Traditional Summative Assessment Research Articles

Comparison of Two Educational Methods for Teaching European Paediatric Advanced Life Support to Adults: Formative Versus Summative Evaluation—A Pilot Investigation

Abstract Background: This study compared formative assessment with traditional summative assessment during European Paediatric Advanced Life Support (EPALS) courses. With increasing emphasis on the effectiveness of medical teaching methods, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of these assessment approaches on perceived stress levels and overall satisfaction of healthcare professionals participating in the EPALS course. Materials and Methods: A pilot investigation study was carried out to compare two EPALS courses run simultaneously. The courses used two different assessment methods: one used a summative evaluation at the end of the course, while the other implemented summative assessment throughout. The study examined the stress levels perceived by participants during the different phases of training when using subjective measures. In addition, participants’ satisfaction with the course, assessment methods, and overall experience was assessed using Likert scale responses. Results: Participants undergoing formative assessment reported significantly lower stress levels during assessment periods than those in the summative evaluation group. Both groups of participants were satisfied with the course. However, the formative group preferred formative assessment, while the summative group was more neutral. The formative group strongly believed that formative assessment was more objective than a summative test (P = 0.011) and that certification held the same value as after a summative test (P = 0.046), whereas the summative group believed that a formative assessment was neither more nor less objective. Conclusion: This study sheds light on the potential benefits of formative assessment in reducing perceived stress during training and increasing the satisfaction of participants of EPALS courses.

Integrating extended formative assessment in flipped jigsaw learning: Promoting learning engagement and higher-order thinking skills in international business education context

Despite research confirming the positive impact of flipped jigsaw learning across multiple disciplines, little attention has been paid to embedding formative assessment into flipped jigsaw learning to optimize the acquisition of practical skills needed for future professional careers and promote learning engagement and higher-order thinking skills (HOTS). This study aimed to investigate the incorporation of formative assessment into a flipped jigsaw learning context and examine its effects on learning engagement and HOTS in an undergraduate business marketing course. A quasi-experimental design was used in this study, with two groups: control with flipped jigsaw learning and traditional summative assessment and experimental with flipped jigsaw learning and formative assessment. Each group consisted of 25 students, all enrolled in the undergraduate business administration department at an Indonesian vocational tertiary education institution. Questionnaires and student assignment scores were used to collect data. According to the findings, flipped jigsaw learning with extended formative assessment improved learning engagement and HOTS more than flipped jigsaw learning with traditional summative assessment. This study's findings may contribute to advancing theories and practices on how formative assessment has recently been explored as a learning tool embedded in flipped jigsaw learning in international business education.

AI, Analytics and a New Assessment Model for Universities

As the COVID-19 pandemic recedes, its legacy has been to disrupt universities across the world, most immediately in developing online adjuncts to face-to-face teaching. Behind these problems lie those of assessment, particularly traditional summative assessment, which has proved more difficult to implement. This paper models the current practice of assessment in higher education as influenced by ten factors, the most important of which are the emerging technologies of artificial intelligence (AI) and learning analytics (LA). Using this model and a SWOT analysis, the paper argues that the pressures of marketisation and demand for nontraditional and vocationally oriented provision put a premium on courses offering a more flexible and student-centred assessment. This could be facilitated through institutional strategies enabling assessment for learning: an approach that employs formative assessment supported by AI and LA, together with collaborative working in realistic contexts, to facilitate students’ development as flexible and sustainable learners. While literature in this area tends to focus on one or two aspects of technology or assessment, this paper aims to be integrative by drawing upon more comprehensive evidence to support its thesis.

A study on the impact of repeated examinations on the performance of 1st-year medical students

Background: Examinations are the tools for assessing medical students. Traditional summative assessment helps in assessing knowledge and success of the student at the end of the year whereas formative assessments help in giving timely feedback. Aims and Objectives: This study was done to compare the effect of repeated examinations otherwise formative assessment with the assessment done after 3 months on the performance of medical students. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, ESIC Medical College, Hyderabad. A total of 98 students were taken, they were assessed in the physiology first internals with the essay type questions without any weekly tests then weekly tests were given and assessed in the physiology second internals with the essay type questions after 3 months. Results: Results of first internal and second internals were compared using Student’s test. It was found that there was a significant improvement in the performance of the medical students (P < 0.001) after conducting weekly tests. Conclusions: This study revealed that there is a link between the regular weekly test and increase in the performance of the medical students. It also builds confidence among the medical students.

