Summatiivinen

Summatiivinen is a Finnish adjective that describes something related to summation or aggregation. In the context of language, it is most commonly used as an adjective meaning “summative” or “summative,” referring to a type of assessment, evaluation, or measurement that sums up or encapsulates results, performance, or outcomes. Summatiivinen is a derived form of the noun summatiivinen arviointi (summative assessment) and is used in educational and research contexts to denote assessments that occur after a learning period, providing a final measure of achievement or performance, as opposed to formative assessments that provide ongoing feedback.

In education, summatiivinen arviointi is typically used to assign final grades, determine proficiency levels, or evaluate the effectiveness of a curriculum or instructional method. The purpose of a summatiivinen assessment is to give an overall picture of what has been learned and to inform decisions such as promotion, certification, or program adjustments. It is distinguished from formative, where the focus is on informing instruction and facilitating learning during the learning process.

The term is also used in data analysis or statistical contexts to refer to aggregated or summed measures, such as summatiivinen tilastollinen mittari (summative statistical measure), indicating an overall total or composite index. Summatiivinen is frequently encountered in Finnish educational policy documents, academic literature, and assessment guidelines. The use of the adjective underscores the cumulative nature of the measure or evaluation.