The technique of assessing students by comparing their performance to their own past performance is known as Ipsative assessment. This approach focuses on an individual's personal growth and development over time, rather than comparing them to a group norm or a fixed external standard.
In ipsative assessment, the primary goal is to track how much a student has improved or changed relative to their previous attempts or starting point. It encourages self-reflection, goal setting, and a focus on personal bests, making it particularly useful for monitoring progress in skills development or long-term projects.
Let's briefly look at why other options are incorrect:
- Norm-referenced assessment compares a student's performance to that of a larger group (e.g., percentile ranks).
- Criterion-referenced assessment compares a student's performance against a predetermined set of standards or learning objectives (e.g., achieving a passing score).
- Dynamic assessment involves an interactive process where the assessor intervenes during the assessment to understand a student's learning potential and how they respond to instruction.
Ipsative assessment uniquely emphasizes the individual's journey and progress against themselves.