Understanding Assessments in Education— Types and Purposes
Why Can’t We Just Have Homework and Not Exams?
Introduction
Homework, quizzes, exams, and presentations are all included under the umbrella term of ‘assessment’. In the field of education, ‘assessment’ refers to the action of collecting data for teachers to assess their own teaching and the students’ learning¹. While there are many types of assessment (e.g., summative, formative, evaluative, diagnostic, performance-based), this article explores the 2 major contrasting assessments in formal education — formative and summative. Corresponding purposes and practices will also be discussed.
“Assessment includes both the process of ‘measurement’ and ‘evaluation’. Assessment are sometimes used to serve different purposes, based on the measurement information gathered as well as the interpretation of such measurements.” — Learning Theory Project Team of HKU²
Formative Assessment
Formative assessment, also known as assessment for learning, aims to track students’ progress during the process of teaching and learning so that teachers can provide appropriate guidance and scaffolding to help students reach their learning outcomes. The key purpose is not to grade and rank students or select the most elite ones, but rather to encourage growth for both the teacher and the student. In other words, since no student’s learning needs are the same, teachers must check in periodically and adjust their teaching accordingly. Some examples of formative assessment include homework exercises, in-class Q&As, mini-quizzes, polls, and reflective entries. In formal education, these assessments are characterized by their low-stakes context; they are generally not graded. Even if they are, the grades do not contribute significantly to the final results on the report card.
Summative Assessment
Summative assessment, on the other hand, is an assessment of learning (distinct from assessment for learning in formative assessment). The purpose is to evaluate students in order to meet the needs of benchmarking and accreditation². As the name suggests, it usually occurs after the teaching process (e.g., at the end of a course, semester, or year) when teachers grade students to make major decisions such as promotion or termination of study. Examples of summative assessment include examinations, term papers, final projects, and portfolios. They are high-stakes in nature and outcome-oriented. No further revisions or teaching are conducted after summative assessments.
Discussion: Why Formative and Summative Assessments?
One may ask, why has there been a development of such categorization of assessments? Why can’t we rely solely on formative assessments, like homework, and simply enjoy the art of learning? After all, few people truly enjoy being graded, ranked, or subjected to decisions made by others. This leads us to a discussion about the purpose of education.
Historically, the ultimate goal of education in various civilizations has often been to select elites to serve society. In this context, summative assessments fulfill a necessary function by identifying and placing suitable talents in appropriate positions.
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It is an apparent truth that formal education has never been primarily established for the sake of happiness or personal interests. Instead, every curriculum plan is designed to meet broader societal needs. From a governor’s perspective, a prosperous society relies heavily on its human resources. Therefore, the improvement of education — helping individuals learn better, identifying potential leaders, and effectively allocating human resources — makes complete sense.
I argue that formative assessments have developed primarily because of the existence of summative assessments. The hierarchy of assessment types should resemble a structure where summative assessments umbrella formative assessments, which then branch out into other types of evaluations.
Reflection: The Case of Hong Kong
Before the arrival of British missionaries, small village schools existed in Hong Kong³. However, local wealthy families preferred education in the Canton region for its higher quality⁴. The establishment of schools by British missionaries in the 19th century marked a turning point, introducing institutions for boys, as well as schools catering to both British and Chinese youth, and later, girl-only schools focused on serving the Chinese community⁵⁶. By the time of the handover in 1997, there were eight tertiary education institutions in Hong Kong.
Starting in 1978, students were enrolled in the HKCEE (similar to the UK’s GCSE) and the A-levels, a two-tier general examination influenced by the UK education system. However, the HKCEE and A-levels were discontinued in 2012 and 2014, respectively, and were replaced by the current one-tier HKDSE examination.
Reinforcing the earlier point, every curriculum plan serves the broader societal needs. One may deduce that each change in the curriculum reflects a shift in these societal needs. What were the purposes of education during the colonial era? I cannot say, for I was not born yet. Why did the shift occur from a two-tier to a one-tier examination? I do not fully understand, for I have not experienced the two-tier curriculum. How will education in Hong Kong transform society? I cannot project, for I choose to focus on the present.
References
- Northern Illinois University Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. (2012). Formative and summative assessment. In Instructional guide for university faculty and teaching assistants. Retrieved from https://www.niu.edu/citl/resources/guides/instructional-guide
- Learning Theory Project Team of HKU. (2018). Assessment and Learning. In What teachers should know about learning theories. Retrieved from https://kb.edu.hku.hk/keyissues_assessment_learning/
- Sweeting, A. (1990). Education in Hong Kong, Hong Kong University Press.
- Tang, W. (2006). Linguistic Imperialism In Medium of Instruction Policies In Pre and Post 1997 Hong Kong. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20070511045950/http://www.brynmawr.edu/eastasian/pdf/Tang.pdf
- Bray, M. & Koo, R. (2005). Education and Society in Hong Kong and Macao: Comparative Perspectives on Continuity and Change. Hong Kong: Springer Press.
- Wang, S. (2024). The “New Woman” in the Periodical Press: Portraying Usefulness at St. Stephen’s Girls’ College in Hong Kong, 1921–1941. History of Education Quarterly, 64 (1): 43–65.
