probability or normal curve. This curve represents the average, high and low test scores of a population. A norm referenced test compares test performance amongst students of the same age.

While there are advantages to norm referenced testing, the disadvantages outweigh them. These tests can only measure a small part of a subject and a minor section of human abilities. Most of these types of tests focus too much on memorization and routine procedures, leaving out critical thinking and reasoning. Whether a student can write a quality paper, understand the impact of science and current events or has the ability to debate can not be tested with norm referenced tests due to their multiple-choice and short answer questions. These tests can cause academic expectations to be lower for those students who have low scores.

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What Are Some of the Advantages of the Norm Referenced Test?

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Some advantages of norm referenced testing are high and reliable test quality, standardized procedures and meaningful information about average performance. Using norm referenced testing also facilitates decisions regarding educational needs, determines standards for student progress and identifies student risk for failure. The norm referenced test is easiest to use when comparing student progress and performance.

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Criterion-referenced tests include multiple-choice, true or false and open-ended questions. There can also be a combination of different question types. Teachers may design the tests for a specific course or the tests may be created by teams of experts for large companies that have contracts with state departments of education.

Examples of criterion-referenced assessments include:

Advanced Placement exams

National Assessment of Educational Progress

Resource: Great Schools Partnership. (2014, April). Criterion-Referenced Test. Retrieved October 24, 2021 from https://www.edglossary.org/criterion-referenced-test/.

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Criterion-referenced tests and assessments are designed to measure student performance against a fixed set of predetermined criteria or learning standards -i.e., concise, written descriptions of what students are expected to know and be able to do at a specific stage of their education. In elementary and secondary education, criterion-referenced tests are used to evaluate whether students have learned a specific body of knowledge or acquired a specific skill set. For example, the curriculum taught in a course, academic program, or content area .

If students perform at or above the established expectations-for example, by answering a certain percentage of questions correctly-they will pass the test, meet the expected standards, or be deemed " proficient ." On a criterion-referenced test, every student taking the exam could theoretically fail if they don't meet the expected standard; alternatively, every student could earn the highest possible score. On criterion-referenced tests, it is not only possible, but desirable, for every student to pass the test or earn a perfect score. Criterion-referenced tests have been compared to driver's-license exams, which require would-be drivers to achieve a minimum passing score to earn a license.

Criterion-Referenced vs. Norm-Referenced Tests
Norm-referenced tests are designed to rank test takers on a "bell curve," or a distribution of scores that resembles, when graphed, the outline of a bell-i.e., a small percentage of students performing poorly, most performing average, and a small percentage performing well. To produce a bell curve each time, test questions are carefully designed to accentuate performance differences among test takers-not to determine if students have achieved specified learning standards, learned required material, or acquired specific skills. Unlike norm-referenced tests, criterion-referenced tests measure performance against a fixed set of criteria.

Criterion-referenced tests may include multiple-choice questions, true-false questions, "open-ended" questions (e.g., questions that ask students to write a short response or an essay), or a combination of question types. Individual teachers may design the tests for use in a specific course, or they may be created by teams of experts for large companies that have contracts with state departments of education. Criterion-referenced tests may be high-stakes tests -i.e., tests that are used to make important decisions about students, educators, schools, or districts-or they may be "low-stakes tests" used to measure the academic achievement of individual students, identify learning problems, or inform instructional adjustments.

Well-known examples of criterion-referenced tests include Advanced Placement exams and the National Assessment of Educational Progress , which are both standardized tests administered to students throughout the United States. When testing companies develop criterion-referenced standardized tests for large-scale use, they usually have committees of experts determine the testing criteria and passing scores, or the number of questions students will need to answer correctly to pass the test. Scores on these tests are typically expressed as a percentage.

It should be noted that passing scores-or " cut-off scores"-on criterion-referenced tests are judgment calls made by either individuals or groups. It's theoretically possible, for example, that a given test-development committee, if it had been made up of different individuals with different backgrounds and viewpoints, would have determined different passing scores for a certain test. For example, one group might determine that a minimum passing score is 70 percent correct answers, while another group might establish the cut-off score at 75 percent correct. For a related discussion, see proficiency .

