National Evaluation Series (NES) Assessment of Professional Knowledge Practice Test

Which assessment type evaluates a student's understanding through immediate feedback and adjustments?

1. Summative assessment

2. Formative assessment

3. Norm-referenced assessment

4. Criterion-referenced assessment

The correct answer is: Formative assessment

Formative assessment is designed to monitor student learning and provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to enhance their learning. This type of assessment is integral to the instructional process, as it happens during the learning experience rather than at its conclusion. For example, formative assessments can include quizzes, polls, one-on-one discussions, or informal observations. The primary goal is to gauge students’ understanding in real-time, allowing for adjustments in teaching methods or focus areas if required. This continuous loop of feedback helps to identify areas where students may struggle and provides opportunities for remediation or enrichment, fostering a more personalized learning experience. In contrast, summative assessments are often used to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against a benchmark, without the intention to provide ongoing feedback. Norm-referenced assessments compare a student's performance to that of a peer group, while criterion-referenced assessments measure student performance against a fixed set of criteria or learning standards. Neither of these approaches emphasizes immediate feedback and adjustments to support the learning process as effectively as formative assessment does.