Formative assessment

What is formative assessment and its role in the learning process?

Formative assessment refers to the pedagogical process that measures students’ progress during a learning journey. It is conducted periodically to optimize teaching methods, strategies, and resources.

Types of formative assessment and their applications

• Interactive assessment

These assessments take place during the learning process, measuring student progress in real time and identifying areas for improvement. They are facilitated through interactions between the instructor and their audience.

During these interactions, instructors adopt a receptive and flexible attitude to cater to students’ needs, supporting the learning process with resources and tools for learning reinforcement.

They can be conducted using:

• Group dynamics
• Questions and answers
• Discussion forums
• Educational games

• Retrospective assessment

These assessments are conducted at the end of the teaching process and aim to reinforce previously acquired knowledge. They allow the audience to address specific doubts and enhance learning outcomes.

Some applications include:

• Exercises to analyze knowledge retention
• Supporting materials
• Brief evaluations
• Dynamic resources to reinforce knowledge

• Proactive assessments

This type of assessment aims to determine the scope of a training program and adapt its content accordingly. For instance, if learners achieved good results in a training module, more complex topics can be explored. In contrast, if students face difficulties, the training can be adjusted to address learning needs and contribute to more effective outcomes.

Common applications include:

• Diagnostic assessment
• Continuous monitoring
• Adjustment of teaching strategies

Benefits of formative assessments for student performance

• Continuous feedback
• Enhancements of training programs
• Early identification of team needs
• Personalized learning
• Motivation and self-evaluation
• Early identification of challenges

Formative assessment has a positive impact on the training processes in many ways. On the one hand, it helps instructors understand students’ needs, and on the other, students can identify their strengths and the areas that need reinforcement for themselves, encouraging autonomy in the learning process.

To assess your training simply and effectively, a learning platform like isEazy LMS can be incredibly useful. Through its powerful Business Intelligence module, you get access to a whole host of analytics to help you measure the impact of your training. Filter by participant, geographical area, department and more, and gain insights to take your training to the next level. Request a demo!