Assessment has two purpose - measuring achievement of student learning and gauging effectiveness of classroom processes and teaching materials in teaching and learning.
The aim of assessment in the culture of our schooling system will shift from one that is summative and primarily tests rote memorization skills to one that is more regular and formative, is more competency-based, promotes learning and development for our students, and tests higher-order skills, such as analysis, critical thinking, and conceptual clarity. The primary purpose of assessment will indeed be for learning; it will help the teacher and student, and the entire schooling system, continuously revise teaching-learning processes to optimize learning and development for all stu- dents. This will be the underlying principle for assessment at all levels of education. [NEP 2020, 4.34]
Assessments could be formative or summative, both are equally important for improving teach- ing and learning.
Formative assessments are continuous and ongoing. They are used to track student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by both Teachers to improve their teaching and students to improve their learning. Formative assessments are generally low stakes and do not have strong consequences. Some examples of formative assessments include observing student behaviour in class, asking students to draw a concept map in class to represent their understanding of a topic or write a few sentences with a friend on a poem they have read.
Summative assessments evaluate student learning at the end of a lesson or a logical period of teaching. Summative assessments are normally high stakes in that they compare student performance to a benchmark or standard and have some consequence. Some examples of summative assessments include a term-end test, submission of a project or writing a paper. Results of summative assessment can also be used for formative purposes i.e., informing teaching and learning.