Assessment of STEM Projects: Tacit Perspective of Turkish Science Education

With the worldwide spread of STEM education, which is considered as one of the most important developments of the 21st century in the field of education, the question of how to assess STEM education activities has emerged. In STEM education, where many interdisciplinary learning outcomes are applied together and where the learning process is more important, it is natural for the traditional summative assessment methods to lose their validity. In Turkey, the 2018 science course curriculum was updated with the components of STEM education and the importance of process assessment was emphasized, but there is no detailed explanation given on how to do it. However, formative assessment was discussed in detail in an earlier Turkish science curriculum. In this article, discussion is presented on how to use formative assessment in STEM education with the aid of 2005 Turkish science curriculum together with examples from various resources.

Fostering learners' involvement in the assessment process during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of university language and communication teachers across the globe

With the transition to online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for identifying effective methods of assessment has become paramount. The methods of traditional summative in-person, paperand-pencil exams could not be adapted to the online environment. In case of unsupervised (nonproctored) exams it was impossible to ensure students' academic honesty. Some universities have offered remotely supervised (proctored) examinations, which has been a rare exception. The pandemic prompted teachers to innovate their assessment practice and apply formative assessment methods as an alternative to traditional summative assessment. They have started using tasks such as e-portfolios, online learning journals, blogs, online presentations, creative writing, and open-book exams, which present golden opportunities to involve students in the assessment process. This study aims to explore assessment-related experiences of language and communication teachers at higher education institutions (HEIs) during the pandemic. Our mixed-method research combines an international survey administered to university language and communication teachers (N=301) with in-depth interviews with a selection of participants (n=18) of the same background. The results provide valuable insights into the perceptions that university language and communication teachers have of effective assessment methods and pedagogical approaches engaging learners in assessment. The implications of the study advocate a growing trend toward a wider use of learner-centered assessment.

Evaluation of a formative peer assessment in research methods teaching using an online platform: A mixed methods pre-post study

BackgroundIn higher education settings, there are increasing calls to shift away from traditional summative assessment practices, such end of term written tests, to explore methods of assessing learning in alternative ways. Peer assessment has been advocated as a means of formative assessment to enhance student engagement, empowering students to take responsibility for their own learning. While there is accumulating evidence for the value of peer assessment in higher education, one cannot assume peer feedback will translate appropriately to all settings and educational contexts. ObjectivesThis study evaluated the implementation of formative online peer assessment in a nursing and midwifery research methods module. We explored students' expectations, experiences, and ultimately the acceptability of this approach. DesignA quantitative descriptive study. SettingIreland. MethodsAn online survey to collate expectations and experiences of engagement in peer assessment. Scales were drawn from previous research and non-parametric tests explored changes in perceptions over time. Qualitative content analysis explored patterns evident in open-text responses. ResultsThe response rate was 28% (n = 74) at baseline and 31% at follow-up (n = 81). Peer assessment was a new experience for 95% of respondents. Students initially expressed apprehension, perceiving the task as daunting, and doubting their ability to provide feedback to peers. However, through providing instruction and tools to support students in the activity, high levels of satisfaction with the process and the experience were reported. Significant differences in perceptions of peer assessment were evident over time, including an enhanced belief that respondents had the requisite skills to appraise the work of their peers. ConclusionsIn sum, nursing and midwifery students agreed that peer assessment was a valuable learning experience as part of research methods training and critical skills development.

Fostering learners’ involvement in the assessment process during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of university language and communication teachers across the globe

With the transition to online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for identifying effective methods of assessment has become paramount. The methods of traditional summative in-person, paper-and-pencil exams could not be adapted to the online environment. In case of unsupervised (non-proctored) exams it was impossible to ensure students’ academic honesty. Some universities have offered remotely supervised (proctored) examinations, which has been a rare exception. The pandemic prompted teachers to innovate their assessment practice and apply formative assessment methods as an alternative to traditional summative assessment. They have started using tasks such as e-portfolios, online learning journals, blogs, online presentations, creative writing, and open-book exams, which present golden opportunities to involve students in the assessment process. This study aims to explore assessment-related experiences of language and communication teachers at higher education institutions (HEIs) during the pandemic. Our mixed-method research combines an international survey administered to university language and communication teachers (N=301) with in-depth interviews with a selection of participants (n=18) of the same background. The results provide valuable insights into the perceptions that university language and communication teachers have of effective assessment methods and pedagogical approaches engaging learners in assessment. The implications of the study advocate a growing trend toward a wider use of learner-centered assessment.

