Comparison of Formative and Summative Assessments

Formative Assessments Summative Assessments

The intent to assess using formative
assessments is for students to
continually self-assess, set goals, and
receive instant feedback. Teachers can
Intent
use this information to determine
further instruction, differentiate
instruction, and revise plans for the
following year.
The intent to assess using summative
assessments is for teachers to
determine and document students’
grades; program planners to evaluate
the program’s effectiveness; and
supervisors to evaluate individual
achievement levels.

Teachers, students Policy makers, program planners,

Audience
supervisors, teachers, students

 Whiteboards - Students will  Evaluations - Students will be

answer questions on their
whiteboards.
 Think, Pair, Share - Students will
individually think about a concept
and then pair up with a classmate
to share ideas.
 Fist to 5 - Students will indicate the
Examples extent of their understanding of a
concept with their fingers
(example: closed fist=no
understanding, one finger=very
little understanding, etc.)
 Graffiti Boards - Students will
record their comments, questions,
or pictures about a topic on a piece
of construction paper or
whiteboard.
evaluated on their
performance/demonstration of a
learned concept.
 End-of-Unit Exams - Students will
take an end-of-unit test for
teachers to determine whether,
and to what degree, students have
learned the material.
 Portfolios - Students will turn in
work for teachers to evaluate over
an extended period of time.
 Standardized tests - Students will
take a test that has the same
questions to be compared across
the grade level, district, and state.

Essay Response
In chapter 3 of Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Stiggins summarizes
formative and summative assessments in terms of “Assessment for Learning” and “Assessment
of Learning.” To determine a student’s level of achievement, Stiggins recommends
comprehending and balancing the two assessments. During the learning process, teachers use
formative assessments to continually gather evidence to improve student learning and
determine the next steps of instruction (Chappuis and Stiggins, 2020, pg. 24). The information
gathered can be used to respond to individual student needs. With support from the teacher,
students can participate in learning by self-assessing, self-reflecting, and tracking progress.
Graffiti boards provide an interactive method of learning and assessment. Students rarely
realize the importance of showing their work, but teachers can use this formative assessment
method for giving immediate feedback during instruction. After learning, teachers use
summative assessments to determine and document student or group achievement and/or
final grade (Chappuis and Stiggins, 2020, pg. 24). This demonstrates whether, and to what
degree, the student and/or students have mastered the content presented by the teacher. The
acquired information is primarily used for the purpose of making decisions and sorting students
according to achievement and level of understanding. Portfolios provide a long-term view of
work reflecting subject matter essential to the learning process and development. Teachers
prefer this type of summative assessment because portfolios are usually done independently,
can be reviewed periodically, and give the teacher a perspective into students’ organizational
skills. Regardless of which type of assessment is used, assessments validate learning and the
level of knowledge acquired, which are vital to development and discovering potential.
 References
Chappuis, J. and Stiggings, R. (2020). Classroom Assessment for Learning. New York: Pearson
Publishing.