How Are Formative and Summative Evaluations Used in the Classroom - Essay Example

Formative/Summative Evaluations Introduction Evaluation is essential for determining the proposed learning outcomes of the providing responseto students on the basis of their learning and facilitating them to develop their performance. Evaluation helps in motivating students to select suitable work and support them through guidance and learning. Evaluation also helps in unfolding a student’s achievements alongside with informing them about decisions on his/her advancements and awards. In addition, evaluation helps in assessing teaching effectiveness. Evaluations can be of two types i.e. formative and summative (Deno, 2001). In this regard, the purpose of the essay is to ascertain the positive aspects of formative and summative evaluations that are used in the process of learning evaluation. How are Formative and Summative Evaluations Used in the Classroom? In classrooms, formative assessments are used in different ways. Such assessments involve a range of measures such as feedback, observation as well as journaling. In a classroom, information relating to learning of a student is acquired by teachers relating to changes in the pattern of existing interactions. Formative assessments will lead to important gains from learning only if the results of assessments are used with the aim of having knowledge relating to learning as well as instructional procedure. This requires collection, evaluation and responding to data regarding the development of a student. The most extensively implemented practices for formative assessment will comprise feedback, Curriculum Based Measures (CBMs), self-assessments, observations and portfolios. Feedback takes place when a teacher offers written or verbal response to a student’s conversation and work. CBMs are standard measures that are used to conclude progress of students and their performances (Deno, 2001). CBMs involve an application of techniques like Oral Reading Fluency used as a gauge for measuring reading potential of a student. Self-assessment is a process based on which students monitor their progress and it can be used in relation to CBMs or prearranged behavioral or learning objectives or learning contracts. In observation, a teacher monitors and traces the engagement level of students, their theoretical and educational behavior, creates an action plan for supporting the students and record observations for measuring their efficiency. Portfolios can be utilized to track a student’s growth in certain areas such as his/her writing skills. Summative assessments in a classroom employ the use of projects or unit tests, course grades, standardized assessments and portfolios. A properly designed test offers feedback to teachers in the context of performance of individual students along with facts relating to overall indication of classroom instructions. Course grades provide information relating to the success rate of meeting the overall expectation of a particular lesson. Standardized assessments are tests that reveal accurate performance and standards of content that provides a suggestion about students who are able to accomplish the grade-level requirements. Portfolios offer indications that support achievement of the stated learning goals, when used as assessment tools for students in a classroom (Jenkins et al., 2004). How are these Evaluations Different in a K to Age 8/Grade 3 and a Birth to Age 5/Pre-K Learning Environment? For evaluating Birth to Age 5/Pre-K learning environment, six grading periods are recognized with each having a length of six weeks. For students within Birth to Pre-K stage, an effective association should be developed among educators, families, communities and policymakers for developing arrangements for early learning. Schools and early childhood providers should develop specific strategies for engaging parents and recognition of intermediaries to help build positive relationship. The infrastructure should involve use of accurate diagnostic and screening mechanism for evaluating development and growth that have been identified for example cognition, vision/hearing and language. The mechanism should also consider protocols based on which ascertainment should be made they are in position to establish specific screening. Procedures should be in place for ensuring that parents have access to suitable resources as a result of screening, as for instance, preschools should be working under local educational agencies for better core academic and knowledge development. Crèche facilities should implement tools such as Infant-Toddler Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ITERS-R), Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation (ELLCO) checklist, and Instructional Quality Guides (IQ Guides) must be used. For evaluation of K to Age 8/Grade 3 learning environment, it would consider to a large extent, the use of genuine syllabus based scales as the first stage in evaluating early learning abilities of children whenever they are participating under educational settings. In this context, the continuing observation of data of children is required to be complied three times in a year to evaluate the progress of a child. The frequency of monitoring will be dependent on the development that a child is making. In addition, information should be gathered from parents, caregivers, aids and teachers who are in direct contact of a child. Subsequently, observation should be made relating to a child’s social, psychological, language and self-control skills. Another important step will be observing and recording every child’s skills on a daily or weekly manner. Moreover, making use of specific learning skills to investigate in areas requiring elaborated evaluation such as statistics, reading and general knowledge is essential. Finally, using information that has been collected at kindergarten level to 3rd grade to monitor and evaluate the performance of children and sharing it with their parents is necessary (PA Keys, 2005). Why is it Important to use Informal Evaluation Methods with Preschool and Primary Children? Informal techniques of assessment consist of observations and anecdotal evidence, which offer a concise explanation of the behavior of students at a point of time and running record that centers on a series of events that are occurred over a period of time. Informal