Which assessment occurs at the end of instruction and allows us to determine if our overall student learning outcomes have been achieved?

Which assessment occurs at the end of instruction and allows us to determine if our overall student learning outcomes have been achieved?

• A. Formative assessment
• B. Diagnostic assessment
• C. Objective assessment
• D. Summative assessment

Answer: (D)

The concept being tested is when and why we use a final check on learning. Summative assessment is an end-of-instruction measure that determines whether students have achieved the overall learning outcomes. It looks at what students have mastered after instruction, often across a unit or course, and is used to make conclusions about mastery—such as assigning grades or deciding readiness to move on. Formative assessment, by contrast, happens during instruction to guide teaching and provide ongoing feedback, not to certify overall mastery at the end. Diagnostic assessment is used before or at the start to identify gaps and plan instruction. The term objective assessment isn’t a timing category; it refers more to how the assessment is scored or what it measures, rather than when it occurs.

The concept being tested is when and why we use a final check on learning. Summative assessment is an end-of-instruction measure that determines whether students have achieved the overall learning outcomes. It looks at what students have mastered after instruction, often across a unit or course, and is used to make conclusions about mastery—such as assigning grades or deciding readiness to move on.

Formative assessment, by contrast, happens during instruction to guide teaching and provide ongoing feedback, not to certify overall mastery at the end. Diagnostic assessment is used before or at the start to identify gaps and plan instruction. The term objective assessment isn’t a timing category; it refers more to how the assessment is scored or what it measures, rather than when it occurs.