Assessment Strategies for Measuring Student Learning: Formative, Summative, and More

Assessment is how teachers find out whether learners are reaching the learning objectives. It shows where learners need more support and where teaching needs to change. This guide explains four common assessment strategies, formative, summative, performance-based, and self-assessment, and how to use them together to get a fuller picture of student learning.

On this page 7 sections

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is the ongoing gathering of evidence of learning while a course of study is still going on. It is usually informal. Teachers use it to:

• monitor learners’ progress
• give feedback while there is still time to act on it
• adjust instruction based on what learners do and do not yet understand

Common forms include short quizzes, surveys, class discussions, and observation.

Research by Black and Wiliam (1998) found that formative assessment can raise student achievement. Its main strength is timing: it spots learners who are struggling early, so the teacher can give targeted help and every learner has a fair chance to reach the objectives.

Summative assessment

Summative assessment evaluates learning at the end of a course of study. It is usually more formal, and its results show whether the learning objectives were achieved. Examples include:

• final exams
• large-scale standardized tests
• culminating projects

Summative assessment matters for judging achievement and for accountability, but it has limits. Shepard (2000) points out that it lacks the immediate feedback learners need to improve. It also measures learning at only one point in time, so it may not show the whole picture.

Performance-based assessment

Performance-based assessment measures what learners can do with what they have learned. Learners show their knowledge and skills in real-world contexts, through tasks such as:

• portfolios
• projects
• simulations

Wiggins (1993) argues that performance-based assessment can give a more complete and accurate picture of learning than traditional tests. It can:

• measure higher-order thinking skills
• let learners apply, or transfer, their learning to new situations
• be more engaging, because it allows more creativity and independence

Self-assessment

In self-assessment, learners reflect on their own learning and name their strengths and weaknesses. It fits easily into regular class activities and helps build metacognition (thinking about one’s own thinking) and self-regulated learning. Tools include questionnaires and checklists, and it is often paired with peer evaluation.

Research by Andrade (2010) shows that self-assessment can support learning and achievement. It helps learners take responsibility for their learning, reflect on their progress, and set goals.

The four strategies at a glance

Strategy	When it happens	Main purpose	Examples
Formative	Throughout the course	Monitor progress, give feedback, adjust teaching	Quizzes, surveys, discussions, observation
Summative	End of the course	Judge whether objectives were met	Final exams, standardized tests, culminating projects
Performance-based	During or at the end	Show what learners can do in real contexts	Portfolios, projects, simulations
Self-assessment	Built into class activities	Build reflection and responsibility	Questionnaires, checklists

Using the strategies together

No single strategy tells the whole story. Formative checks catch problems early. Summative tests confirm what was achieved. Performance tasks show whether learners can apply their skills. Self-assessment helps learners own their progress. When teachers use a mix of all four, they get a more complete and accurate picture of student learning and can adjust instruction to meet the needs of every learner.

Frequently asked questions