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summative assessment

/ˈsəmətiv/ /əˈsesmənt/

Noun

Evaluations used to assess learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement at the conclusion of a defined instructional period - typically at the end of a project, unit, course, or semester. Unit, mid-term, and final exams are examples of summative assessments.

Writing Effective Multiple-Choice Exams

Form with letters and check marks or X's next to them to represent a Multiple choice exam.

Credit: © Penn State is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Organizing a course based on a framework of measurable objectives and aligned activities and assessments provides a structure that can help you and your students have a positive experience. Students will have a clear idea of what is expected of them, and you will have an effective means of evaluating what students have learned. In addition, when a course is structured this way, developing multiple-choice assessments to align with course objectives becomes a systematic process.

Scenario-Based Problem Solving for a Multiple-Choice Assessment

Credit: © Penn State is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Simple questions that require students to recall facts or select correct definitions for terms may be easy to write, but scenario-based problems can offer a more realistic assessment of higher-order thinking skills, as students are asked to engage in the integration of material and to apply their knowledge. Additionally, scenario-based problems can be engaging and relevant to the real world. And because they’re multiple choice, they are always easy to grade.

Using a Test Blueprint

Credit: Zimmaro, D.M. (2016, December 1). Writing good multiple-choice exams. The University of Texas at Austin Faculty Innovation Center.

A test blueprint is simply a chart that helps you organize and strategically distribute the types of questions you want to include about each topic and level of objective. Cognitive levels (from Bloom’s Taxonomy) are shown on the left side of the chart, and topics are listed across the top. Once these are in place, you can develop questions for each level of objective within each topic area, consider the distribution of questions, and adjust as necessary.

Using Small Group Case Studies to Boost Student Engagement

Credit: © Penn State is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

The final project in GEOSC 107N: Rocks, Minerals, and the History of Art is a small group case study that requires students to work together to research a naturally occurring material, used in either its natural or processed form, to create works of art or architecture in history. Case studies promote critical thinking and help students to contextualize course content.

Utilizing 360 Video for Practice and Assessment

Credit: © Penn State is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Veterinary and biomedical students are asked to watch a video of walking through a barn and to list the best practices for animal welfare and farm management shown in the video. They are also asked to list items that need to be improved. This offers a way to expand student experiences and allows them to practice evaluating without the time and expense of traveling. Further, this practice protects the biosecurity of the farm locations.

Using an Exam as a Learning Tool

Credit: © Penn State is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Students first take the exam independently, and then, during the same class period and before seeing their results, they get into groups of 4 to 5, discuss the exam problems, and retake the same exam as a group. Each student chooses whether or not to complete and submit a second exam. Students have the option of simply accepting their original, independent exam score only, if they wish.

Assessments as Learning Tools

A drawing of a brain with interlocking brains inside of it.

Assessment is a key characteristic of any course. However, how assessment is used and what forms of assessment are adopted (i.e. exams, papers, projects) can greatly affect students and their learning experience. Shifting assessment from a means of measurement to a form of inquiry can enable students to work actively and construct knowledge together (Hargreaves, 2007).

Using Rubrics to Evaluate Student Work and Build Faculty Presence

Rubrics frequently supplement forms of assessment and are used to evaluate student work and learning. They can be used for projects, presentations, discussions, and writing assignments. Learners can view the criteria on which they are being assessed and can work towards meeting the stated expectations. For instance, it is common to include a rubric for online discussion forums so that learners have a clear idea of the criteria that will be used for grading (i.e.

Using Infographics as an Assessment Strategy

Infographic on bringing the farm to school.

Credit: USDA Farm to School Census Infographic, Creative Commons license CC BY 2.0

The concept of presenting information in a visual format is not new. In fact, you may remember that ancient Egyptians used hieroglyphs as a visual form of communication. However, the use of information graphics (also referred to as infographics) in teaching and learning strategies still appears to be an emerging practice.

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