summative assessment

Ensuring the Integrity of the Grade

Effective assessment occurs when summative grades focus purely on a student’s mastery of curricular outcomes, without being clouded by extraneous factors. To achieve this, teachers must act as discerning investigators… Read More »

Formative

The Myth of the Real World

It’s a common refrain: ‘The real world doesn’t give second chances.’ But is that really true? When people say ‘the real world,’ they often mean the adult professional environment, but… Read More »

Formative

The Critical Role of Practice and Feedback

During the learning of new concepts or skills, it is essential that students have enough dedicated time to practice and act upon feedback before reaching a summative milestone. When navigating… Read More »

Assessment Literacy

The Path to Assessment Literacy: Why We Need a Common Language

Assessment shapes how students see themselves as learners and how families interpret school success. Yet, a significant gap persists between evidence-based practice and public perception. Many Albertans still view assessment… Read More »

Formative, Early Childhood

Let Them Play, Let Them Learn: Why Kindergarten Needs Documentation, Not Marks

Students today are often trained to be grade-focused rather than learning-focused. This quote from Myron Dueck continues to resonate with me when I think about Alberta’s children and their earliest… Read More »

Outcomes Based Assessment

Beyond Weights and Bins: Building Fair and Accurate Grading Practices District-Wide

If your district hasn’t fully adopted outcomes-based grading, it’s important to examine how school- or division-wide gradebook settings may unintentionally distort the picture of student learning. While weighted categories can… Read More »