Authentic assessment is an approach to evaluating student learning that asks students to perform a task resembling one they might encounter outside the classroom, rather than answering questions in a format like multiple choice that rarely appears in real-world settings. A science class might ask students to design and carry out an original experiment rather
An assessment approach that asks students to perform a real-world task rather than answer questions in an artificial test format.
A criterion-referenced test measures a student’s performance against a fixed, predetermined standard or set of learning objectives, rather than comparing that student’s score to the performance of other test-takers. A driving test is a commonly cited example, since passing depends on meeting a fixed standard of driving skill set by a licensing authority rather than
A test that measures performance against a fixed standard rather than comparing it to other test-takers.
Diagnostic assessment is an evaluation given before or at the start of instruction to identify what a student already knows, what misconceptions they hold, and where specific gaps in their skills or knowledge lie. Unlike a summative assessment given at the end of a unit to measure overall achievement, a diagnostic assessment is designed to
An evaluation given before instruction begins to identify what a student already knows and where gaps exist.
In simple terms Formative assessment is checking what students have understood while the teaching is still going on, so the answer can change what happens next. A question to the class, a show of hands, a draft returned with comments: the format matters far less than the timing. The defining test is use. Evidence counts
Formative assessment is checking learning while teaching is still under way, so that the evidence gathered changes what happens next.
High-stakes testing refers to standardized tests whose results carry serious consequences for students, teachers, or schools, such as whether a student is promoted to the next grade, whether a school receives funding, or whether a teacher’s performance rating is affected. The term distinguishes these tests from low-stakes assessments, such as a routine classroom quiz, where
A standardized test whose results carry serious consequences for students, teachers, or schools.
A norm-referenced test is an assessment designed to compare an individual test-taker’s performance against the performance of a representative sample of peers, called the norming group, rather than against a fixed, predetermined standard of mastery. How norm-referenced scores work Norm-referenced tests typically report a student’s results as a percentile rank or standard score indicating how
An assessment designed to compare a test-taker’s performance against a representative sample of peers rather than a fixed standard.
Peer assessment is an evaluation process in which students assess the quality of a classmate’s work, using criteria typically provided by the teacher, rather than relying solely on teacher evaluation. Common formats Peer assessment can take several forms: peer feedback, where students offer qualitative comments on a classmate’s draft to support revision, and peer grading,
An evaluation process in which students assess the quality of a classmate’s work using teacher-provided criteria.
Portfolio assessment is a method of evaluating student learning by collecting a purposeful selection of a student’s work over time, rather than relying on a single test or assignment to represent what they know and can do. A portfolio typically includes drafts, finished pieces, and sometimes the student’s own reflection on their growth, allowing both
A method of evaluating learning by collecting a student's work over time rather than relying on a single test.
A rubric is a scoring tool that lays out specific criteria for an assignment alongside clearly defined performance levels for each criterion, allowing teachers to evaluate student work consistently and allowing students to understand expectations before they begin. Analytic versus holistic rubrics Rubrics generally take one of two forms. An analytic rubric breaks an assignment
A scoring tool that lays out specific criteria and performance levels for evaluating student work consistently.
In simple terms A standardized test gives every candidate the same questions, or a selection from the same bank, under the same conditions, and scores them all the same way. [2] That sameness is the whole point, because it is what lets one person’s result be compared with another’s. Standardized describes the procedure, not the
A standardized test gives every taker the same questions under the same conditions and scores them the same way, so results can be compared.