What is the Difference Between Formative and Summative Evaluation?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between formative and summative evaluation lies in their purpose and timing. Here is a comparison of the two types of evaluation:
Formative Evaluation:
- Purpose: To monitor student learning and provide ongoing feedback to improve outcomes.
- Timing: Conducted during the development or improvement of a program or course.
- Goal: Improve outcomes by identifying strengths and weaknesses and targeting areas that need work.
- Examples: Concept maps, one-minute papers, research proposals for early feedback.
Summative Evaluation:
- Purpose: To evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against a standard or benchmark.
- Timing: Conducted at the conclusion of a program or course.
- Goal: Describe what happened and measure "how much" a student has learned after a unit or course.
- Examples: Midterm exams, final projects, papers, senior recitals.
In summary, formative evaluation focuses on providing feedback for improvement and is conducted during the development or improvement of a program or course, while summative evaluation assesses the overall effectiveness of a program or course at its conclusion. Both types of evaluation serve different purposes and should be used in tandem to monitor and improve learning outcomes.
Comparative Table: Formative vs Summative Evaluation
Here is a table comparing the differences between formative and summative evaluation:
Aspect | Formative Evaluation | Summative Evaluation |
---|---|---|
Purpose | Ongoing feedback to improve outcomes | Final assessment of outcomes and effectiveness |
Timing | Conducted during the learning process | Conducted after a unit or course completion |
Data | Qualitative (descriptive) data | Quantitative (numerical) data |
Focus | Identifying areas for improvement and making changes as needed | Measuring the overall effectiveness and success of the program |
Examples | Classroom polls, exit tickets, early feedback | Multiple-choice exams, end-of-unit tests, final class essays |
In summary, formative evaluation is an ongoing process that provides feedback to improve outcomes, while summative evaluation assesses the final outcomes and effectiveness of a program.
- Formative vs Summative assessment
- Formal vs Informal Assessment
- Assessment vs Evaluation
- Assessment vs Evaluation
- Analysis vs Evaluation
- Measurement vs Evaluation
- Research vs Evaluation
- Evaluation vs Conclusion
- Evaluation vs Monitoring
- Audit vs Evaluation
- Summary vs Summation
- Summary vs Analysis
- Quantitative vs Qualitative
- Integration vs Summation
- Qualitative vs Quantitative Research
- Summary vs Conclusion
- Formal vs Informal Education
- Formal vs Informal
- Summary vs Executive Summary