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Three elementary school children walk to class smiling in winter coats.

Education testing assessment of learning versus assessment for learning

Guest Author: Joe Siedlecki

One of the major problems in edureformia is the constant conflation of assessment OF learning with assessment FOR learning. We’ve all been a part of education testing conversations when we realized, “Hey, we aren’t talking about the same thing here.” Next time, rather than just nodding along, I suggest you dig into the disconnect and discuss away.

What is the difference?

Assessment OF learning involves looking at assessment information at the end of the teaching and learning process to rank students’ achievement levels against a standard. It is summative in nature and typically involves standardized tests. Assessment OF learning scores are often used to rate teachers’ or schools’ ability to move student achievement based on the results of single, point-in-time tests — e.g., those generated by Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) or state tests.

Assessment FOR learning embeds assessment processes throughout the teaching and learning process to constantly adjust instructional strategy. While it can include test data, it also addresses other quantitative and even qualitative data, and even encompasses a great deal of anecdotal and descriptive data. Using NWEA in conjunction with teacher generated daily data (checks for understanding, exit tickets, observations of student engagement) to alter instructional strategy during lesson or unit delivery is an example of assessment FOR learning in action.

The distinction, though, is that in assessment FOR learning, the test data is just one data element in the discussion, and the assessment process is constant rather than at a single point in time.

Joe Siedlecki

Can they both be present?

Certainly, there’s no either/or equation at play. Tests like NWEA and Scantron Performance Series are increasingly being used to evaluate student progress and provide data for instructional planning and decision making.

The distinction, though, is that in assessment FOR learning, the test data is just one data element in the discussion, and the assessment process is constant rather than at a single point in time.

What’s the future?

One day I hope that the conflation goes away. Why? Because what we should really be talking about is assessment AS learning — a process where students are aware of their own learning objectives, where they take responsibility for meeting those objectives, and where teachers assist students in their individualized learning paths. (An added benefit of assessment as learning is that it can be used to help students self-reflect on their behavior and attitudes as well as their learning.)

Only when we stop doing assessment to students or for students and do assessment with students will we truly be building their intellectual independence and ability to think critically.