Assessments

What is Information and data gathered along the way which is used to improve, modify, or revise a program, curriculum or unit of instruction in order to enhance student learning.  This type of evaluation is helpful in guiding ongoing classroom instruction.

• Formative Evaluation

• Criterion-Referenced Test

• Diagnostic Test

• Summative Evaluation

A collection and evaluation of student products and performances selected for inclusion based on agreed-upon criteria.  These generally illustrate a range of abilities and special talents showing growth, self-reflection, and achievement.  They may be composed of the student’s best work or work that shows improvement over time.

• Diagnostic Test

• Summative Evaluation

• Portfolio Assessment

• Achievement Test

 Test which assesses specific skills to determine specific individual strengths and weaknesses, usually in reading and/or math.  This type of test should be used by teachers to guide them in planning instruction based on student needs.  Such tests should be tied to curriculum and content objectives.

• Aptitude Test

• Formative Evaluation

• Performance Assessment

• Diagnostic Test

The results of this test will have a significant impact on the life of the student, teacher, administration and/or school.  Often the scores determine eligibility for programs, school admission, etc.  Examples include graduation tests, the SAT and ACT tests, end of grade tests, tests at the end of selected grades which indicate whether a student will be retained or promoted to the next grade level.

• Criterion Based Test

• High Stakes Test

• Diagnostic Test

• Portfolio Assessment

Includes both standardized and specially constructed intelligence and achievement tests which compare students to one another.  Performance of others is the standard by which students are measured.  Scores are put in rank order and are used to measure one person’s results as compared to another’s.  Students who compete with one another for selection when there are a limited number of places may compete via norm-referenced tests.

• Norm-Referenced

• Criterion-Based

• Diagnostic

• Summative Evaluation

 An assessment which measures progress toward mastery of a given set of objectives, outcomes or skills.  This measurement does not compare one person’s score to the scores of the rest of the group.  Instead, this is an objective measure of mastery tied to specific skills and objectives which are measure based on predetermined standards or criteria.  Each individual is judged on how well he achieves the criteria, with an emphasis on performance relative to an absolute standard.

• Norm-Referenced

• Formative Evaluation

• Aptitude Test

• Criterion-Referenced

A teacher-constructed list of characteristics used as criteria for ranking the quality of students’ work along with some type of guide for scoring or grading.  Usually, this guide describes the criteria along with a numerical range or scale to indicate the degree of quality or mastery shown by the work.  There are many different types of these; all of which are useful for the project, or performance assessment.

• Standards

• Rubric

• Likert Scale

• Performance Assessment

A set of tests that were normed or standardized on the same group of students so that the results of each test can be compared to one another.  Often these tests measure similar kinds of abilities and skills.  Also used to indicate any series of tests given together; each test in the series gives different types of information.

• Bias

• Rubric

• Likert Scale

• Battery

Doing the same thing every time.  Accuracy and predictability in measurement over a period of time with different students and different scorers in different environments.

• Objectivity

• Average

• Consistency

• Intelligence Quotient

The extent to which as test does the job for which it is used and measures what it is supposed to measure.

• Validity

• Measurement

• Consistency

• Mastery Test