Student Assessment at CRTC

Student Assessment at CRTC

Post by: Will Brunkhorst

CRTC instructors must assesses their students’ knowledge/skills, but the process is not traditional. At the heart of the process is a one to one quarterly meeting between each student and his/her instructor. Much more info can be found on the website (www.thecrtc.net select the ASSESSMENT & SPUR link on the left).

For this article I will distinguish between two distinctly different forms of assessment as they relate to our philosophical approach to education here at CRTC.

Assessment of Learning (Summative) is the assessment of a student’s knowledge/skills after instruction, as with an end of unit test or a standardized exam. Summative assessment provides information regarding a student’s knowledge/skills, but only at the time that the assessment was performed.

Assessment for Learning (Formative) is the assessment of a student’s knowledge/skills during the instruction and learning process.  Observations and conclusions are used by the instructor to adjust instruction and curriculum in order to enhance and improve learning.

Formative Assessment

Summative Assessment

CRTC staff puts significant effort and resources into the process of formative assessment. Regular assessment of a student’s knowledge/skills, coupled with constructive, non-threatening feedback during the learning process is difficult for instructors but vitally important. Adjustments to instruction and curriculum are far more beneficial when made during the learning process, not after.