Assessment Types and Methods

If we truly want to meet the needs of ALL children, "we must learn to develop and use classroom assessments that provide, fair, valid, and reliable information that will inform teaching and promote learning". - Jay McTighe and Steven Ferrara, Ph.D.

There are basically two types or categories of assessments: Selection-Based and Performance-Based.  Within these two types, there are multiple approaches and methods of assessment. Deciding which assessment approach and method to use is determined by the answers to the following questions: What is the learning target or outcome? What did I want the students to learn? What evidence will truly show me that the students have reached this target or outcome?

Selection-Based Method

Generally speaking, this type of assessment is best used to assess students' knowledge of factual information, concepts and principles, and the application of basic skills.

Evaluation method for selection-based assessments: Usually some type of an answer key to identify correct or best answer. Scoring of selected-response items is relatively quick, easy, and objective.

Selected-Response Items: This format presents students with a question, problem, or statement followed by a set of alternative responses. Students make a selection from the alternative responses rather than create a response of their own. More than likely, selected-response items have only one correct answer.

Assessment Methods:

• Multiple-choice
• Matching
• True-false