Formative And Summative Assessment

Front 1

1. Overview

Back 1

'Summative', high stake currently central (ingrained in A levels, GCSES)

Some form of assessment necessary - monitor standards of teach/students/parents/gov.

Beneficial/damaging? Wellbeing, development, tech quality.
Alternative 'formative' low-stake - popular in classroom, independent learning.

Front 2

2. Forms and Stakes

Back 2

Form of testing does NOT determined stake.
Stakes established by subsequent function + use of test results (within + beyond classroom).

Front 3

2. Eberly Center, 2014

Back 3

High stakes = 'high point value'

Can change/advance future opps of educators/students/institutes.

Front 4

2. Hidden Curriculum, 2014

Back 4

Poor high stake results:

Public 'penalties, funding reductions (and) negative publicity'

Good high stake results:

Graduation, diploma, funding, reputation.

Front 5

2. Hidden Curriculum, 2014

Back 5

High-stake valuable tool
Aid progression for students/institute.

HOWEVER:

'High-pressure classroom environment'.

Weight on students/teachers - positive results to prove standards.

Front 6

3. Scriven, 1967

Back 6

Commonly summative + High-stake.
Information indication of overal value of educational programme.
End-of-unit papers, yearly projects, public examinations.

Front 7

3. Scriven, 1967

Back 7

Positives:
Consistently indicate subject level child working at.

Compare with peers.

Monitor quality across England.

Front 8

3. Wiliam, 2008

Back 8

Test of 'general intelligence taken at the age of 10 or 11 have a correlation of 0.7 with grades achieved on the GCSE five years later'.

'Predictive validity' makes yearly testing valuable.

Front 9

3. Alexander, 2010

Back 9

'The Cambridge Primary Review'

1)Rigorous examinations - stressful/rigid.

2)Cannot accurately measure quality of teachers + learners.

3)Damaging to progress + welfare of students
(loss of self-confidence).

Front 10

3. Shepard, 2008

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'Relatively short'
'Omit important processes, strategies and knowledge.'

Cannot be assessed in high-pressure environment.
Little real indication of true ability/potential.

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3. Mansell et al, 2009

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Summative it 'static and one-way'.

- external examiner, un-named candidate.

- little/no evaluation of day-to-day standards.

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4. Low-stake overview

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- No serious/public consequences

- Dependent on personal teacher-student feedback.

- Improve individual student learning.

- Oft paired with 'formative assessment'.

Front 13

4. Mansell et al, 2009

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'Is a central part of pedagogy'

'on-going and dynamic' exchange between pupil + teacher.
Identify strengths/weaknesses, mode of learning, catered to individual.

Front 14

4. Example. History Class.

Back 14

Formative:
Student asked to identify main point of previous lesson + highlight issues.
Summative:

Nothing more constructive than a grade letter.

Front 15

5. Butler, 1988 - 'Grade Letters' Study

Back 15

Conclusion: Students of received only 'grades'/marks - no extra 'gain'/understanding of topics.
- Grads glanced at then passed over.

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5. Butler, 1988 - Data

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1) Students higher grades, positive about testing.

2) Students lower/'bottom' grades, negative.

3) Comments + no marks:

- 30% gain for all, positive.
4) Comments + marks:

- No gain, same positive/negative reactions.

5) Demonstrates derogatory effect Grades have on student experience/knowledge.

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5. Problems with just comments.

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Classroom time restraints.

Delivering in-depth, helpful comments.

Every student, regular basis throughout year.

Easier + quicker provide grade/percentage.
(effectiveness is questionable)

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6. Black et al, 2003

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Formative

'Actually used to adapt the teaching work to meet learning needs'

-not bound to one mode/technique.

Front 19

6. Mansell et al, 2009

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Difficult to implement:

'May challenge them to change what they do, how they think about learning and teaching and the way in which they relate to their pupils'.

- problematic, rigid curric.

Front 20

6. Assessment Reform Group, 1999

Back 20

Push for F. Assessment 5 key principles:

1) Promoting active student involvement

2) Effective feedback

3) Adjustment of teaching

4) Influence of assessment on self-esteem

5) Strong self-assessment skills.

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6. Assessment Reform Group, 1999

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Promoting = 'Where the lessons are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there.'

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6. ARG, 1999

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Notes: Teacher could make wrong assumption:

e.g. Mathematical error could be linguistic.
Subtle conceptual misunderstandings are easy to mis-calculate.

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7. Russell, 2008

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'Torrent of evidence emerging that Britain's rigid, centralised approach to teaching has utterly failed'.

Introduced to 'raise standards'

Lack of enthusiasm, limited skills - slows down educational progress.

Front 24

7. The Cambridge Primary Review, 2010

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'Reform Assessment'
KP = Recognition that summative does NOT 'drive up standards' - merely helps to display THE standard.

- Test itself is of no benefit to child.

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7. Teachers teaching 'correctly'

Back 25

Fixated on guiding child to complete tests.

Earn high grades.

Limits exploration/creativity.

Narrows curriculum.

Unproductive pressure.

Front 26

7. Blower, 2014

Back 26

Finland - consistently high in league tables!
'Don't even begin formal schooling until the age of 7'.
Little/no examination in teenage years.
Needs to be more widely accepted, valued and encouraged.