What is an example of a formative assessment tool that can be used in the classroom?

Formative assessment tools are designed to monitor student learning and provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to enhance teaching and by students to improve their learning. Exit tickets exemplify a formative assessment tool because they are brief assessments given at the end of a lesson or class period. They typically require students to reflect on what they learned and identify any questions or uncertainties they might still have.

This immediate feedback allows teachers to gauge understanding and adjust instruction as needed. For instance, if many students indicate confusion about a topic, the teacher can revisit that content in future lessons.

In contrast, standardized tests, midterm exams, and final projects are generally summative assessments. These tools are used to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional period, providing a measure of what students have retained over time rather than ongoing feedback during the learning process.