What characterizes 'formative assessment'?

Formative assessment is characterized by its primary purpose of providing ongoing feedback to both students and educators during the learning process. It is designed to guide instructional decisions and improve student learning. Through various methods, such as quizzes, observations, discussions, and assignments, formative assessments give teachers insights into student understanding, allowing them to adjust their teaching strategies, provide targeted support, and address learning gaps in real time.

In contrast, the first option pertains to summative assessment, which is typically administered at the end of a learning period to evaluate what students have learned. The second option focuses on standardized testing, which measures student performance against national benchmarks but does not inform immediate instructional practices. Similarly, the fourth option addresses authentic assessments that evaluate practical application of skills in real-life contexts, rather than the ongoing feedback loop characteristic of formative assessments. Hence, the focus of formative assessments on shaping and refining teaching and learning paths makes the correct answer particularly relevant.