Criterion-referenced tests created by individual teachers are also very common in American public schools. For example, a history teacher may devise a test to evaluate understanding and retention of a unit on World War II. The criteria in this case might include the causes and timeline of the war, the nations that were involved, the dates and circumstances of major battles, and the names and roles of certain leaders. The teacher may design a test to evaluate student understanding of the criteria and determine a minimum passing score.

While criterion-referenced test scores are often expressed as percentages, and many have minimum passing scores, the test results may also be scored or reported in alternative ways. For example, results may be grouped into broad achievement categories-such as "below basic," "basic," "proficient," and "advanced"-or reported on a 1-5 numerical scale, with the numbers representing different levels of achievement. As with minimum passing scores, proficiency levels are judgment calls made by individuals or groups that may choose to modify proficiency levels by raising or lowering them.

The following are a few representative examples of how criterion-referenced tests and scores may be used:

To determine whether students have learned expected knowledge and skills. If the criterion-referenced tests are used to make decisions about grade promotion or diploma eligibility, they would be considered "high-stakes tests."

To determine if students have learning gaps or academic deficits that need to be addressed. For a related discussion, see formative assessment .

To evaluate the effectiveness of a course, academic program, or learning experience by using "pre-tests" and "post-tests" to measure learning progress over the duration of the instructional period.

To evaluate the effectiveness of teachers by factoring test results into job-performance evaluations. For a related discussion, see value-added measures .

To measure progress toward the goals and objectives described in an "individualized education plan" for students with disabilities.

To determine if a student or teacher is qualified to receive a license or certificate.

To measure the academic achievement of students in a given state, usually for the purposes of comparing academic performance among schools and districts.

To measure the academic achievement of students in a given country, usually for the purposes of comparing academic performance among nations. A few widely used examples of international-comparison tests include the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).

Reform

Criterion-referenced tests are the most widely used type of test in American public education. All the large-scale standardized tests used to measure public-school performance, hold schools accountable for improving student learning results, and comply with state or federal policies-such as the No Child Left Behind Act-are criterion-referenced tests, including the assessments being developed to measure student achievement of the Common Core State Standards. Criterion-referenced tests are used for these purposes because the goal is to determine whether educators and schools are successfully teaching students what they are expected to learn.

Criterion-referenced tests are also used by educators and schools practicing proficiency-based learning , a term that refers to systems of instruction, assessment, grading, and academic reporting that are based on students demonstrating mastery of the knowledge and skills they are expected to learn before they progress to the next lesson, get promoted to the next grade level, or receive a diploma. In most cases, proficiency-based systems use state learning standards to determine academic expectations and define "proficiency" in a given course, content area, or grade level. Criterion-referenced tests are one method used to measure academic progress and achievement in relation to standards.

Following a wide variety of state and federal policies aimed at improving school and teacher performance, criterion-referenced standardized tests have become an increasingly prominent part of public schooling in the United States. When focused on reforming schools and improving student achievement, these tests are used in a few primary ways:

To hold schools and educators accountable for educational results and student performance. In this case, test scores are used as a measure of effectiveness, and low scores may trigger a variety of consequences for schools and teachers.

To evaluate whether students have learned what they are expected to learn. In this case, test scores are seen as a representative indicator of student achievement.

To identify gaps in student learning and academic progress. Test scores may be used, along with other information about students, to diagnose learning needs so that educators can provide appropriate services, instruction, or academic support .

To identify achievement gaps among different student groups. Students of color, students who are not proficient in English, students from low-income households, and students with physical or learning disabilities tend to score, on average, well below white students from more educated, higher income households on standardized tests. In this case, exposing and highlighting achievement gaps may be seen as an essential first step in the effort to educate all students well, which can lead to greater public awareness and resulting changes in educational policies and programs.

