ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION

Assessment and Evaluation

Assessment is a process by which information is obtained relative to some known objective or goal. Assessment is a broad term that includes testing. A test is a special form of assessment. Assessment and evaluation are the mode of gathering evidences of students’ performance over a period of time to measure learning and understanding. The main goal of classroom assessment is students' performance evaluation, with the purpose of adjusting the teaching process so that it meets students' learning needs.

 With the help of assessments teachers can trace the loopholes in the teaching and provide the corrective measures. The students can be assessed in three  types of assessments; diagnostic, formative, and summative.

Educational assessment is used to raise the standards of learning, according to which the educational process should be conducted. Especially, it is related to lower ability students, since their progress and performance evaluation helps to define which particular learning needs should be addressed more.

Formative assessment is designed to assist the learning process by providing feedback to the learner, which can be used to identify strengths and weakness and hence improve future performance. Formative assessment is most appropriate where the results are to be used internally by those involved in the learning process (students, teachers, and curriculum developers). The information provided by formative assessment is to be used for modifying the teaching and learning activities in the classroom in order to get the best possible learning results. For instance, continuous assessments

 Summative assessment is used primarily to make decisions for grading or determine readiness for progression. Typically summative assessment occurs at the end of an educational activity and is designed to judge the learner’s overall performance. In addition to providing the basis for grade assignment, summative assessment is used to communicate students’ abilities to external stakeholders, e.g., administrators and employers

Nowadays both summative and formative assessment methods are used for students’ performance and learning evaluation. Nevertheless, relying on one of the two methods of classroom assessment more may lead to student learning needs’ becoming unclear, since one form of assessment cannot provide a full picture of the situation.