Types of Tests: Different Forms

Assessment: A Powerful Learning Tool

In the world of professional training, assessment is a powerful tool to help acquire knowledge and skills. Unfortunately, this tool is often underutilized or misused and limited only to end-of-lesson evaluations to confirm the acquisition, or not, of the concepts seen during the training. But evaluation, especially in the fields of education, human resources, and management, can take several forms depending on the objectives, circumstances, and methods used.

Types of Tests to be Used

Diagnostic Tests

The purpose of the assessment is to identify the level of knowledge or skills of a person before starting an apprenticeship or training. It is usually done before the start of the training or course so that you can establish the level of the students. Diagnostic tests and summative tests can complement each other, especially to accurately know the effectiveness of training by comparing the level of knowledge at the beginning and at the end of training. Diagnostic tests, for example, can be used to place students into graded groups.

Systematic Assessment

This type of assessment can take the form of short, general questions posted between sections of an eLearning module. The goal of formative assessment is to enrich the learning process by empowering it. In particular, it makes the student work by dealing with multiple choices. This type of assessment is particularly effective in helping students consolidate information, and it is easy to set up. Formative assessment can also be used to monitor the progress of knowledge acquisition and, if gaps are found, help students with additional content.

Summary Assessment

The purpose of a summative assessment is to measure the level of skill or knowledge acquired at the end of a period of study or training. It is often used to award grades or qualifications and takes place under controlled conditions (limited times, monitoring of tests, number of attempts, etc.). A summative assessment, for example, can be used at the end of an eLearning module to confirm knowledge and allow the learner to move on to the next eLearning module.

Certification Examination

The certification exam is a summative exam that will also award a professional certificate or diploma if you pass. Its purpose is to validate or validate skills or knowledge and it must happen under controlled conditions, whether digitally or in person, to be credible.

General Inspection

This type of assessment does not aim to measure a person’s knowledge but to compare one person’s performance against another, usually in a competitive setting. In particular, it makes it possible to obtain a standard such as school standards or entrance exams for large schools. So regular testing should also happen under controlled conditions and it may be necessary to use a real test monitoring solution if it happens digitally.

Criterion-Referenced Assessment

Criterion-referenced testing allows individual performance to be measured against pre-defined criteria or standards, independent of the performance of others. Criterion-based tests differ from summative tests because it is necessary to satisfy several criteria in order to pass and not just to get a perfect overall score. This type of test, for example, is used during the driving test to obtain a driver’s license when the test is based on objective criteria (compliance with the highway code, proper direction, etc.).

Self-examination

As the name suggests, self-evaluation will allow students or employees to evaluate themselves to reflect on their performance and improve. It is often used during or after a learning process or project and the questions do not have right or wrong answers for each session.

Participation Assessment

Peer review collects reviews from people who work in similar situations or have a similar level of expertise. This type of assessment is often used during or after a cooperative learning or group project.

Continuous Evaluation

Continuous assessment is used in the school curriculum. It makes it possible to continuously and routinely measure human knowledge to get a global and dynamic view of progress or performance. Continuous evaluation therefore takes place throughout the project or training period.

Testing is Special

Each testing method has its own purposes, advantages, and disadvantages, and the choice of method depends on the desired results and context of use. To exploit their potential, it is important to use a reliable and complete solution both in terms of performance and options but also in terms of statistical analysis of results.

Originally published on www.experquiz.com.