To determine whether educational policies are working as intended. Elected officials and education policy makers may rely on standardized-test results to determine whether their laws and policies are working as intended, or to compare educational performance from school to school or state to state. They may also use the results to persuade the public and other elected officials that their policies are in the best interest of children and society.

Debate

The widespread use of high-stakes standardized tests in the United States has made criterion-referenced tests an object of criticism and debate. While many educators believe that criterion-referenced tests are a fair and useful way to evaluate student, teacher, and school performance, others argue that the overuse, and potential misuse, of the tests could have negative consequences that outweigh their benefits.

The following are a few representative arguments typically made by proponents of criterion-referenced testing:

The tests are better suited to measuring learning progress than norm-referenced exams, and they give educators information they can use to improve teaching and school performance.

The tests are fairer to students than norm-referenced tests because they don't compare the relative performance of students; they evaluate achievement against a common and consistently applied set of criteria.

The tests apply the same learning standards to all students, which can hold underprivileged or disadvantaged students to the same high expectations as other students. Historically, students of color, students who are not proficient in English, students from low-income households, and students with physical or learning disabilities have suffered from lower academic achievement, and many educators contend that this pattern of underperformance results, at least in part, from lower academic expectations. Raising academic expectations for these student groups, and making sure they reach those expectations, is believed to promote greater in education.

The tests can be constructed with open-ended questions and tasks that require students to use higher-level cognitive skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, reasoning, analysis, or interpretation. Multiple-choice and true-false questions promote memorization and factual recall, but they do not ask students to apply what they have learned to solve a challenging problem or write insightfully about a complex issue, for example. For a related discussion, see 21st century skills and Bloom's taxonomy .

The following are representative arguments typically made by critics of criterion-referenced testing:

The tests are only as accurate or fair as the learning standards upon which they are based. If the standards are vaguely worded, or if they are either too difficult or too easy for the students being evaluated, the associated test results will reflect the flawed standards. A test administered in eleventh grade that reflects a level of knowledge and skill students should have acquired in eighth grade would be one general example. Alternatively, tests may not be appropriately "" with learning standards, so that even if the standards are clearly written, age appropriate, and focused on the right knowledge and skills, the test might not designed well enough to achievement of the standards.

The process of determining proficiency levels and passing scores on criterion-referenced tests can be highly subjective or misleading-and the potential consequences can be significant, particularly if the tests are used to make high-stakes decisions about students, teachers, and schools. Because reported "proficiency" rises and falls in direct relation to the standards or cut-off scores used to make a proficiency determination, it's possible to manipulate the perception and interpretation of test results by elevating or lowering either standards and passing scores. And when educators are evaluated based on test scores, their job security may rest on potentially misleading or flawed results. Even the reputations of national education systems can be negatively affected when a large percentage of students fail to achieve "proficiency" on international assessments.

The subjective nature of proficiency levels allows the tests to be exploited for political purposes to make it appear that schools are either doing better or worse than they actually are. For example, some states have been accused of lowering proficiency standards of standardized tests to increase the number of students achieving "proficiency," and thereby avoid the consequences-negative press, public criticism, large numbers of students being held back or denied diplomas (in states that base graduation eligibility on test scores)-that may result from large numbers of students failing to achieve expected or required proficiency levels.

If the tests primarily utilize multiple-choice questions-which, in the case of standardized testing, makes scoring faster and less expensive because it can be done by computers rather than human scorers-they will promote rote memorization and factual recall in schools, rather than the higher-order thinking skills students will need in college, careers, and adult life. For example, the overuse or misuse of standardized testing can encourage a phenomenon known as "teaching to the test," which means that teachers focus too much on test preparation and the academic content that will be evaluated by standardized tests, typically at the expense of other important topics and skills.

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Criterion-referenced tests and assessments are designed to measure student performance against a fixed set of predetermined criteria or learning standards-i.e., concise, written descriptions of what students are expected to know and be able to do at a specific stage of their education. In elementary and secondary education, criterion-referenced tests are used to evaluate whether students [...]