The Effect of Formative Evaluation on Students' Achievement in ESP 'A Case Study of Preparatory Year Students' at Umm-AL-Qura University'

This research attempted to find out the impact of formative evaluation on Saudi male learners’ achievement in English for Specific Purposes (ESP). The study also seeks to check the instructors and students' attitudes towards formative assessment. The sample of the study involved 98 subjects chosen purposively from among the Preparatory Year students at Umm-Al- Qura University in Saudi Arabia. These were divided into two equal groups; one was intended to act as an experimental and the other was taken as a control group. The experimental group was taught their ESP material following the formative evaluation techniques; whereas the control group was taught the same material in accordance with the traditional summative assessment principles. The study lasted for one semester (sixteen weeks) during which the students studied two textbooks: Nursing 1 and Nursing 2. In the last week of the experiment, the two groups sat for the final achievement exam, which was intended for all pre-medical students in the Preparatory College. The grades of both group students in the final exam were statistically analyzed and compared. The results revealed a considerable difference between the two groups. The achievement of the experimental group students was found to be higher than that of the control group. This difference is taken to indicate the efficacy of using formative evaluation in teaching ESP. To check students and instructors’ attitudes towards formative evaluation a questionnaire and a series of interviews were used. Advanced statistical analysis of the responses of the instructors and students has shown their positive attitudes towards this form of evaluation. The study concluded with some recommendations to enhance this type of assessment.

Percepções e representações sociais de professores acerca de avaliação da aprendizagem: um estudo das produções em teses e dissertações (2009-2019)

O estudo teve por objetivo mapear a produção sobre avaliação com foco nas percepções e representações dos professores da educação básica. Para isso foram analisadas dissertações e teses disponibilizadas na BDTD, publicadas entre o período 2009-2019. Observou-se a hegemonia de uma perspectiva teórica construtivista de avaliação formativa direcionando o debate acadêmico. Predominam, no campo analítico, pesquisas qualitativas e estudos de caso que convergem, em suas conclusões, para a constatação de um pensamento social cujas percepções se aproximam de uma pedagogia avaliativa tradicional, destacando as dificuldades dos professores de incorporar os ideais pedagógicos contemporâneos.Palavras-chave: avaliação da aprendizagem; estudo de revisão; representações sociais.

An Algorithm and a Tool for the Automatic Grading of MOOC Learners from Their Contributions in the Discussion Forum

MOOCs (massive open online courses) have a built-in forum where learners can share experiences as well as ask questions and get answers. Nevertheless, the work of the learners in the MOOC forum is usually not taken into account when calculating their grade in the course, due to the difficulty of automating the calculation of that grade in a context with a very large number of learners. In some situations, discussion forums might even be the only available evidence to grade learners. In other situations, forum interactions could serve as a complement for calculating the grade in addition to traditional summative assessment activities. This paper proposes an algorithm to automatically calculate learners’ grades in the MOOC forum, considering both the quantitative dimension and the relevance in their contributions. In addition, the algorithm has been implemented within a web application, providing instructors with a visual and a numerical representation of the grade for each learner. An exploratory analysis is carried out to assess the algorithm and the tool with a MOOC on programming, obtaining a moderate positive correlation between the forum grades provided by the algorithm and the grades obtained through the summative assessment activities. Nevertheless, the complementary analysis conducted indicates that this correlation may not be enough to use the forum grades as predictors of the grades obtained through summative assessment activities.

Step-by-step Guide to Create Competency-Based Assignments as an Alternative for Traditional Summative Assessment.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. The sudden, prolonged COVID-19 lockdown has offered a great challenge to the medical school. This was not only at the level of learning and curricular design but also the level of assessment. The traditional summative assessment tools have collapsed during this Pandemic. Herein, we provide a five-step guide for designing competency-based E-assignments for summative assessment. Innovative assignments designs are crucially required for fair summative assessment of the medical students, mainly in the pre-clerkship phase. These need to be innovative, engaging, competency-based, well-designed, with defined rubrics, integrated, and interdisciplinary whenever possible. These should also enforce the concepts of self-assessment and student peer assessment. Including the students in the formulation and design enhances their self-motivation where there is no face-to-face education. Designing an assignment with a quality product as an outcome increases the students' enthusiasm and self-confidence. A brief case-study is included as an example. Teaching after the pandemic era will greatly change with inevitable changes in the dogmatic concepts. Formative and summative assessments are probably changing seats which might be sustained for some time post-COVID-19.

