Approaching Summative Assessment

Successful education adapts to the needs of the time while also preparing students for the unknown. This means not only must we adapt the way we teach but also the way we test.

We’ve noticed a shift from rote memory learning and regurgitation into the ability to balance knowledge with its practical application. Knowing the dates of WWII, for example, doesn’t matter if you can glean no other lesson than “Hitler bad.”

So how do we know if a student not only understands but can utilize a concept you’ve been trying to impart for 3+ weeks?

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Quick recap from last post: Summative Assessments, used for measurement, are where a student is expected to exemplify an application of skills + knowledge to an expected degree after a certain amount of time and practice (or “formation”). They measure how well a taught skill can be used and to what extent a student can use prior knowledge and skills to perform a given task. Summatives do NOT have to be gigantic packets or require a bubble in sheet and they do not have to take hours at a time.

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A properly constructed summative assessment should answer that question. So how do I create it? Start with asking yourself these questions:

1. What do I want my student to be able to do by the end of this time period?
2. How should they do it?
3. What do they need to know to do it correctly?
4. What skills do they need to perform the given task as envisioned?

Hypothetical: You have 1 week to cover a list of shapes and colors. Let’s answer the questions above.

1. I need them to sort given pictures and manipulatives by color and shape, and draw given shapes in given colors.
2. Given flashcards, student should be able to pull out a given shape and color. Given items, student should be able to isolate a given shape and color. Given crayons and paper, student should be able to draw a stated shape in a stated color.
3. They need to know the vocabulary(names) of shapes and colors with examples of what they look like.
4. They need to be able to see in color. (otherwise, modify)
   They need to be able to identify colors and shapes by name in the language I’m testing.
   They need to be able to create distinguishable piles.
   They need to hold a writing utensil properly (or well enough to use on paper).
   They need to draw within a given space.

Didn’t realize holding a writing utensil properly impacted their ability to test the skill of colors and shapes? Well, assuming knowledge and skills is a common pitfall. Assuming a shared knowledge is an even greater pitfall.

I’ll never forget this particular kindergarten interaction. A student drew a pot on a piece of paper and gave it to me. I told him, “So cute! Why don’t you draw some flowers in the pot?” He rushed off super excited to continue drawing. Guess what he came back with?

If you were expecting:

So was I. But clearly my concept of “in” did not match the one of this sweet 6 year old. Was he wrong? What if this were an assessment on prepositions? Would he be wrong then? Are you leaning toward leniency because of his age? At what point should he be able to infer what I mean? What about a high schooler who doesn’t share your contextual knowledge and interprets a question differently, and that question happens to be buried among thirty others so it’s not given any sort of attention? More on that at a later time.

My interaction with this kid always reminds me to think beyond the assumption of common knowledge and truly break down concepts and skills I’m trying to measure into their smallest components to ensure I address all levels of learning and need regardless of age, and I encourage you to do the same. Especially when formulating your summative assessments.

It’s easy to believe identifying and classification of information is evidence of mastery, but consider all the times you’ve heard (or even asked), “When am I going to ever use this?!” The push to progress summative assessment is an attempt to plan relevance while simultaneously adapting and updating curriculum (in an ideal world).

Your task as a teacher is to create assessment applicable to real life. “Show your work” isn’t just for science and math. Write response letters to famous speeches in history. Email a congress person. Create a travel itinerary for a different country. Analyze articles about the same topic from different perspectives. Balance a living budget or calculate starting small business costs. Build a birdhouse within given dimensions. Calculate information using known theme park rides. Don’t get me started on the possibilities with coding! Such exciting things happening there. Just make certain the four questions outlined above are addressed and tracked so the learning becomes intentional and focused.

As experienced adults we know how even the little things we’ve learned over decades of schooling permeate our daily lives. It’s a-okay to simulate those tasks to measure mastery; we call that “authentic” assessment. It gives kids the chance to not only apply their learning, but innovate as well! Your kids will engage and benefit greatly as they not only learn to tackle real world problems but also practice critical problem solving skills building confidence and imagination along the way.

As always, if you have questions, comment or reach out to [email protected]