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Teachers use criterion-referenced assessments to determine if students have understood the specific skills or concepts that were learned in class. For example, it can be parts of speech or adding fractions. Because criterion-referenced assessments measure specific skills or concepts, they tend to be lengthy. Typically, they are designed with 100 total points possible and the score is generally expressed as a percentage.

Benefits:

provides scores to measure progress

gives specific information on skills and sub-skills the students understand

provides information on the skills the students have not yet mastered

helps to determine what type of specifically designed instructions students need

Resource: Logsdon, Ann. (2020, September). How Do Criterion-Referenced Tests Help Students? Retrieved October 24, 2021 from https://www.verywellfamily.com/what-are-criterion-referenced-tests-2161876.

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What are criterion-referenced tests (CRTs)? You won't often hear about these assessments in schools, even though they are used regularly by teachers in both special education and mainstream education classrooms. Unlike standardized tests, criterion-referenced tests assess specific skills students learn about in class.

Read about these tests and how they can serve students with learning disabilities in particular with this review.

What Do Criterion-Referenced Tests Measure?

Teachers use criterion-referenced tests to determine which specific concepts, such as parts of speech or adding fractions, a child has learned in class.﻿﻿ Some tests are commercially produced and sold as part of a curriculum. The Brigance system is an example. Other teachers develop specific tests to complement their unique lesson plans.

Because criterion-referenced tests measure specific skills and concepts, they tend to be lengthy. Typically, they are designed with 100 total points possible. Students earn points for each item completed correctly. The students' scores are generally expressed as a percentage.

Criterion-referenced tests are the most common type of test teachers use in regular classroom work. So, while parents and students may not hear the term "criterion-referenced test" often, they're certainly familiar with this popular form of assessment.

Most assessments administered in schools are criterion-referenced. Teachers create these tests based on the school's curriculum and learning expectations in a given subject area.

Other Benefits

In addition to providing scores to measure progress, these test results give specific information on skills and sub-skills the student understands. They also provide information on the skills the student has not yet mastered. Both types of information are useful in determining what type of specially designed instruction the student needs and what the instruction should cover.

Educators use these tests to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching programs, to determine students' mastery of concepts and skills and to measure progress toward a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals and objectives.﻿﻿

These tests, whether designed by teachers or commercially produced, may reveal if a student has a learning disability that school officials haven't diagnosed. On the other hand, the tests can reveal how students are managing known learning disabilities.

Do they continue to struggle in specific areas or have they made progress? Perhaps their performance has remained static. A criterion-referenced test can give teachers an idea of how a student is advancing in class. Results from a series of such tests can be used to help students with learning disabilities set goals both on and off their IEP.

Wrapping Up

While criterion-referenced tests may reveal how well students have mastered certain concepts, they alone don't tell the whole picture about what a student has learned in class. Student work, projects, essays, and even participation in class discussions, can give parents and teachers a comprehensive look at a student's performance.

After all, many students, especially those with learning disabilities and special needs, don't always perform well on tests. If your child's performance on criterion-referenced tests is underwhelming, speak with her teacher about how they're doing in all aspects of the class. Determine your child's academic progress using multi-dimensional measures for a more well-rounded assessment.﻿﻿

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Criterion-Referenced Tests Measure Student Skills and Concepts

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What are criterion-referenced tests (CRTs)? You won't often hear about these assessments in schools, even though they are used regularly by teachers in both special education and mainstream education classrooms. Unlike standardized tests, criterion-referenced tests assess specific skills students learn about in class.

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This is a video clip that briefly covers the differences between criterion-referenced assessments and norm-referenced assessments.

Resource: Teachings in Education. (2017, January). Criterion vs Norm Referenced Assessment: Examples & Evaluation. Retrieved October 24, 2021 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5hJNpO0JPE&ab_channel=TeachingsinEducation.

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Criterion vs Norm Referenced Assessment: Examples & Evaluation