Modern Australian

what's the difference between formative and summative assessment in schools?

  • Written by Rod Lane, Senior Lecturer in Educational Assessment, Macquarie University
what's the difference between formative and summative assessment in schools?Both formative and summative assessments are important parts of a well-rounded assessment program.Shutterstock

The recent Gonski report argues Australia needs assessment and reporting models that capture both achievement progress and long-term learning progress. This, according to the review panel, involves low-stakes, low-key, and regular...