Preferred Assessment Type: A Balanced Approach

Researchers suggest that combining formative and summative assessments will provide a more complete picture of student learning. Ensuring assessments are varied, equitable, and growth-focused will help align with instructional goals and support student success.

Each assessment type serves a unique purpose:

• Open-ended assessments encourage critical thinking and creativity.
• Selected-response assessments (e.g., multiple-choice) are efficient for gauging factual knowledge.
• Performance-based assessments evaluate practical application of skills. Popham (2019) proposes a balanced mix, which provides a comprehensive picture of student learning, catering to diverse learning styles.