Formative and Summative Assessment

This assignment analyzes the concepts of formative and summative assessment, exploring their respective advantages and disadvantages in educational contexts. It delves into how these assessment methods influence student learning and teacher practices. Recommendations are provided to optimize the use of formative and summative assessments for improved teaching and learning outcomes.

Effects and Impacts of
Formative and Summative
Assessments
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Brief overview of topic ...............................................................................................................3
Paper objectives...........................................................................................................................3
Literature review .............................................................................................................................3
Article summary..........................................................................................................................3
Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................5
Recommendations ...........................................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................7
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Brief overview of topic
In the present scenario, assessment has started to play very important role in the entire
learning process. Further, it is the process in which students are being asked to display their
knowledge and understanding which students have gained in the class. It also plays crucial role
in defining the fact that whether the learning goals have been met or not. It can be stated that
assessment at regular intervals have direct impact on grades, instructional needs and placements
of students to a great extent. The present study focus on identifying impact and effects of
formative assessment and summative assessment.
Paper objectives
 To assess the meaning of formative assessment and summative assessment
 To determine the impact of assessments on learners
 To identify the difference between formative assessment and summative assessment To recommended the ways through which assessment can be carried out in the best
possible manner
Outline of how the content is organized
Content of the present study has been gathered from different sources and articles. In
addition to this, at the time of collecting information, all objectives of this paper are taken into
consideration. The content has been organized by linking information collected by various
sources with objectives of this paper. The outline of paper consists of six major elements which
the structured in appropriate manner. The paper starts with brief over view of topic and then
objectives of paper are written. Further, this is followed by literature review which consists of
five different articles which are related to topic under investigation. At last conclusion is drawn
and recommendations are provided on the basis of entire study.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
Article summary
Article 1: Formative and summative assessment
In simpler terms formative assessment can be defined as the process which includes
diagnostic testing in order to carry out monitoring of students learning. Formative assessment act
as feedback which plays very crucial role for both teachers and students (Boud, 2013). It helps
teachers to improve their overall teaching practise and also assists students in enhancing their
learning (Formative and Summative Assessments in the Classroom, e.d). Such kind of
assessment are carried out with an objective to examine the overall understanding of students.
Along with this, formative assessment also provides very useful information which can be very
helpful in developing next step in learning process. Asking frequent questions and surprise
written assignments are some examples of how formative assessment is carried out.
On the other hand, summative assessments can be defined as the one which are taken at
regular intervals. The time period of carrying out such assessment is fixed such as after every six
month or one year (Formative and Summative Assessment, e.d). Most of the time, summative
assessment are conducted during the period when instructional units of students gets over. The
actual performance of student is compared with the standard one (Black and Wiliam, 2006).
Some common examples of summative assessment includes final project, mid term and course
evaluation. This article is important because it has provided the researcher with in-depth
knowledge and information regrading formative and summative assessments. The article has
provided suitable examples which has made the concept of researcher more clear regrading the
two assessments.
Article 2 The impact of formative assessment on the learning process and the
unreliability of the mark for the summative evaluation
The article is based on the study which has been carried out on 250 students in order to
become aware about the impact of formative assessment on overall learning process. Further, it
has been observed from the results of the article that formative assessment have positive impact
on students as it allows teachers to become aware about major gaps which is affecting learning
process. Along with this, it also allows teachers to make necessary and required changes in the
entire process of learning. On the other side of this, summative assessment may not highlight the
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above mentioned things. It also not provide teachers to assess the overall achievement level of
students. This article is important as it has provided a detailed information about the impact
which summative and formative assessment has in teachers and students. It has provided insight
about both the assessments.
Article 3 Formative and Summative Assessment
It can be stated that formative assessment has both negative and positive impact on
students. These assessments are not in form of grades and this results in removing anxieties from
all students. On the other hand, its negative impact is that it is very time consuming. Along with
this, it becomes very difficult to carry out such assessment when class consists of large number
of students (Assessment for learning – the case for formative assessment, 2008). The positive
impact of summative assessment is that they directly results in increases the motivational level of
students by encouraging them to pay attention during class and lectures. Further, its negative
impact is that it is possible that baisness may carry out in summative assessment on the basis of
language and culture of students. This article is important as it has it made the scholar to become
clear about impact of assessments on students. It has provided insight about both positive and
negative impact which assessments have.
Article 4: The Effects of Online Formative and Summative Assessment on Test Anxiety and
Performance
In terms of effects of formative and summative assessments, it can be expressed that such
kind of assessments directly results in encouraging the student to learn and growth more (The
Effects of Online Formative and Summative Assessment on Test Anxiety and Performance,
2005). In addition to this, these assessments helps students to become aware of their overall
capabilities and develop effective strategies for the future. Such assessments make them more
capable confident and autonomous in their studies. This article is important because it reflects
the significance of assessment in overall growth and development of students.
Article 5 Assessment for Learning
Formative Assessment
There are various types of formative and summative assessment ideas which are used by
teachers to carry out the above mentioned assessments. Graphics organizers, self assessment and
exist slips are some common ideas which can be used for carrying out formative assessment
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(Knight, 2012). On the other hand, project, performance task and portfolio are some effective
ideas that is used for conducting summative assessments. Formative assessment measures
progress of students whereas summative examines their overall achievements. This article has
provided some effective assessment idea which can be used by the teacher and thus, it is termed
as very important.
CONCLUSION
From the above study, it can be concluded that assessments plays very important role in
the growth and development of students. Further, summative assessment are conducted after a
fix period whereas the period of formative assessment is not fixed. From the above study, it can
be concluded that formative and summative assessment has their own negative and positive
impact on students.
RECOMMENDATIONS
 It can be recommended that formative and summative assessments should evaluate the
progress of a particular student. This means that it should clearly highlight the fact that
whether the method adopted for teaching is effective or not. Along with this, they should
clearly explore the modifications and changes required in existing process of teaching.
 It can be also recommended that teachers should ensure that the morale and motivation
level of students should not be affected negatively by the results of formative or
summative assessments. Further, they should be encouraged to perform better by working
upon the areas in which they are lacking.
 It is recommended that assessments should focus on three major areas which are where
the student is trying to go, his/her current performance and how he/she should lower
down the gap between the two.
 It is also recommended that assessment should provide constructive feedbacks to all
student and teachers. Further, they should be carried out in such a way that they assist
teachers or educators to set appropriate standards.
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PROJECT <[e-mail]>REFERENCES
Books and journals
Black, P. and Wiliam, D., 2006. Inside the black box: Raising standards through classroom
assessment. Granada Learning.
Boud, D., 2013. Enhancing learning through self-assessment. Routledge.
Knight, P. ed., 2012. Assessment for learning in higher education. Routledge.
Online
Assessment for learning – the case for formative assessment. 2008. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.oecd.org/site/educeri21st/40600533.pdf>. [Accessed on 27th April 2016]
Formative and Summative Assessment. e.d. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.azwestern.edu/learning_services/instruction/assessment/resources/
downloads/formative%20and_summative_assessment.pdf>. [Accessed on 27th April
2016]
Formative and Summative Assessments in the Classroom. e.d. [Online]. Available through:
<http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/33148188-6FB5-4593-A8DF-8EAB8CA002AA/
0/2010_11_Formative_Summative_Assessment.pdf>. [Accessed on 27th April 2016]
The Effects of Online Formative and Summative Assessment on Test Anxiety and Performance.
2005. [Online]. Available through: <http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ848518.pdf>.
[Accessed on 27th April 2016]
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