Difference Between Assessment For learning, Assessment As Learning and Assessment Of Learning

Assessment is a key component of the educational process, and it serves various purposes. In education, there are three main types of assessment: assessment for learning, assessment as learning, and assessment of learning. Here’s a brief overview of the differences between these three types of assessment:

  1. Assessment for Learning: Assessment for learning, also known as formative assessment, is the type of assessment that occurs during the learning process. It is focused on gathering information about students’ knowledge, skills, and understanding to provide feedback and support for their ongoing learning and development. Assessment for learning aims to help students understand their strengths and weaknesses, set learning goals, and make progress towards those goals. It involves techniques such as questioning, observation, self-assessment, peer-assessment, and feedback from teachers to guide students in their learning journey. The emphasis is on using assessment to inform instruction, provide feedback, and adjust teaching strategies to meet the needs of students.
  2. Assessment as Learning: Assessment as learning, also known as self-assessment or metacognitive assessment, is a type of assessment that involves students reflecting on their own learning process and evaluating their own progress. It focuses on helping students develop metacognitive skills, such as self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-reflection, by engaging them in the assessment process. Students learn to monitor their own learning, set learning goals, evaluate their progress, and revise their strategies based on feedback. Assessment as learning empowers students to take ownership of their learning and develop a deeper understanding of their own strengths, weaknesses, and learning needs
  3. Assessment of Learning: Assessment of learning, also known as summative assessment, is the type of assessment that occurs at the end of a learning unit or period to evaluate students’ achievement of specific learning outcomes or standards. It is typically used to measure the level of knowledge, skills, and understanding that students have acquired after a period of instruction. Assessment of learning is often graded and used for accountability purposes, such as reporting grades to parents or determining student promotion or graduation. Examples of assessment of learning include exams, standardized tests, projects, or performance assessments.

In summary, assessment for learning focuses on using assessment to inform instruction and support ongoing learning, assessment as learning focuses on students’ self-assessment and metacognitive skills, and assessment of learning focuses on evaluating students’ achievement of specific learning outcomes or standards. These three types of assessment can be used in combination to support effective teaching and learning, provide feedback, and measure student progress.