What does formative assessment often involve?

Formative assessment is designed to provide ongoing feedback to both students and educators throughout the learning process. It involves systematic ways of collecting information about student learning, such as quizzes, discussions, observations, and written reflections, allowing teachers to adjust their instructional strategies in real-time based on the data gathered. This cycle of feedback helps identify areas where students may be struggling and informs necessary adjustments to teaching methods, ultimately aiming to improve learning outcomes.

In contrast, standardized testing results typically offer a snapshot of student performance at a specific time and do not provide the kind of dynamic feedback that formative assessment does. Final evaluations of student performance, such as final exams or end-of-term projects, evaluate what students have learned after a period, rather than facilitating continuous improvement. While curriculum development and planning are vital parts of the educational process, they are not directly linked to the ongoing feedback mechanism intrinsic to formative assessments. Thus, the essence of formative assessment lies in its focus on feedback and real-time adjustments to enhance learning experiences.