Final answer:
Formative assessments are used during a unit of study to inform ongoing progress and allow for adjustments in teaching to enhance learning, including various types of practice and self-checks.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assessments that are administered during a unit or lesson, and not only at the conclusion, with the purpose of informing the progress and allowing for adjustments to enhance student learning are known as formative assessments. Examples of formative assessments include practice problems, which challenge students to apply concepts and skills; grasp checks that review comprehension; and self-checks, which are analytical self-assessment questions that help students evaluate their understanding before progressing. Unlike summative assessments, which evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional period, formative assessments are ongoing and provide immediate feedback to both the instructor and the students.
Other kinds of assessments, such as diagnostic assessments and benchmark assessments, serve different purposes. Diagnostic assessments are used to identify students' current knowledge and skills before instruction begins, while benchmark assessments are used to measure student performance at periodic intervals against a set of predetermined standards.