This is an idea that I’ve been thinking about for some time, particularly following a talk by Daisy Christodoulou and subsequently reading her book ‘Making Good Progress’. The standout point from both of these was that one test can not (effectively) fulfil multiple functions. We need to decide whether we are aiming to develop learning or to measure it. 

In terms of using tests to develop learning, I have also taken inspiration from the book ‘Make it Stick’, which is referenced in this earlier blog . 

I’ve put all of this information together in an infographic. I’m not claiming that this is all-encompassing, but it summarises some of my thinking on the subject of why we test, and I would be interested to know what others think.

You can view the infographic by clicking here–> Testing flowchart

Further reading:

Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. This is all about the positive effects of testing on learning and research into this. Link here.

Making Good Progress by Daisy Christodoulou. This is a superb book about assessment which is worth reading if you have any interest in the topic. Link here.