What type of assessment is best in your view: open-ended, selected-response, or performance?

  Assessment is a critical part of a system of monitoring student performance. When used appropriately, it can have a positive influence on student learning (Pellegrino, 2014). A complete system of assessment contain a variety. Selected response questions are efficient and can be easy to compare. They have the benefit of helping to prepare students for standardized tests. However, they can be limited and lack nuanced insight as a form of formative assessment. Open-ended responses have the ability to elicit unanticipated results and are a great way to get ongoing feedback from students during the course of a lesson. 

    Authentic assessment can help teachers build positive relationships and trust with their students (American College of Education, 2025). Performance based assessment allows students to spend extended periods of time on a more meaningful expression of learning. They are a more realistic model of the types of activities that students are likely to use in the workplace or higher education. 


References

American College of Education. (2025). CI6122: Module 5 [Non-academic assessments]. Canvas. https://ace.instructure.com/courses/2047989/external_tools/118428 

Pellegrino, J. W. (2014). Assessment as a positive influence on 21st century teaching and learning: A systems approach to progress. Psicología Educativa, 20(2), 65–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pse.2014.11.002

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