Comprehensive Assessment- Self Reflection

As described by Edutopia, Comprehensive Assessment is ongoing feedback so that both a teacher and student can constantly improve.  Comprehensive Assessment uses a variety of tools to assess the whole student, ranging from written tests and essays to experiments and role play.  These assessments demand student accountability, student self-reflection, and life skills such as being able to present in front of a group.

Assessments can be split into two groups; formative and summative.  Formative assessments are administered periodically throughout a unit to help gauge student progress and adjust instruction when needed.  Summative assessment is delivered at the end of a unit to determine student understanding.

Below is an analysis of all assessments given throughout a unit in my seventh grade life science course.  Assessments are listed in the order they were administered.

formative-textbook questions- chapter 2, section 1
formative/summative-vocabulary quiz: producer, consumer, decomposer, carnivore, herbivore, omnivore (matching)
formative-worksheet packet- chapter 2, section 1
summative-food web project- use internet to determine animals' diets and then create a food web showing their relationships
formative/summative-food web quiz
formative-worksheet packet- chapter 2, section 2
formative/summative-draw a diagram of the 3 cycles of matter
formative-textbook questions- chapter, 2 section 4
formative-rain forest comparison- compare and contrast tropical rain forests and temperate rain forests in one paragraph
summative-biome research- Research one biome's location, climate, and biotic factors.  Draw an image of your biome.  Record yourself giving a weather/nature report in your biome using an ipad.
formative-in class jeopardy
summative-chapter 2 test

I found it very hard to determine if some assessments were formative or summative.  For example, a small food web quiz both identifies if students are comfortable enough with the concept to continue.  If students are doing poorly, I can then adjust lessons and reiterate the needed vocabulary (formative).  However, the quiz is given at the end of a "section" making it summative.  That being said, I don't think that the categorization of the assessment is important.  What is important is that teachers are constantly aware of student progress and that they alter lessons to supplement this pace of learning.  Teachers should be gaging this process not through students rattling off facts, but through deep, transferable knowledge that is demonstrated when students transfer what they have learned to other situations.