Terms often confused in education and their meanings
1. Assessment vs. Evaluation: Assessment is the process of gathering information about a student's performance or understanding, usually for the purpose of informing instruction. Evaluation is the process of judging the quality or value of a student's work or performance, usually for the purpose of assigning a grade or determining progress.
2. Differentiation vs. Individualization: Differentiation refers to the practice of modifying instruction, activities, or materials to meet the diverse needs of a group of students. Individualization refers to tailoring instruction specifically to meet the unique needs of an individual student.
3. Inclusion vs. Integration: Inclusion refers to the practice of providing students with disabilities access to the general education classroom and curriculum. Integration refers to the practice of combining students with disabilities into the general education classroom without necessarily modifying curriculum or providing additional supports.
4. Formative Assessment vs. Summative Assessment: Formative assessment is conducted during the learning process to provide feedback and inform instruction. Summative assessment is conducted at the end of a learning unit to measure student achievement and assign grades.
5. Bloom's Taxonomy vs. Webb's Depth of Knowledge: Bloom's Taxonomy is a framework for categorizing levels of cognitive skills, ranging from lower-order thinking skills (remembering, understanding) to higher-order thinking skills (analyzing, evaluating, creating). Webb's Depth of Knowledge is a framework for measuring the complexity and depth of student understanding and thinking skills within a specific context or content area.
6. Differentiated Instruction vs. Personalized Learning: Differentiated instruction involves modifying instruction, activities, or assessments to meet the diverse needs of students in a group. Personalized learning involves tailoring instruction, activities, and assessments to meet the unique needs and interests of each individual student.