How do standardized assessments differ from formative assessments?

Standardized assessments are designed to measure learning outcomes across a broad population, providing data that facilitates comparisons among groups of students. They often follow a fixed format, ensuring uniformity in what is assessed and how it is scored. This is crucial for accountability and determining overall achievement levels in educational systems. In contrast, formative assessments are utilized primarily during the instructional process to gauge student understanding and inform teaching practices. They enable educators to adapt their instruction based on immediate feedback, thus enhancing learning on an individual or class-wide basis.

Formative assessments emphasize ongoing feedback and typically involve shorter, more frequent evaluations that can be adjusted based on the needs of the learners, unlike standardized assessments that are more rigid and administered at specific points in time. This distinction highlights the role of formative assessments in fostering a responsive learning environment, making option B the clear choice.