Positive Impact of Utilizing More Formative Assessment over Summative Assessment in the EFL/ESL Classroom

Numerous studies about the role of assessment in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) have been conducted in the last few decades. These studies describe a close connection between language assessment and language teaching. Evidence shows that the way students perceive their results after taking an exam strongly influences their motivation toward using the target language in real communication (Torrance, 2012). In compliance with such studies, this paper provides a general view of language assessment and its implications in the EFL/ESL classroom. The paper aims to provide a general background of language assessment, as well as a contrastive analysis of both summative and formative assessment. The paper approaches the topic from the point of view of both agents involved in the learning process; instructors and students. The findings suggest that students benefit more from formative assessment since it provides them with timely appropriate feedback that helps them shape the way they approach language learning (Huang, 2016). On the other hand, the study highlights that novice teachers usually opt for the traditional summative assessment in order to avoid challenges that formative assessment represents.

Framework Development of Serious Game-Based Instrument for Malay Language Early Literacy Assessment

Literacy achievement is important because it is the underpinning skills that sustain an individual’s competencies in early education. However, most of assessment instrument nowadays are in the form of traditional summative assessment. The emerging assessment instrument in recent evolution of technology allows teachers, educators and assessment workers to seek for better approaches in evaluating and assessing students’ achievement. While the traditional assessment methods are gradually being transformed into informal and formative assessment methods, an establishment of an alternative assessment framework is needed to accommodate the transformation. Therefore, the aim of this study is to establish the framework development of a Serious Game-Based Instrument for early literacy student assessment. The study used the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) approach to determine the appropriate gamification features of Serious Games and develop the serious game-based assessment framework. For that purposed, 17 experts from different fields of studies were involved in the FGD session. The findings were analyzed using descriptive analysis. This study concludes by highlighting the proposed framework of the Serious Game-Based Literacy Assessment by verifying gamification features and literacy constructs needed for the development of Serious Games of Early Literacy Student Assessment.

Development of an Open-Source Laparoscopic Simulator Capable of Motion and Force Assessment: High Tech at Low Cost.

Laparoscopic simulators help improve surgical skills in an ex vivo setting. New simulators incorporate force and motion assessment, but often at high financial cost. Our goal is to establish global access to a laparoscopic simulator, which offers both traditional summative assessment (time to task completion and precision) as well as advanced formative assessment (force and motion sensing capabilities) so that educators anywhere may be able to create simulators with increased educational value. A low-cost laparoscopic simulator incorporating an off-the-shelf optical sensor, inertial measurement unit, holders, and a housing unit for a microcontroller was integrated into a plastic box with a high-definition digital camera and a three-dimensional mouse. Open source software was developed to offer real-time feedback in force and motion. The system was calibrated for accuracy and consistency. The simulator was assembled from off-the-shelf components and open-source software. Total estimated cost was $350 United States Dollars. The mouse was calibrated by applying known forces in known directions. Linear forces measured in all axes showed linear output trends with r2-values of between 0.988 and 0.999. Accuracy in motion evaluation was evaluated and this demonstrated low average errors in the motion sensors of 5.4% to 6.8%. This low-cost, off-the-shelf, open-access laparoscopic simulator provides accurate and consistent measures of force and motion. We believe that collaborative efforts between surgeons and engineers can allow the creation of these surgical teaching devices at a reasonable cost such that they can be used in resource-rich and resource-limited settings.

IPEG 2018The 27th Annual Congress for Endosurgery in ChildrenApril 11–14, 2018, Seattle, Washington

IPEG 2018The 27^th Annual Congress for Endosurgery in ChildrenApril 11–14, 2018, Seattle, Washington

An empirical study on multidimensional summative assessment in translation teaching

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this paper is to present an experimental study on summative assessment in translation teaching. The paper emphasises the need to use, as an alternative to traditional assessment (i.e. the translation of a text under exam conditions), multidimensional assessment based on a range of criterion-referenced and competence-based assessment instruments and tasks. In order to study their applicability, we designed and empirically tested a proposal for summative assessment for BA students taking Spanish-to-Italian translation. We designed a teaching unit which features various assessment tasks. After completing the unit, students compiled a portfolio and were given a traditional summative assessment test. The students also completed a survey about teaching and forms of assessment. We used several assessment rubrics for each assessment task. We subsequently compared the information collected via the different summative assessment tasks and the portfolio with the results of the traditional exam in order to analyse the differences. We also compared the assessments provided by three evaluators, i.e. the tutor and two external assessors. The results show that our assessment proposal provides data about the acquisition of different translation sub-competences and the effectiveness of the assessment rubrics.

