What type of assessment is a formative assessment?

Formative assessment is best defined as an ongoing assessment that is used to monitor student learning and provide immediate feedback. This type of assessment is integral to the learning process, as it allows educators to identify student strengths and areas for improvement while instruction is still taking place. By incorporating formative assessments, teachers can adjust their teaching strategies and address learning gaps in real-time, thus fostering a supportive and responsive educational environment.

This approach contrasts with types of assessments that are typically summative, such as final exams or standardized tests designed to evaluate overall achievement at the conclusion of a learning period. While these assessments provide valuable information about what students have learned in the long term, they do not offer the immediate feedback that formative assessments provide. Additionally, although evaluating teaching effectiveness is important, it does not fall under the definition of formative assessment, as this is more about assessing the impact of teaching rather than directly monitoring student learning.