Purpose:
Assessments are necessary to evaluate learning that has or has not occurred, it provides feedback to the teacher as well as the student. It is a tool to measure growth and a means of reflection. It is a justification of whether or not the students have learned a process or concept, and if they can apply the knowledge.
Choosing the type:
Assessments are chosen based on what the teacher needs feedback on: facilitating cooperation among peers, addressing different modalities and styles of learning, where the students stand at a given point in the course, and mainly to evaluate their learning.
Assessments can be summative or formative. Summative assessments include unit tests and exams, that mostly indicate how much the student has learned and can apply. These are usually graded for marks as an indication of where the student stands with relation to their peers. Formative assessments are not graded for marks, they are a tool to obtain feedback. These can be tests, quizzes, everyday classroom work, projects, etc. that do not affect the student’s marks, but gives an indication of what the student has learned so far.