Which assessment approach is likely to provide insights into student engagement?

The choice that stands out as most likely to provide insights into student engagement is formative assessment techniques. This is due to the nature and purpose of formative assessments, which occur throughout the learning process rather than at the beginning or end. They often include methods like observations, discussions, peer assessments, and quick checks for understanding, all designed to provide ongoing feedback.

Formative assessments allow educators to gauge how well students are grasping the material on an ongoing basis. They give real-time insights into students' understanding, interests, and willingness to engage with the content. Additionally, because they are often interactive and involve students in their own learning process, they can foster higher levels of engagement.

In contrast, standardized testing and final exams are designed to measure what students have learned after a set period. While they can inform educators about overall content mastery, they don't provide timely feedback and don’t capture the nuances of student engagement during the learning process. Periodic quizzes may offer some insight, but they are typically less comprehensive and lack the depth of interaction found in formative assessment techniques, which focus not only on outcomes but also on the process and engagement of students throughout their learning journey.