Which type of assessments are conducted at the conclusion of an instructional period?

Summative assessments are specifically designed to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement at the conclusion of an instructional period. These assessments typically occur at the end of a unit, semester, or course and are used to determine whether students have met the learning objectives and standards set forth at the beginning of the course. Examples include final exams, end-of-term projects, or standardized tests. The primary purpose of summative assessments is to summarize the learning and judge the effectiveness of the instruction, allowing educators and stakeholders to make decisions regarding student progress, curriculum effectiveness, and the allocation of resources.

In contrast, continuous assessments are ongoing assessments that take place throughout the learning process, but do not specifically gauge cumulative learning at the end. Cumulative assessments, while they can appear similar to summative evaluations, typically focus on knowledge accumulated over time rather than strictly at an instructional period's conclusion. Formative assessments, on the other hand, are conducted during the instructional period to monitor student learning and provide feedback for both students and teachers; they are integral for guiding instruction and improving learning as it happens, rather than assessing final outcomes. Therefore, the identification of summative assessments as the correct answer highlights their role in providing a final measure of student performance after a defined instructional period