What is the benefit of formative assessments?

Formative assessments are designed to be ongoing measures of student understanding and progress throughout the learning process. By providing real-time feedback, these assessments help educators identify areas where students are excelling and where they may need additional support. This feedback allows teachers to adjust their instruction to better meet the needs of their students, fostering an engaging learning environment that promotes growth and learning.

The real-time nature of formative assessments supports active learning, as students can reflect on their understanding and make necessary adjustments before moving on to more complex material. This continual feedback loop between teacher and student is essential for fostering a supportive and responsive educational atmosphere.

In contrast, assessments conducted at the end of a course tend to focus on overall performance rather than individual progress, making it difficult to implement timely interventions. Focusing solely on grading can undermine the primary purpose of formative assessments, which is to enhance learning rather than evaluate students. Lastly, formative assessments are intended to encourage student participation by involving them in their own learning journey, rather than reducing it.