How can formative assessment benefit students?

Formative assessment benefits students primarily by offering ongoing feedback to guide their learning. This type of assessment is designed to be a continuous process that helps identify students' strengths and weaknesses throughout their learning journey. By receiving immediate feedback, students can understand where they excel and where they may need to improve. This helps them take ownership of their learning, adjust their strategies, and engage more deeply with the material.

Ongoing feedback can include informal assessments, discussions, quizzes, or observations that inform both the student and the teacher about progress. Such a responsive approach allows for a more personalized learning experience, where instruction can be modified based on the individual or group needs, enhancing overall educational outcomes.

This approach contrasts sharply with merely providing a final score, which does not yield insights for improvement. Also, continuous pressure to perform or an exclusive focus on academic results can hinder a student's motivation and discourage them from taking risks or exploring concepts deeply. Formative assessment, therefore, is integral to fostering a supportive learning environment that prioritizes development over mere evaluation.