Summative assessments are the assessments/tests that are used to determine student understanding of a specific learning standard after the learning or practice has taken place. Summative assessments are weighted more than formative assessments because they are considered “end of unit assessments”. Formative assessments are the small assessments that are given to gauge student learning before the final summative assessment.
Summative vs Formative Assessments
Before we go any further you need to know the difference between a formative and summative assessment.
Formative assessments are assessments that are less weighted and that monitor student learning toward a learning standard.
Formative assessments let the teacher know what the student has not yet learned so that they can adjust their instruction before the student completes the summative assessment.
Formative assessments also let the student know what they still need to learn before the summative assessments.
Think of a formative assessment as the practice math problems that are done prior to the final, summative assessment.
Summative assessments are used after all the practice and formative assessments are done and the student now has the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
The summative assessment would be similar to a “final unit test.”
Another analogy: Formative assessments are like a basketball player practicing free throws. They may get feedback to adjust their form, shot many times, adjust the way they hold the basketball, or watch video of themselves shooting free throws.
The goal is he get better at free throws without being on the big stage. The big stage (summative assessment) is when the basketball player has to make the free throws during a league game against an opponent.
The summative assessment is when that basketball player demonstrates their free throw shooting skill in an actual game that matters.
This is when those free throws mean more and everyone gets to see how well the player practiced and improved their skills after practicing (formative assessments).
When You Should Use Summative Assessments
Summative units are used at the end of a unit or when the teacher is ready to see if students met the learning standard.
In my science classes I am very open with my students and tell them when they are going to be completing a formative or summative assessment.
In my school district the formative assessments only make up 10% of their grade while summative assessments are 90% of the final grade.
I often get the question, “Is this going to be a formative assessment?” or “When is the summative assessment?”
I use summative assessments when I feel students have had at least 3 opportunities/activities to reach a learning standard.
As I look at their formative assessments, I start to get the idea that they are ready to take the summative assessment and move on to the next learning standard.
Once you are confident that students have met the learning stardard you can have them complete the summative assessment to they can demonstrate to you that they learned.
What Does a Summative Assessment Look Like?
A summative assessment can look like anything you want it to.
The goal is that you are allowing the student to demonstrate what they have learned.
This can be a multiple choice assessment, a CER, short answer responses, or just about anything else that allows the student to demonstrate to you that they have met the learning target after completing the formative assessments.
In my science classes I usually give 1 summative assessment every 1.5-2 weeks, it just depends what we are doing and whether not I feel students are ready for the summative assessment.
Students that perform well on rethe summative assessment really have a good understanding of the learning standards and are ready to move on.
Students that do not perform well are retaught the standard and then retake the summative assessment in order to improve their grade and learn.
Importance Of Summative Assessments
Summative assessments are crucial to the learning process.
They let the teacher know what the student learned and whether or not the learning standard was met or not.
If the standard was met then this is the perfect time to challenge students in your class that are ready for it.
For students that have not met the learning standard then this is the time to reteach students so that all students meet the learning standard and are ready to move on.
Another reason summative assessments are so important is for us, the teachers.
If students did not perform well on the assessment then you might need to rethink how you created assignment/activities in order to get students to the learning standard.
Maybe your lesson just wasn’t good enough. Or perhaps your students all did well on the summative assessment indicating that your lessons were good.
You may have to redo something or try teaching something differently if a lot of students don’t do well on the summative.
Keep good records and figure out what worked and what didn’t.
Criticism of Summative Assessments
Don’t think that summative assessments is the end all be all in education.
They are not. Just like everything else in education these are not perfect.
The biggest thing that some people say against summative assessments is that they require the teacher to teach to the test.
My response to that: What’s wrong with that? Imagine that, students knowing exactly what a learning standard is and teachers knowing exactly what students are expected to learn.
I love this way of teaching because I get to focus on exactly what I need to.
A clear summative assessment means that I can create instruction and formative assessments that relate directly to skills and knowledge that students need to learn for the summative assessment.
Here is an analogy, which is better?
- Driver Education Instructor A: This instructor let’s his students know exactly what they will need to know and do in order to pass the state test and get a driver’s license. Instructor A practices the skills that will be tested more than some of the other skills. Instructor A also lets his students know exactly where to focus their studying for the written test.
- Driver Education Instructor B: This instructor teaches a wide range of driving skills instead on focusing on specific skills that are need to pass the state test. This instructor “feels” that it is all important even though not necessary. Instructor B practices all of the skills without focusing on specific skills. Instructor B gives each student a book for them to read.
In my opinion Instructor A is better preparing students to pass the tests and get their driver’s license. Is Instructor A teaching to the test? Absolutely! The students are the ones that will benefit!
