Teachers use formal assessments when they want to determine students’ knowledge based on specific standards and criteria. … Use informal assessment methods to gather immediate feedback on what a student has learned so far. Informal assessments help the instructor identify learning gaps and guide instruction.

 

Informal assessments, also known as criterion-referenced measures or performance-based measures, should be used to guide instruction. Through the use of questioning, informal assessments can provide a teacher with quick feedback. Formal and informal assessments both have a place in the classroom

 

Benefits/When to Use Formal Assessment

  • Formal assessments are reliable and provide concrete and measurable evidence of learning. …
  • It creates an opportunity for feedback on a large scale. …
  • Formal assessments eliminate examiner bias because it uses a standard grading system to score students’ knowledge.