Formative and Summative Assessment (Differences & Similarities) and Video

The following concept map is about summative and formative assessment. You will find differences and similarities. The purpose of this map is to show students the two types of assessment in the teaching-learning process. How do each one works and what is their purpose. Also their positive and negative aspects

There are two major types of assessments being used in classrooms today -summative and formative assessment-. 

But first, what is assessment? Is a process of gathering and discussing information from multiple and diverse sources in order to develop a deep understanding of what students know, understand, and what they can do with their knowledge as a result of their educational experiences.

What is the difference between formative and summative assessment?

Formative assessment

The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning.

Formative assessments are generally low stakes, which means that they have low or no point value.

Summative assessment

The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark.

Summative assessments are often high stakes, which means that they have a high point value.

Similarities

Both of them require active instructor involvement to be effective. Also, it doesn't matter if it is formative or summative assessment, the assessment need to motivate students to keep learning and get excited about it, it also has to motivate them to want to improve.

They are codependent, they both have to exist in the learning process in order to get the results we desired in students.

Now, I will let you a video below where my team and I explain with more detail what's Assessment and the two categories in which is divided; -differences and similarities between this two-.

My reflection is that both types of assessment are important and necessary inside the classroom. Both require active instructor involvement to be effective. It also does not matter what kind of assessment is used; instructors must be able to help motivate their students to learn and get them excited about the learning process.

About the recording of this video. It was kind of uncomfortable because the three of us were very close to each other in order to fit in the camera lens. We had to deal with the noise made by people around us. Despite the noise and weather, everything went fine. 

Maps, Rubrics & Portafolios

The following concept map is about maps, rubrics and portafolios. which are formative assessment tools.

First of all I'm going to explain what if Formative Assessment, the I will describe each assessment tool.

Formative Assessment is when the instructor  monitor's student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning. More specifically, formative assessments:

• help students identify their strengths and weaknesses and target areas that need work
• help faculty recognize where students are struggling and address problems immediately

Concept Maps

presents the relationships among a set of connected concepts and ideas. It is a pictorial way to display how an individual, or group, perceives a concept, problem, or topic. A concept map is constructed, in most instances, from general ideas to more specific ideas.

Types of Concept Maps

• Anticipatory Guides: These concept maps introduce students to new content by having them respond to several teacher-generated oral or written statements or questions concerning specific material 

• Central and Hierarchical: These types of concept maps are structured around a central topic and used to illustrate concepts and the elements that describe them. Information is presented in order of importance, with items subordinated to other items.

• Comparative: These concept maps are presented in such a way that a comparison between two or more concepts is visually apparent; often, Venn diagrams matrixes, or a chart is often most appropriate for visually presenting the comparison.

• Directional: Maps of this type visually present information in a sequence and are often used to illustrate cause and effect information or content presented in a timeline or flowchart. Often called flow charts, directional maps visually present steps in an organized, linear way.

• Pictorial or Landscape Maps: These maps present information in pictures, landscapes or symbols. Word ideas or concepts can be presented in the shape of a tree, a wheel, a snake, or any other design.

• Semantic: Semantic maps: are used to introduce, review and clarify previously learned and newly introduced information. Salend states that these types of concept maps present a word or phrase that serves as a focal point of the web, with web strands used to show subordinate ideas that are related to the key word.

• Serial concept maps are a series of evolving maps that students can create about a single concept over a specified time period. As critical thinking progresses, this progression is represented in the concept maps; maps become more detailed, integrated, and comprehensive. These maps demonstrate the evolution of the understanding of a concept throughout the process and culminate in the students’ final conceptual maps.

• Spider maps require students to illustrate both hierarchical and interrelatedness of elements visually.

• Systems concept maps are similar to flowcharts, in that information is organized in parts, with one part flowing to the next, each representing an input and output. The output for one becomes the input for the next element.