assessments provide teachers with valuable information about a child’s developing skills along with knowledge. These assessments provide guidance to the teachers to identify and select early activities of childhood and instructions. They also provide data to administrators, which assist in intensification of prevailing programs for better efficiency. Above all, information assessments help in benefitting young children by serving teachers to make sure that a child’s education starts with a solid base of foundation skills (Guddemi & Case, 2004). How is Diagnostic Evaluation Used in Instructional Planning? Diagnostic evaluation helps in evaluating a student’s present knowledge about a subject, his/her competencies and skillfulness, and explanation about misconceptions. Knowledge about the students relating to strengths as well as weaknesses can help in planning what to teach and how to teach. At the time of following certain instructions, some guidelines such as performing complete diagnostic evaluation of a student’s needs and characteristics and using of information about diagnostic assessment are essential. In addition, the teachers should not only rely completely on textbooks and their accompanying support while planning, but should also include an arrangement of higher or lower level expectations and learning outcomes. The teachers should include a variety of instructional activities and strategies to fit according to instructional needs of students. Harmonizing educational expectations and learning outcomes with planned assessments and teaching strategies is vital for instructional planning. Finally, teachers should identify a student’s own planned preferences and learning limitations along with involvement of assessment strategies during instructional planning (Darling-Hammond et al., 2014). What Strategies does the Early Childhood Teacher Use to Assess Young Students Using Formative and Summative Measures? The early childhood teacher should start with the development of checklists with students before developing a rubric, as checklists are easier to assemble and utilize. When a learning process can be broken into several components, checklists can be employed, as they are less time consuming and can be effective in managing complex situations. Finally, alignment of checklists with the tasks is necessary. In exemplars, making use of model is helpful for providing support to a student’s understanding. Utilization of Exemplars with accompanied rubrics and providing students the opportunity to judge their efforts with the exemplars is another important strategy. In case of audio/video recordings, teachers should provide a digital voice recorder, so that students can read verbally and reflect their fluency for making use of cueing mechanisms. Teachers can also implement videotaping, so that the presentations and group discussions concepts are used as a form of audio or video exemplars. For Portfolios, teachers can start with focusing on a single area of curriculum activities along with reviewing important dates. Informing parents and guardians about plans and rationale of portfolio is beneficial to teachers and students. Allowing the students to set early objectives, providing access to portfolios and practicing Language of Reflection are strategies for teachers for executing portfolios. For Interviews, conferences or surveys, recording of a student’s views during interview, use of transcribing, recording students’ responses and creation of opportunities to interact with elders and colleagues can be strategies adopted by teachers. At last, teachers can make use of system stems for guiding entries in journals or logs (Taras, 2005). What are the names of specific types of formative/summative assessments used in K to Age 8/Grade 3 and Birth to Age 5/Pre-K classrooms? Formative assessments involve utilization of anecdotal records, diagnostic test and quizzes, essays, classroom interactions and questioning framework for classroom activities. They also encompass self and peer assessments. Summative evaluation techniques make use of chapter/unit tests, finishing copies, performances and projects, national tests and entrance exams. These assessments at the classroom level can be further subdivided into subjective and objective assessments. Subjective assessments will engage true/false questions, multiple-choice questions and match the followings. Objective assessments employ essays, extended and restricted response items. Other types of formative/summative evaluations include formal along with informal assessments. Formal assessments associate with written credentials such as quiz while, informal assessments comprise observations, rating scales, inventories, self-evaluation, rubrics and portfolio assessments (Taras, 2005). Conclusion From the above assessment, it can be comprehended that students and teachers are the building blocks of success for the development of any society, as they are the future pillars of our society. At an initial stage, proper assessment of classroom students is necessary for the creation of their successful base. Formative and summative assessments provide an essential framework for the teachers to decide the learning objectives, choosing assessment techniques, application of technique and analyzing information collected and sharing it with students. It has been identified that compiling and providing approaches to assessment methods are not only successful for evaluation, but are also proficient and practical, which finally benefits both the teachers and students for assessing individual achievements. References Darling-Hammond, L., Wilhoit, G., & Pittenger, L. (2014). Accountability for college and career readiness: Developing a new paradigm. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 22(86), 1-38. Guddemi, M. & Case, B. J. (2004). Assessing young children. Assessment Report, 1-9. Jenkins, J. R., Johnson, E., & Hileman, J. (2004). When is reading also writing: sources of individual differences on the new reading performance assessments. Scientific Studies of Reading, 8(2), 125-151. PA Keys. (2005). Early childhood assessment for children from birth to age 8 (grade 3). Pennsylvania Standards for Learning – Assessment & Curriculum, 1-39. Taras, M. (2005). Assessment – summative and formative – some theoretical reflections. British Journal of Educational Studies, 53(4), 466-478. Read More