Summative assessments evaluate student learning according to a benchmark.
Formative vs. Summative Assessment
Tests and Quizzes
Many of us were educated on a model of testing that involved one or two tests each semester. Typically, students took a midterm and a final, with an occasional third exam thrown in for good measure. Research shows that using tests that are more frequently given, rather than once or twice a semester can enhance student learning. As can giving students a list of the learning/course outcomes they will be assessed on to help them prepare for the exam. Allowing them to review previous homework, quizzes, or exams and labeling what learning outcomes relate to the assessment can help them identify challenges and focus their efforts on the relevant information to be successful.
These resources will guide you through some best practices for creating test and quizzes that demonstrate learning without testing your patience.
- Exams and Quizzes Best Practices
- Designing the Essentials: Outcomes, Assessment and the Syllabus
- Designing Test Questions
- Best Practices for Designing and Grading Exams
- 10 Tips to Refine Your Course Assessments
- Designing Effective Assessments
- A Short Guide to Writing Effective Test Questions
- How Do I Create Tests for My Students?
- Berkley Center for Teaching and Learning on Final Exams
- Tips to Help Students Manage Schedules and Stress During Final
- Creating Multiple Choice Tests
- 14 Rules for Writing Multiple Choice Questions
- Writing Multiple Choice Questions that Demand Critical Thinking
- Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers (available in the UTSA library)
- Easily Create and Manage Online Assessment with Respondus®
- Tests That Grade Themselves
- Using Extra Credit Questions as a Motivational Tool
- Learning that Lasts: Helping Students Remember and Use What You Teach
- Writing Effective Essay Questions
Student Presentations
Presentation skills are highly sought after in the workplace. They also add another tool for assessing student learning. Whether you are assigning a 3 minute report or a 30 minute group presentation, it’s important to have the right tools for assignments, instruction and assessment. Click here to access our presentation resources.