What is formative assessment?
Formative assessment is assessment for learning. It refers to the low-stakes, frequent checks — quizzes, practice questions, self-tests — that give learners and teachers feedback while learning is still happening, so it can be acted on and improved.
Unlike a final exam, the purpose isn't to award a grade; it's to reveal what a learner does and doesn't understand, and to guide what happens next. Effective formative assessment is timely, specific and frequent.
Why it matters
Formative assessment is one of the most evidence-backed drivers of learning. Techniques like spaced practice and instant feedback turn every attempt into a learning moment. It works best when it shares the same content as the summative assessment that follows, so practice maps directly onto what learners are ultimately assessed on.
Synap combines formative practice and summative exams on one platform, backed by a Spaced Learning engine that tracks each learner to mastery.