Educational assessment

Educational assessment is the systematic gathering and interpretation of evidence about learners’ knowledge, skills, and progress. It informs teaching, feedback, and decisions about learning.

Learning objectives: Statements describing what learners should know or be able to do after instruction. They define the knowledge and skills assessment evidence must address.
Formative assessment: Assessment used during learning to identify needs and guide teaching and next steps. It uses ongoing evidence to adjust instruction before learning concludes.
Classroom assessment: The methods teachers use to gather evidence about learning in classroom settings. It is the everyday setting where assessment most directly informs instructional choices.
Assessment for learning: The use of assessment evidence to guide learners’ progress and improve learning while it is underway. It emphasizes improvement during learning rather than judging completed achievement.
Validity (educational assessment): The extent to which evidence and interpretations support the intended uses of an assessment. It tests whether conclusions from assessment actually match their intended purpose.
Summative assessment: Assessment used to judge learning at the end of an instructional period or unit. It turns evidence into an overall judgment of achievement after instruction.
Standardized testing: Testing administered and scored under consistent procedures across individuals or groups. Standardized results enable comparisons across students, schools, or time.
Assessment of learning: The use of assessment evidence to summarize and judge achievement after a period of learning. It prioritizes reporting attainment rather than guiding immediate learning.
Reliability (educational assessment): The consistency of assessment results across occasions, tasks, or evaluators. Consistent results help distinguish learner performance from measurement noise.
Diagnostic assessment: Assessment used to identify learners’ prior knowledge, strengths, and difficulties before or during instruction. It helps locate starting points and specific gaps before choosing instructional responses.

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