Which is an example of Formative assessment?

• A. Final exam
• B. Term project
• C. Pop quizzes
• D. Cumulative portfolio

Answer: (C)

Formative assessment is about checking understanding while learning is happening so you can adjust teaching and give feedback along the way. Pop quizzes fit this role perfectly because they’re short, frequent checks that reveal what students have grasped and where they’re struggling, allowing quick tweaks to instruction or targeted review.

A final exam, by contrast, is typically used to measure what was learned after the material is completed, which makes it a summative assessment. A term project often serves as a larger, culminating task for grading, though it can incorporate formative feedback along the way. A cumulative portfolio collects evidence over time and is usually used for a broader, end-of-term evaluation, though it can include formative feedback as well. But the defining feature of formative assessment is its ongoing, instructional purpose, which pop quizzes illustrate most clearly.