• Webbing maps are one the most common types of concept maps. In this type of map, the students or teacher draw groups and sub-groups of information to show relationships between each group and the major concept or topic.

 Rubrics

       Rubrics are a type of formative assessment and can be used for instructional purposes. They are written out steps and procedures for students to follow for assignments, delineating expectations and desired outcomes. They are usually no more than one or two pages long, and they describe the different levels of quality from proficient to poor for a specific project or assignment. Instructional rubrics are considered a higher, better form of assessment because they provide more informative feedback about each student’s strengths and weaknesses than do traditional forms

of assessments.

Types of Rubrics

     Analytical Rubrics

    Analytical rubrics break projects into their individual parts and each part is rated using a scale provided. For writing a paper, such a breakdown could include the components:

• Uses an introductory paragraph,

•Clearly states main ideas,

• Provides supporting evidence,

• Uses a pattern to present information,

• Is persuasive, and

• Ends with a summary and appropriate conclusion

Each component is rated separately, and each individual rating is compiled to obtain an overall score for the project or assignment

Holistic Rubrics

Holistic rubrics require the instructor to score the overall project or presentation as a whole without rating each component separately. Holistic rubrics are more appropriate than analytical rubrics when there is no definite or clearly correct answer, or if the components of an activity are too interrelated for easy division.

Portafolios

Portfolios are collections of individual students’ work which document their performance and growth over a period of time. They are used to support an instruction approach that emphasizes student participation, understanding, and engagement.

Types of Portafolios

Developmental

Developmental portfolios can be used by instructors who want to document students’ progress in a particular subject throughout the school year.

Proficiency

Proficiency portfolios are used to prove mastery in a specific subject area. 

Showcase

Showcase portfolios document a student's best work during a school year, over a number of grades, or throughout their entire education.

College Admission

This is a type of showcase portfolio which some colleges require of their applicants to give admissions officers a more holistic view of applicants’ capabilities as they determine their eligibility for admission.

Employment Skills

This type of portfolio demonstrates an applicant’s job readiness to prospective employers. The contents should reflect a student’s problem-solving skills, critical thinking abilities, and proficiency in writing reports and presentations.

Writing Portfolios

Writing portfolios were one of the first uses of portfolios in education. Instructors should create checklists for students to ensure that all required elements are included and in proper order.

Electronic Portfolios

Electronic portfolios are an alternative way to manage portfolio content. These portfolios are stored on a server or a CD-ROM, rather than in a binder or manila folder like traditional portfolios. This approach may require additional instruction and direction from teachers, who should not assume that all of their students have computer access, or are adept with computers or the necessary software.

Now, the following video will explain the advantages and disadvantages of maps, rubrics and portafolios.

My reflection about maps, rubrics and portafolios are all part of the teaching-learning process, and they're all useful, for students as well for teacher. They all are part of formative assessment, so its purpose is to helps teachers to identify students strengths and weaknesses, in order to develop techniques and strategies to help students in areas where he needs.

Doing this video was real challenge for me because it was so much information and I was a bit tired. Still, I tried to make it possible.

Oral presentation: Prometeo

One of the projects we had to do during this course was to visit a school, more specific a kindergarten, in order to see how the institution evaluates students, and all the academic programme, within its syllabus. My team partner Daniel had the chance to go to "Centro Freinet Prometeo" located in Puebla City,  and see the installation of the school. 

Here I let you a video with the slides of Centro Freinet Prometeo made by Daniel Bolaños and Mireya Morales.

To start, Centro Freinet Prometeo's programme is based on Freinet's theory and uses Constructivism methods. But what is Freinet's theroy about? is about the way of work, how children work with each other, the learning process is based on children interest. 

According to what our mates in this school, students do not wear uniform, they practice manual activities and use different materials, as well as creative art work. The school also has a yard, it has its own cafeteria -but the school principal doesn't allow junk food-, they got staff to protect the green garden.