The Impact of Assessment for Learning on Students’ Achievement in English for Specific Purposes A Case Study of Pre-Medical Students at Khartoum University: Sudan

This study tries to identify the effect of assessment for learning on a group of Sudanese pre-medical students’ performance in English for Specific Purposes (ESP). The study also attempts to identify students’ perception and attitudes towards this type of assessment. The sample of the study is composed of 53 subjects from the Pre -medical students at Khartoum University in Sudan. These students are placed into two groups; an experimental and a control group. The experimental group students are taught their ESP material in accordance with assessment for learning principles and techniques, the control group; however, is taught the same material using the traditional summative assessment procedures. The experiment lasts for one term, i.e., 16 weeks. The experimental group instructor is subjected to an intensive training course on how to implement assessment for learning strategies in classroom setting. At the end of the term, the two groups sit for a final exam which is intended for all Pre-medical students. Comparison of the scores of the students reveals a significant difference between the two groups in favor of the experimental group. Students’ attitudes towards assessment for learning are checked through a questionnaire and interviews. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the students’ responses show their positive attitudes towards this type of assessment. The study ends up with a set of recommendations and suggestions to improve assessment for learning practice and to make it more effective in a Sudanese setting.

The Comparative Effect of Portfolio and Summative Assessments on EFL Learners' Writing Ability, Anxiety, and Autonomy

The present study was an attempt to systematically compare the effect of portfolio and summative assessment on writing ability, anxiety, and autonomy of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. The participants were 70 male and female intermediate level EFL learners, between 19 and 35 (Mage = 27), who were non-randomly selected from among 90 EFL learners through employing a piloted sample of the Preliminary English Test (PET). They were randomly assigned into two experimental groups of 35, named portfolio assessment writing and summative assessment writing. Prior to the treatment phase, the participants filled out the English versions of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986) and Zhang and Li's (2004) Learner Autonomy Questionnaire. The portfolio group was instructed based on the Classroom Portfolio Model, by Hamp-Lyons and Condon (2000), whereas in the summative assessment group, the common traditional summative assessment approach was implemented. After the treatment phase, both experimental groups were given another writing section of the PET test and the same anxiety and autonomy questionnaires as the posttests. The analysis of the test scores using two independent-samples t-tests and an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that the summative assessment group had a significantly higher post-treatment level of anxiety. Furthermoe, the level of post-treatment autonomy in the portfolio assessment group was significantly higher. It was also concluded that there was a non-significant difference between the impact of portfolio and summative assessment on writing scores when controlling for the impact of pretest scores.

Blending Formative and Summative Assessment in a Capstone Subject: ‘It’s not your tools, it’s how you use them’

Discussions about the relationships between formative and summative assessment have come full circle after decades of debate. For some time formative assessment with its emphasis on feedback to students was promoted as better practice than traditional summative assessment. Summative assessment practices were broadly criticised as distanced from the learning process. More recently discussions have refocused on the potential complementary characteristics of formative and summative purposes of assessment. However studies on practical designs to link formative and summative assessment in constructive ways are rare. In paramedic education, like many other professional disciplines, strong traditions of summative assessment - assessment ‘of’ learning - have long dominated. Communities require that a graduate has been judged fit to practice. The assessment redesign described and evaluated in this paper sought to rebalance assessment relationships in a capstone paramedic subject to integrate formative assessment for learning with summative assessment of learning. Assessment was repositioned as a communication process about learning. Through a variety of frequent assessment events, judgement of student performance is accompanied with rich feedback. Each assessment event provides information about learning, unique to each student’s needs. Each assessment event shaped subsequent assessment events. Student participants in the formal evaluation of the subject indicated high levels of perceived value and effectiveness on learning across each of the assessment events, with broad agreement also demonstrated relating to student perceptions for preparedness: ‘readiness to practice’. Our approach focused on linking assessment events, resulted in assessments providing formative communication to students and summative outcome information to others simultaneously. The formative-summative dichotomy disappeared: all assessment became part of communication about learning.