Assessment is one of the most important steps of learning. Not only is it required for accreditation, but also as a tool to make a program successful. There are many types of necessary assessment: self assessment for students and instructors, assessment of students, assessment of staff, and many more. This is the way we learn and make corrections, no matter what level of education we are going through. As individuals, we can expect to be assessed our entire lives. Some may be formal and graded, while others may be just one person’s judgement.
Both formative and summative assessments are important for effective learning for entry level dental hygiene students. With formative evaluations, students have the opportunity to show their knowledge in an informal way throughout the course. They can reflect on themselves, test their own knowledge, and provide feedback that can be helpful for the instructor.
Summative assessments provide a formal evaluation of learning. With it being graded and at the conclusion of the course, students are expected to perform well and demonstrate their knowledge to the best of their abilities. It reinforces the material learned throughout the entire semester or quarter, rather than at just a moment in time like formative assessment.
I thought it was interesting in Amy’s presentation that formative assessment is often spur of the moment. I think as instructors, we are constantly performing formative assessments, even if we do not realize. It can be as simple as, ‘Would you rather create a PowerPoint or an infographic?’ We may not think of this as assessment, but it actually is a way to improve the course and accommodate students.
I think the most effective formative assessments for entry level students are short response papers (timed) and classroom discussions. When writing these papers on various topics, students can self-assess and identify their strengths and weaknesses. This gives an opportunity to complete this without the pressure of being right or wrong, so I think students are more likely to be open and really expand on what they have to say. The muddiest point helps them and the instructor realize what topics may need a little more attention. This is also a great opportunity for students to give the instructor feedback to improve the course. Class discussions lead to opening of minds and bringing new ideas into the thoughts of other students. It is always interesting to hear another side of an issue or different ways to approach clinical situations. It can encourage critical thinking outside of the box.
Summative assessments need to be clear and effective. I think the most important summative assessments are short answer questions in the classroom and competency skill assessments in the clinic. In the classroom, short answer questions provide students the chance to expand on their own thoughts and prove why they think the way they do. Multiple choice questions can be very one-sided, with one correct answer. Short answer questions encourage critical thinking, and make students elaborate on concepts. In the clinic, it is important for entry level hygienists to acquire the skills to effectively treat patients. The best way to evaluate their effectiveness is to watch them perform a skill. It would be most effective on a live patient, rather than a typodont.
I would agree with you that short answer questions allow for expanding of knowledge and supporting one’s own thoughts. They also require students to recall information from memory, rather than just recognize the information from a wood bank or answer choices. Like you said, multiple choice are more one-sided, in that there is one best answer. When do you think multiple choice questions are appropriate in dental hygiene courses?
@Amy,
I think multiple choice questions are best for lower levels of learning such as remembering or understanding. Basic information that just needs to be known are easily assessed through multiple whereas higher learning levels like evaluating or creating may be better served with case studies or essay questions/tests to promote critical thinking.
@Lauren,
I never thought of formative assessment as constantly being developed even when we don’t realize it. Thinking about it, we do this on a daily basis in our everyday lives to adjust and make changes especially with our patients and their understanding of their oral health. Thanks for bringing that up!
I also think classroom discussions are one of the most effective types of formative assessment. I really tried to utilize this when I did my online teaching assignment. I wanted the students to maintain control over the classroom. I feel that as they move through their discussions, they enlighten each other in a way far different than I could by lecturing. Your point about there being no pressure is excellent. They are free be themselves and this release in pressure allows some individuals to perform better.
I really liked that you mentioned that formative assessment is often done without even planning to do so. As instructors, we will gauge our students’ understanding through the every day conversations and discussions that happen during class. Obviously, planned formative and summative assessments are necessary as well, but it’s important to realize the amount of formative assessment that takes place without even planning it.