The big ideas I have learned in the assessment of students is that there are a lot of variables that go into determining the outcome of an assessment and the progress of a student. I think summative assessments are important and necessary to give a general idea of the students' weaknesses and strengths over a variety of subject areas. However, variables such as home life, dietary needs, health and other issues facing students can have a negative impact on the outcome of an assessment.
The type of test is important and it goes along with knowing exactly what I am testing. I want to make sure that if I want to test phonemic awareness that I am not using an assessment for comprehension. It is also important to make sure of the reliability and validity of a test before using it. If it can not be reliable, I can't expect to measurement to be accurate for me to use.
In terms of how I feel about summative assessments, I would say it is mixed. As I stated at the beginning, they can be useful and necessary. They give a broad overview of what a student has learned, as is the case with ISAT. But it is too bad schools do not receive the scores of this test during the same academic year. It would be so helpful in addressing weak areas. Also, every school seems to have a different curriculum and way of preparing for these tests. I found that criteria testing such as vocabulary quizes and exit slips helped me to be better at teaching. It was an immediate way for me to know if a particular skill or subject matter was understood. I could then stay on the same skill/topic but teach it in a different way. I like knowing immediately if students understand or get the big idea in the lesson.
