Understanding the Differences between Formal and Informal Assessment

Understanding the Differences between Formal and Informal Assessment

Assessment is an integral part of the learning process. For educators, it helps to understand what students know, identify gaps in their knowledge, and create strategies based on the results. Educators use formal and informal assessments to measure the academic achievement of their students. These assessments differ in many ways, including purpose, timing, content, and format. In this article, we will explore the differences between formal and informal assessments to help you understand their importance and how to use them effectively in your classroom.

Formal Assessment

Formal assessment is typically planned and administered on a regular basis, such as quarterly exams or final exams. It is designed to provide a measure of student learning according to a specific set of standards or objectives. These assessments are typically high stakes, meaning that the results have a significant impact on a student’s academic progress, such as determining if they graduate or move on to the next grade level. Examples of formal assessments include standardized tests, district tests, or summative assessments.

Subheadings:

Purpose of Formal Assessment

Timing of Formal Assessment

Content and Format of Formal Assessment

Purpose of Formal Assessment:
The primary purpose of formal assessments is to measure students’ academic performance against the curriculum standards. Teachers may use formal assessments to determine a student’s readiness for a particular course or to identify gaps in student knowledge, which they may need to address in future lessons.

Timing of Formal Assessment:
Formal assessments are often planned in advance and are administered at specific times of the year, such as the end of a chapter or semester. These assessments have fixed instructions, time limits, and predetermined scoring rubrics.

Content and Format of Formal Assessment:
These assessments contain objective questions such as multiple-choice, true-false, or matching items. The exams are scored using predetermined formulas, such as grading on a bell-curve. Formal assessments are standardized, making them easier to compare student’s results across a wide range of districts.

Informal Assessment

On the other hand, informal assessments are usually unstructured, which means they do not follow a set protocol. They are often used as a diagnostic tool to identify student’s strengths or weaknesses, and they can be done at any time during the school year. Unlike formal assessments, informal assessments are low stakes; this means that they do not negatively affect a student’s academic progress, and they can be used to measure learning progress.

Subheadings:

Purpose of Informal Assessment

Timing of Informal Assessment

Content and Format of Informal Assessment

Purpose of Informal Assessment:
The primary purpose of informal assessments is to gather information about students’ abilities, needs, and progress. These assessments allow teachers to elicit an organic, natural response from students to obtain a meaningful and more comprehensive understanding of their knowledge.

Timing of Informal Assessment:
Informal assessment can take place at any time, such as when the teacher is observing students during class, or during a one-on-one conversation with a student. It often involves observing student’s behavior, performance, and attitude.

Content and Format of Informal Assessment:
Informal assessments can take various forms, ranging from asking open-ended questions, observing student behavior, gauging student responses through group activities, or assigning small-scale projects. They provide a more flexible and creative way to gather feedback and insights into student’s learning, making it easier for teachers to recognize patterns and address individual student needs.

Conclusion:
The main difference between formal and informal assessments is their purpose, timing, content, and format. Formal assessments are used to measure a student’s academic performance, while informal assessments provide valuable feedback for teachers to tailor instruction to student needs. Both assessments are essential for teachers to better understand their students and to make informed decisions about their education.

By using both types of assessments effectively, teachers can gain a better understanding of student’s knowledge and learning needs. Moreover, teachers can use assessment results to provide resources, implement teaching strategies that enhance student’s learning progress. As such, it is essential for educators to understand the differences between these assessments to make informed decisions about which assessment type to use and when to use them.