Overview of Overview of Summative (Mastery & Standardised) Testing Summative (Mastery & Standardised) Testing

vs.vs.Formative (Diagnostic) TestingFormative (Diagnostic) Testing

Presented byPresented by

Philip Holmes-SmithPhilip Holmes-SmithSchool Research Evaluation and Measurement ServicesSchool Research Evaluation and Measurement Services

• Assessment tools such as:Assessment tools such as:– Classroom-based topic testsClassroom-based topic tests (e.g. Yr4 Maths test on area & volume, Yr7 Science test on Cells, etc.)(e.g. Yr4 Maths test on area & volume, Yr7 Science test on Cells, etc.)– VCE exams,VCE exams,– AMEB Music Exams,AMEB Music Exams,– Drivers License test.Drivers License test.

• Main Purpose (main question answered):Main Purpose (main question answered):– To test whether or not a student has mastered the skills as set out To test whether or not a student has mastered the skills as set out

in the curriculumin the curriculum..

• Desired outcome:Desired outcome:– If students have learnt well they should get a 100% mark on the If students have learnt well they should get a 100% mark on the

testtest

Examples of Summative (Mastery) TestingExamples of Summative (Mastery) Testing

• Mastery tests have at least two major uses, namely:Mastery tests have at least two major uses, namely:

• they provide they provide immediate feedback to teachers immediate feedback to teachers on how well students on how well students have mastered the knowledge and skills of the work currently being have mastered the knowledge and skills of the work currently being taught – information that can be used to provide individual taught – information that can be used to provide individual remediation as needed, andremediation as needed, and

• they provide they provide feedback to parentsfeedback to parents about the progress of their about the progress of their children against the taught curriculum.children against the taught curriculum.

Summative (Mastery) TestingSummative (Mastery) Testing

• Systemic sponsored assessment tools such as:Systemic sponsored assessment tools such as:– NAPLAN,NAPLAN,– On-Demand Adaptive Tests,On-Demand Adaptive Tests,– English Online Assessment English Online Assessment (Government schools).(Government schools).

• Other commercial tests such as:Other commercial tests such as:– PAT-RPAT-R oror TORCHTORCH (Reading)(Reading)– PAT-MathPAT-Math andand I Can Do Maths I Can Do Maths (Maths)(Maths)

• Main Purpose (main question answered):Main Purpose (main question answered):– To determine where a student falls along a continuum of To determine where a student falls along a continuum of

developmentdevelopment..

• Desired outcome:Desired outcome:– If the test difficulty has been chosen correctly for a student the If the test difficulty has been chosen correctly for a student the

student should get about 50% of the questions correct.student should get about 50% of the questions correct.

Examples of Summative (Standardised) TestingExamples of Summative (Standardised) Testing

Summative (Standardised) TestingSummative (Standardised) Testing• Summative testing is essential to :Summative testing is essential to :

• monitor the monitor the effectiveness of your teachingeffectiveness of your teaching,, and and• monitor the monitor the progress of studentsprogress of students along a developmental continuum. along a developmental continuum.

• But, research shows that summative tests But, research shows that summative tests do not do not lead to improved learning outcomes. As the saying lead to improved learning outcomes. As the saying goes:goes:

““You don’t fatten a pig by weighing it”You don’t fatten a pig by weighing it”

• So, although it is essential, keep summative testing to So, although it is essential, keep summative testing to a minimum.a minimum.

Examples of Formative (Diagnostic) TestingExamples of Formative (Diagnostic) Testing

• Assessment tools such as:Assessment tools such as:– Marie Clay Inventory,Marie Clay Inventory,– On-Demand Linear Tests,On-Demand Linear Tests,– English AND Maths Online Assessment English AND Maths Online Assessment (Government schools)(Government schools),,– SINE (CEO schools),SINE (CEO schools),– Probe.Probe.

• Main Purpose (main question answered):Main Purpose (main question answered):– To discover what the student knows and what they don’t knowTo discover what the student knows and what they don’t know..

• Desired outcome:Desired outcome:– No good or bad score. Results are used to inform teachingNo good or bad score. Results are used to inform teaching

Diagnostic Testing (Feedback)Diagnostic Testing (Feedback)

• Hattie (2003)† shows that our most effective teachers Hattie (2003)† shows that our most effective teachers (in terms of improving the learning outcomes of (in terms of improving the learning outcomes of students)students) constantly use diagnostic information constantly use diagnostic information (Feedback) to inform their teaching.(Feedback) to inform their teaching.

• Hattie (2009)* shows that using feedback (i.e. using Hattie (2009)* shows that using feedback (i.e. using diagnostic information about what each student can diagnostic information about what each student can and can’t do to inform teaching) and can’t do to inform teaching) has one of the has one of the biggest impacts on improving student learning biggest impacts on improving student learning outcomes. (Effect size =0.73)outcomes. (Effect size =0.73)

2003: http://www.acer.edu.au/documents/RC2003_Hattie_TeachersMakeADifference.pdf 2009: Hattie, John. (2009). Visible Learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. NY: Routledge.

†*

SummarySummary

• Use Use MasteryMastery testing to monitor whether students testing to monitor whether students have mastered the learning covered in the have mastered the learning covered in the curriculum you have offered.curriculum you have offered.

• Use Use SummativeSummative testing to: testing to:

• monitor the effectiveness of your teaching, and monitor the effectiveness of your teaching, and • place students at some point along the place students at some point along the

curriculum continuum.curriculum continuum.• Use Use DiagnosticDiagnostic testing to determine what students testing to determine what students

already know and what they don’t know which already know and what they don’t know which should then be used to inform your teaching. should then be used to inform your teaching.