What is the role of a summative assessment?

The role of summative assessment is primarily to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against predefined standards or learning objectives. This type of assessment is designed to measure what students have learned after a specific period or educational experience and provides a comprehensive overview of their understanding and mastery of the material.

Summative assessments are typically implemented through methods such as final exams, projects, or standardized tests, and they serve to determine if students have achieved the desired outcomes and how well they have grasped the core content taught during the unit. The results can be used for various purposes, including assigning grades, making decisions about student progression, and evaluating the effectiveness of the instructional practices employed.

Ongoing feedback and planning future lessons are typically associated with formative assessments, which are conducted during the learning process to provide immediate insights into student performance. Similarly, measuring student engagement is not the primary function of summative assessments, as these assessments focus on final outcomes rather than the interactive, process-oriented feedback characteristic of formative evaluations.