About the evaluation process:

Students are always being evaluated, teachers evaluate individually and they have an specific type of assessment. Even, students evaluate teachers way of working, teachers receive comments from parents and from other teachers. 

To finish, I found very interesting that the kids are able to evaluate their teacher, which is something very unusual because of the age of them.

About us, We were supposed to be a team -Diana- Daniel and me- but, at the end there were only Daniel and Mireya, who was from another team, this because only two guys were allow to go to the school and do what we were supposed to do. According to the comments of our classmates, they couldn't enter to the classrooms, they were just received by the school principal -who has 18 years of career in this subject-, so they couldn't be able to see the teaching- learning process. Even though the principal attended them, I think it was necessary for the guys to see how the classroom management was. 

Formative Assessment: Integration

The following picture, is a model of rubric my team and I develop in order to evaluate classmates oral presentations. But first, we need to know what is a rubric and what is its purpose in assessment.

Rubric

A rubric is an evaluation tool that describes the criteria for performance at various levels using demonstrative verbs. It is a performance-based assessment process that accurately reflects content skills, process skills, work habits, and learning results.

Its use for assessment

It is a Formative tool of assessing because is a way of ensuring that students, teachers, and parents alike know the purpose of the work that students are being asked to do. The use of rubrics as a

tool for scoring work has the potential for giving students the power and responsibility that goes with knowing what is being asked of them and how to achieve it.

Procedure to elaborate it

Rubrics can be developed using the following 8-step process.

• Step 1: Determine what the assessment will encompass

• Step 2: Review previous student work and/or other rubrics to identify any additional assessment criteria

• Step 3: Define each dimension

• Step 4: Adopt a scale for describing the range of products/performances and write a description for each dimension for each point on the scale

• Step 5: Develop a draft rubric

• Step 6: Evaluate the rubric

• Step 7: Pilot test, revise, and try the rubric again

• Step 8: Share the rubric with students and their parents

Challenges of its applications

There are two principal challenges students and teacher face, these are:
Reliability: Something that yields the same or compatible results whenever it is used.

     Reliability concerns the consistency of the judgments that are made about students and their work,

Validity: Whether the process produces the desired result and is well founded.
     Validity concerns the accuracy of the judgments made using the rubric.

How useful did I find Rubistar

I think found rubistar very useful regarding to make my own rubric. I think it's a very useful tool because it already gives you the items to evaluate and the scores you must give give them when assessing students; It saves you time.

For the design of my rubric we change some aspects from the original rubric in order to make it more effective regarding to assessing. We forgot to write some aspects like how did the audience was developing and aspects like those. And we decided to include only 3 levels instead than 4, and the last column Diana decided to write "comments" as a way of feedback. Still, I can say that is a very resourceful tool. 

Another important tool are the checklists

What is a Checklist?

A checklist is a list of items you need to verify, check or inspect. Checklists are used in every imaginable field —. Using a checklist allows you to ensure you don’t forget any important steps.

The next image shows the checklist the teacher will use to evaluate the activities that we upload to the blogs that we developed during this course. 

Scales

Scale designs curriculum-embedded performance-based assessments to be used by teachers and students in schools. Scale contracts with schools, districts, and states to develop assessment instruments in consultation with key stakeholders and users; establishes and oversees scoring procedures; provides professional development to support teachers and administrators engaged in the work; and conducts research to support the validity and reliability of the assessment system.

Now, I'm going to show you a "scale" based on the Minerva Model

As a conclusion, here are my answers about the blog.

How does it work for the teacher, classmates and yourself? 
I believe it's very helpful for everyone because it's a new way of filing information and easy to use. They provide every kind of information as well as we can provide. In the case of education, teachers can evaluate students without the student being present. The teacher is able to see the student development.

Would you implement it in your own classes?
Yes, I would implemented in my own classes because is an easy way of assessing students.

