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The First Mode Of Assessment

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In schools, there are two major modes of assessment that are given to students. The first mode is formative assessment which involves an on-going day-to-day process that involves various techniques such as observing student performance, oral questioning, and self and peer assessment. The second mode of assessment is summative assessment which is typically given at the end of a term or school year. Its purpose is to give information about what the students have accomplished within a certain period of time (Education Bureau, 2013). With summative assessment, there are two major methods of administrating assessments. The first method, the pencil-and-paper test, has been used for many years and is the most commonly used. This method involves test takers reading questions that are on paper and responding in writing. The second method, the computer-based test, is a newer method that has increased in use more recently with the advent of better computer technology. Computer-based testing involves any type of assessment that is completed using a computer (Ahluwalia, 2008).
There are a number of pros for using computer-based testing over pencil-and-paper testing. Computer testing is more affordable because it does not involve the costs of paper and printing associated with pencil-and-paper tests (Hovland, 2005). In comparison to pencil-and-paper tests, scoring is easier and students can also receive instant feedback with computer testing (Parshall, 2002). Pencil-and-paper tests also

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