Importance and types of assessment

Why we assess, and formative, summative, diagnostic and other types.

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Why assess

To find out what students know, diagnose difficulties, give feedback, improve teaching, and report progress.

Types

  • Formative: during learning, to improve it (quizzes, observation, questioning).
  • Summative: at the end of a unit or term, to judge achievement (term exams).
  • Diagnostic: to find the cause of learning difficulties.
  • Placement: to decide the right level or group for a learner.
  • Norm-referenced: compares a learner with others (rank, percentile).
  • Criterion-referenced: compares a learner with a fixed standard (can the learner do X?).

Qualities of a good test

  • Validity: measures what it is meant to measure.
  • Reliability: gives consistent results.
  • Objectivity: scoring does not depend on who marks it.
  • Usability: practical in time, cost and administration.

NEP 2020 calls for a shift from rote-based summative exams to regular, competency-based assessment and a 360-degree Holistic Progress Card. PARAKH is the national assessment centre set up under NEP 2020.

Study material

Evaluation and assessment

Formative, summative and diagnostic assessment, and what makes a good test.

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Practice questions

Which of the following is the best example of formative assessment?Easy
In the revised Bloom’s taxonomy, which is the lowest level of the cognitive domain?Medium
The main purpose of summative assessment is to:Easy
A test is said to be reliable when it:Medium
A diagnostic test is mainly used to:Medium

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