Assessment used to identify an individuals current strengths and weaknesses relative to a knowledge or skill with the intention of improving one's knowledge or skill.

Assessment aimed at determining a person's strengths and weaknesses with the objective of improving them. Generally expressed in words rather than grades, and generally not used in the final assessment. See also Continuous assessment

The assessment of student achievement at different stages of a course or at different stages of a student's academic career. The focus of formative assessment is on the documentation of student development over time. It can also be used to engage students in a process of reflection on their education. (For comparison, see Summative assessment.)

A formative assessment is a brief description of the student's understandings and skills prior to and during a learning experience.

an assessment used during the course of instruction that measures student mastery of specific indicators and is used by teachers to inform and guide subsequent instruction

Assessments that are carried out with the intent of improving student learning. Formative assessments provide direct and immediate feedback on students' achievement to inform next steps for teachers and students.

An assessment which aims to provide feedback to the students for the purpose of improvement. Results are generally expressed in words rather than grades, and should not be counted in the final result.

Assessment conducted during a performance/course/program with the purpose of providing feedback that can be used to modify, shape, and improve a performance/course/program. (Palombra & Banta, 1999)

is developmental and takes place during learning or development of competencies. Formative assessment is said to help ‘form’ the final performance.

Ongoing assessment in the classroom. It provides information to students and teachers to improve teaching and learning.

Formative assessment is used to monitor learning progress during a learning sequence. It provides continuous feedback to teachers and students, which enables them to monitor progress and identify and address errors in learning. Because formative assessment is primarily directed towards improving learning, the results are typically not used for assigning awards.

Black and Wiliam defined this as assessment that focuses on the gap between present performance and desired goal. To be formative, the information gathered must be used to adapt the teaching or the learning to meet the needs of the learner. In the 5-14 national assessment guidance, this type of activity is called 'assessment as part of teaching'. It is called 'assessment for learning' in the current assessment development programme.

frequent or ongoing evaluation during course, programs, or learning experiences that gives an early indication of what students are learning, including an analysis of their strengths and weaknesses.

Assessment designed to provide learners with feedback on progress and inform development, but not contributing to the overall summative assessment.

Assessment in which learning is measured at several points during a teaching/learning phase, with the primary intention of obtaining information to guide further teaching or learning steps. Formative assessments include questioning, comments on a presentation or interviewing.

the evaluation of learning that is carried out as the learning activities progress; contrast summative assessment, which takes place upon completion of the activities.

assessment that occurs during training. It helps people form their learning by providing objective and timely feedback on their performance compared to the standard.

Formative assessment is assessment designed to monitor progress towards the achievement of a unit of competency, and may include the separate assessment of elements of competency and the assessment of underpinning skills and knowledge.

Forms of assessment that help the teacher understand what the students know, do not know, and might need in terms of instruction. Ideally, these assessments are going on all the time, as the teacher uses the feedback to enable students to learn better.

assessment which allows for feedback, and is not used for determining the final grade.

Evaluation of the performance of an information system against user needs. See also: Summative assessment.

Assessment which focuses on the gap between present performance and desired goal. To be formative, the information gathered must be used to adapt the teaching or the learning to meet the needs of the learner. In the 5-14 national assessment guidance, this type of activity is called 'assessment as part of teaching'. In the AifL - Assessment is for learning programme, it is called 'assessment for learning'.

Any activity that provides teachers feedback about how and what their students are learning and which teachers use to modify or improve their instruction£®Any evaluation that enables teachers to adjust their methods while students are in the process of learning something£®Literally, it means to evaluate as students are¡±forming?their skills or ideas about £¨language£©learning

Observations which allow one to determine the degree to which students know or are able to do a given learning task, and which identifies the part of the task that the student does not know or is unable to do. Outcomes suggest future steps for teaching and learning.

is designed to give feedback to improve what is being assessed. (Allen, 2002).

Assessments become formative when the information gathered is used to adapt teaching and learning to meet student needs. Much work on formative assessment has been done by Black and Wiliam of Kings College London. Back to the top

The gathering of information about student learning-during the progression of a course or program and usually repeatedly-to improve the learning of those students. Example: reading the first lab reports of a class to assess whether some or all students in the group need a lesson on how to make them succinct and informative. (Leskes, 2002)

Utilizes assessment techniques that emphasize the role of feedback in assessing how students are learning and then using the information to make beneficial changes in instruction and/or the learning environment. Formative assessment usually focuses on a limited set of specific objectives, often a subset of the complete roster of objectives identified by a program, and is focused primarily on the improvement of program delivery.

Assessment that is designed to provide feedback to students on how to take action to improve their achievement against learning outcomes. See also ' diagnostic assessment'.

Ongoing, diagnostic assessment providing information (feedback) to guide instruction and improve student performance. (McTighe & Ferrara)

An ongoing assessment which is used to highlight a particular child’s strengths, needs and potential. Information gained from formative assessment can be used when discussing and devising the next steps for that child’s development. A criterion-referenced assessment is often used for formative assessment. See also Summative Assessment. HI Hearing-Impaired. IEP Individual Education Plan.

Formative assessment is a self-reflective process that intends to promote student attainment http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/00001862.htm Crooks, T. (2001), The Validity of Formative Assessments, Paper presented to the British Educational Research Association Annual Conference, University of Leeds, 13-15 September . Cowie and Bell Cowie, B., & Bell, B. (1999), A model of formative assessment in science education, Assessment in Education, 6: 101-116 define it as the bidirectional process between teacher and student to enhance, recognise and respond to the learning. Black and Wiliam Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998), Inside the black box: Raising standards through classroom assessment.