Classroom assessments are no light matter. They need to test basic knowledge and complex memory, and they need to test that information as retained by students of wildly varying learning types and individual strengths and weaknesses. While some classroom assessments can be effectively delivered through a single format, many evaluations are best performed using a mix of testing structures. For example:
1. Matching Tests
These tests consist of two lists of elements. Students are asked to join an element from the first column with an element of the second using a certain criterion, such as history benchmarks or subject/verb pairs. Matching exercises are efficient at evaluating associative knowledge, but they’re not recommended for evaluating critical or complex thinking.
2. Completion Tests
During completion tests, students are required to fill in the gap(s) in a lead sentence with a phrase, word, or number that best suits the context. In this case, options are not made available, and students must produce the answers themselves. This could make the task more complex than the previous tests. Completion tests are effective when testing facts and come in handy for subjects that offer less-ambiguous information
3. Quizzes
Quizzes mostly serve revision purposes. They consist of questions based on previous lessons. They are easy to create, administer, and score and show clear results about a student’s acquisition of knowledge. These assessments encourage students to pay attention and keep up with homework so that they will be prepared for upcoming quizzes.
The first step in choosing a type of assessment is to think of a reason for assessing students, followed by an analysis of what type of knowledge will be assessed. Basic levels of knowledge, such as factual information, are best evaluated through objective tests, while higher levels of knowledge are best assessed by essay questions. Procedural knowledge should be tested through practical performance procedures. Think about what knowledge you need to test, and design an assessment that best fits your curriculum, and your pupils.
