Distinguish formative from summative assessment and provide an example of each.

• A. Formative assessment occurs at the end; summative during learning.
• B. Formative assessment occurs during learning to guide instruction (e.g., checks for understanding); summative assessment occurs at the end to evaluate learning (e.g., final exam).
• C. Formative is standardized tests; summative is informal checks.
• D. Formative is external; summative is internal.

Answer: (B)

The difference hinges on when the assessment happens and how its feedback is used to support learning. Formative assessment happens during the learning process to monitor understanding and guide instruction. It’s about gathering quick feedback so teachers can adjust teaching and students can address gaps right away. Examples include checks for understanding, exit tickets, quick quizzes, or ongoing observations that inform the next lesson.

Summative assessment occurs after learning has taken place and is used to evaluate what students have mastered against standards. It tends to be more formal and final, like a final exam or a major end-of-unit project, and it often informs grade or accountability decisions.

This description—formative during learning to guide instruction (checks for understanding) and summative at the end to evaluate learning (final exam)—is the best way to distinguish the two. The other statements mix up timing, or mischaracterize formative as standardized or informal versus summative as internal/external, which aren’t defining features of these types of assessment.