FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

What type of assessment should a teacher use to determine if students have mastered instructional objectives at the end of a unit?

1. Formative assessment

2. Diagnostic assessment

3. Summative assessment

4. Continuous assessment

The correct answer is: Summative assessment

Using a summative assessment is essential at the end of a unit to determine if students have mastered the instructional objectives. Summative assessments are designed to evaluate students' learning at the conclusion of an instructional period by measuring the extent to which they have achieved specific learning outcomes. These assessments often take the form of tests, quizzes, projects, or presentations that encompass material covered during the unit. By administering a summative assessment, educators can gather data on student performance and understanding, which can inform future instructional decisions, reveal areas that may need more clarification, and help in reporting to stakeholders about students' progress. Other types of assessments have different purposes; for example, formative assessments are conducted during the learning process to monitor student progress and provide ongoing feedback, while diagnostic assessments are used before instruction to identify students' strengths and weaknesses. Continuous assessments involve ongoing evaluations throughout a period but do not serve the specific purpose of measuring mastery at the unit's conclusion like summative assessments do.