Assessments in Social Studies
On the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce website, the Department uses the terms testing and assessment in specific ways. Testing refers to Ohio's State Tests. Assessment refers to the many formative and summative assessments educators and districts use to monitor student progress at the local level. Learn more by reviewing the table below.
Testing - Ohio’s State Tests
Ohio's Testing portal overview
High school American history and government are the only tested courses in Social Studies. Educators can best prepare their students for the tests by aligning their teaching with Ohio's Learning Standards, which serve as the basis for these tests. See the Model Curriculum and other resources to help plan standards-based instruction.
Educators can access guidance documents, blueprints, sample tests and item tutorials for Ohio's State Tests in Social Studies through Ohio’s Test Portal.
Assessment - Formative and Summative Assessments
Assessments are defined as
formative and
summative, depending on their purposes.
- Formative classroom assessments are strategies teachers use throughout the year to identify where students may need additional help or practice or when they are ready to move ahead in their learning. Rather than relying only upon traditional tests, teachers can use dozens of formative instructional practices to assess student progress. Then, they can adjust their teaching to meet students' needs. Learn more from resources below.
- Summative classroom assessments evaluate student learning near the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against a standard.
Last Modified: 9/18/2024 3:57:22 PM