What is the main focus of formative assessment in the classroom?

Formative assessment primarily aims 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. The focus on tracking progress helps educators identify areas where students struggle and where they excel, allowing for timely interventions and support tailored to individual student needs. This continuous feedback loop encourages active learning and helps students take ownership of their learning journey.

In contrast, providing grades for student work is more aligned with summative assessment, which evaluates learning after an instructional period. Summarizing student achievement at the end of a unit also reflects a summative approach, as it primarily focuses on the results rather than the process of learning. Standardized tests aim for uniformity in measuring student achievement across diverse populations but do not typically offer the specific, actionable feedback that formative assessments provide throughout the learning process.