Formative evaluation during instruction – UGC NET Question

Formative evaluation is conducted while instruction is still in progress so that both teacher and students can make adjustments. It often uses quizzes, observations and assignments to identify areas of misunderstanding. The primary purpose is improvement rather than certification. Hence, the type of evaluation described in the stem is accurately termed formative evaluation.

Option A:
Diagnostic evaluation is used mainly at the beginning of a course or when problems arise to identify specific learning difficulties or causes of poor performance. While it also informs improvement, it is not necessarily continuous during instruction.

Option B:
Summative evaluation occurs at the end of a unit, course or programme to judge overall achievement and make decisions about grades or promotion. Its primary focus is on certification, not ongoing feedback.

Option C:
Placement evaluation is typically conducted before instruction to determine students’ existing level and to place them in appropriate courses or groups. It does not primarily serve the continuous improvement function highlighted in the stem.

Option D:
Formative evaluation encourages timely feedback, self-regulation by learners and instructional modifications by teachers. Because it is embedded in the teaching–learning process, it fits the stem’s description of evaluation carried out during instruction for improvement.