Summative Assessment: Testing

Hello everyone. The concept map below is about Summative Assessment: Testing which was based on the reading "Introduction to Issues in Language Assessment and Terminology". In this you will find different kinds of language assessments where we can find evaluation, assessment and testing; in this case we will incline towards explaining what is "testing". In its different types, alternative types, cornerstones, and ways of labeling testing. We are also going to explain the principles of "validity" and "reliability" by sharing a concept map with all of you. 

By Adriana

In this map I explain the purpose of testing and why is part of summative assessment, based on the reading mentioned before. I put how is summative assessment divided and how each one makes an effective use regarding to language assessment (evaluation, assessment and testing). Now we are only focusing on "testing"; in its different types, alternative types, cornerstones, and ways of labeling (terminology and use). Including how "test validity and reliability" work and its purpose with testing. 

Here I show you what test validity is

By Diana

Test Reliability
Here you will see what test reliability is

By Juanita

My reflection is that I enjoyed doing this work even though it looks simple, it was not difficult, but it wasn't easy either, so it was kind of normal work for me. I really thank my mates who waited me to send them my map, due to I was the last one sending it. I believe is a good work and it is all well explained.

In the following video, you will be able to watch an interview about "testing". What is testing, how does testing works, according to summative assessment, its purpose; the differences between evaluation, assessment and testing, how is it divided into different categories, what aspects do we have to consider when we design a test in order to be effective; and how does the traditional way of testing differs from alternative testing based on different authors.

During the recording of this video -made by Juanita, Diana and me- I was a little nervous because I was afraid that my mates who would watch this video, wouldn't be able to understand the message I'm trying to give. Besides that I was not really focused due to the noise made by the cars and the itching of the mosquitoes. Despite all this, everything run well.

Hot Potatoes Test

In these links you will find a test with 30 items that you will have to answer.

This test was design for students with a B1 level of English, by Juanita and Adriana, students of Learning Assessment in "Facultad de Lenguas" BUAP.

You will now find the links of the test.

Matching Exercises
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pD1ccY6nHbmZAbcsXm8unZ4FT-ThM9hL_Oaooa_TAUQ
https://drive.google.com/open?id=15fPwGvN0l0tPuPsXuip02bSX6EMzfmZ864nukBx44O4
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Dn4_55hXjVMsrzGygtZGNPuqufQGyXrkp4cUcC1k3zw

Reading Exercises
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1aRgjKrb-PDqQkGRJBBK_rSvh7efmvejhShA5yhKErIM

Writing Exercises
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1GTlXwvrOXAufJfS2VsNvNiVD7m6_fluapt7ohluG00g

Gap-fill Exercises
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ZafzP_h6nIZmpVW53r-2iLWQ0jKFq1rmy5Ov1nCEmsI

Multiple choice Exercises
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1G9wCdftu0neieQs2vAZHAv56qADTa1Y7zOVRoIG4-HE


The quiz is based on different text, which are:

1. Homework, written by Bhaswati Ghosh

2. Concept Mapping, written by Tricia Smith, Ed. D

3. Evaluation and Grading, written by Peter Elbow

Inside the test we determine to design different types of exercises, this way, students will not get bored or not so bored at the time of writing the test. Before starting, we settle to make 15 questions each, so we could achieve the arranged 30 questions.

During the work my mate and I tried to get out this. Although, it was very difficult because it was the first time of both using this tool (hot potatoes) and sometimes we couldn't set the question as we would wanted to. 

For me it was so difficult and hard to use due to the complexity of it, besides I couldn't download the app the first time I tried to, I had to find another way of downloading it. I waisted more than an hour doing this. Finally, when I got it, I did my questions and send them to my partner via Google Drive, everything was fine, but when we opened the files to see if everything was ok, we noticed that every time we opened a file, these got duplicated -it was so stressful- so when I needed to find the links to post them in my blog, I was so confused and stressed. Finally I could and here they are. I understand that this tool is very helpful and for some people it is easy to use, but this is not may case. Although is a very useful tool, I hope to never work with it again.