50740_ch_14. Types of Summative Assessment. 'Summative' assessments are set to enable tutors to evaluate, and assign a mark to their students' learning at a particular point in time.
The mark assigned contributes to the final outcome of the students' degree. The most important thing when completing any form of assessment or examination is to establish what the goalposts are, by looking at: the exact details of the assignment, including instructions about format, presentation and structure the marking criteria for the assessment the "intended learning outcomes" for the course, i.e. what the tutor has stated that s/he expects you to be able to demonstrate in order to pass the course These should be made available in handbooks, via Blackboard and/or on course unit outlines distributed by the course unit leader. Definition of Summative Assessment. Summative Assessment Definition. Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement at the conclusion of a defined instructional period—typically at the end of a project, unit, course, semester, program, or school year.
Generally speaking, summative assessments are defined by three major criteria: The tests, assignments, or projects are used to determine whether students have learned what they were expected to learn. Summative assessments are commonly contrasted with formative assessments, which collect detailed information that educators can use to improve instruction and student learning while it’s happening. In other words, formative assessments are often said to be for learning, while summative assessments are of learning. Or as assessment expert Paul Black put it, “When the cook tastes the soup, that’s formative assessment.