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Discover Summative Assessments

Explore examples of summative assessments and discover them on Quizizz.

Define Summative Assessment

Summative assessments are crucial for evaluating student learning at the end of an instructional period. Think of them like the final act of a play, highlighting what students have learned throughout the course. This key moment shows how all the lessons come together, like the grand finale in a show.

The purpose of a summative assessment is to check how much students remember,  set final grades, and gauge if educational goals have been met. These assessments can be of different types, such as final exams or big projects, and they help measure how well students have understood the material.

What is the difference between formative and summative assessments?

If assessments were members of a team, formative assessments would be the supportive coaches, always ready to provide feedback and guide students through their learning journey. In contrast, summative assessments are the final judges, arriving at the end of the period to evaluate the overall performance.

What's the main difference between formative and summative assessment? It boils down to timing and intent. Formative assessments are ongoing and aimed at improving learning, while summative assessments provide a conclusive measure of achievement.

Example of summative assessment

Summative assessments are key milestones in your student's educational journey. They can include:

Final exams that wrap up everything that’s been taught

Standardized tests that measure how students compare nationally

End-of-unit tests that check their grasp of the material

And so much more! These assessments are crucial, as they showcase not only student learning but also the effectiveness of your teaching. Each summative assessment helps you see where your students excel and where their learning can be enhanced. You can learn more about summative assessments by exploring them on Quizizz!