RE: NEW QUESTION(3): Assessment and Accountability

a thought on Richard Parson's strong statement on the need for testing at the high school.

I agree that we need to know what our students have learned, and what they are ready to learn, but we need to be clear by what we mean when we say 'test'.

I have seen and talked to too many high school students who admit they memorized for the test and then dumped the information.
I have talked to too many adults who admit they learned just enough to pass the tests and get through the high school courses and don't remember much of it now.

Assessment looks at students as they work, assesses their ability to use information in a meaningful context. Assessment informs instruction in the moment so the teacher can adjust to the learning of the students and increase the learning.

Yes, teachers need to know what their students know but which is more effective to increase learning....assessment in the moment or testing at the end of the unit, end of the chapter, end of the year?