What is the characteristic of formative assessment?

Formative assessment is characterized by its focus on measuring progress toward specific learning goals throughout the educational process. This approach allows educators to gather ongoing feedback regarding student understanding and skills, enabling them to adjust instruction based on individual or group needs. The key aspect of formative assessment is its ability to inform both teaching and learning through continuous assessment, ensuring that students are on track to achieve their learning objectives.

In contrast, other options describe characteristics that are not typical of formative assessments. For instance, measuring the final outcome of a course relates to summative assessments, which focus on evaluating student learning at the end of an instructional unit. Conducting assessments at the end of a term is also indicative of summative assessments, which aim to evaluate overall achievement rather than ongoing progress. Comparing individual performance with standardized outcomes fits into a different assessment framework focused on benchmarking against norm-referenced standards rather than the individualized and developmental focus of formative assessments.