Which term describes assessments that measure progress toward a goal?

Formative assessments are specifically designed 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. They are conducted during the learning process, allowing educators to identify strengths and weaknesses in student performance, adapt instruction accordingly, and help students achieve their learning goals. By measuring progress toward a goal, formative assessments ensure that both teachers and students can track development, make necessary adjustments, and ultimately enhance educational outcomes.

In contrast, summative assessments typically occur at the end of an instructional period to evaluate overall student learning and are not intended to inform immediate instructional adjustments. Criterion assessments focus on measuring student performance against a predetermined standard, while normative assessments compare a student's performance to a norm group rather than monitoring individual progress towards specific learning objectives. Thus, formative assessments uniquely serve the purpose of tracking progress towards goals.