Definitions

Definitions There are a number of assessment terms that will appear in any discussion of assessment. Listed below are common interpretations of some of these terms:

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> "the term ‘assessment’ refers to all those activities undertaken by teachers, and by their students in assessing themselves, which provide information to be used as feedback to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged.[|[1]] " Since this seminal article, educators have differentiated assessment according to its purpose: assessment made to determine a student's learning style or preferences used to determine how well a student can perform a certain set of skills related to a particular subject or group of subjects
 * Assessment** A working definition of [|Assessment] for learning from a widely cited article contends:
 * Assessment for learning**
 * comprises two phases—initial or diagnostic assessment and formative assessment
 * assessment can be based on a variety of information sources (e.g., portfolios, works in progress, teacher observation, conversation)
 * verbal or written feedback to the student is primarily descriptive and emphasizes strengths, identifies challenges, and points to next steps
 * as teachers check on understanding they adjust their instruction to keep students on track
 * no grades or scores are given - record-keeping is primarily anecdotal and descriptive
 * occurs throughout the learning process, from the outset of the course of study to the time of summative assessment
 * Assessment as learning**
 * begins as students become aware of the goals of instruction and the criteria for performance
 * involves goal-setting, monitoring progress, and reflecting on results
 * implies student ownership and responsibility for moving his or her thinking forward (metacognition)
 * occurs throughout the learning process
 * Assessment of learning**
 * assessment that is accompanied by a number or letter grade (summative)
 * compares one student’s achievement with standards
 * results can be communicated to the student and parents
 * occurs at the end of the learning unit
 * Evaluation**
 * judgment made on the basis of a student’s performance
 * Diagnostic assessment (now referred to more often as "pre-assessment")**
 * assessment made to determine what a student does and does not know about a topic
 * occurs at the beginning of a unit of study
 * used to inform instruction:makes up the initial phase of assessment for learning
 * Formative assessment**
 * assessment made to determine a student’s knowledge and skills, including learning gaps as they progress through a unit of study
 * used to inform instruction and guide learning
 * occurs during the course of a unit of study
 * makes up the subsequent phase of assessment for learning
 * Summative assessment**
 * assessment that is made at the end of a unit of study to determine the level of understanding the student has achieved
 * includes a mark or grade against an expected standard