Formative evaluation is primarily used to

Formative evaluation is primarily used to

• A. To improve programs and guide revisions
• B. To demonstrate overall effectiveness to stakeholders
• C. To compare programs against national benchmarks
• D. To satisfy regulatory reporting

Answer: (A)

Formative evaluation is about gathering feedback during the development and delivery of a program so you can make timely improvements. The goal is to continually refine design, content, and implementation based on what is working and what isn’t, before final outcomes are judged. This ongoing, improvement-focused use distinguishes it from evaluations aimed at showing overall effectiveness to others after the fact or meeting external requirements. By collecting input during the process and making adjustments, the program becomes better aligned with learners’ needs and goals. For example, in a pharmacy technician training program, you would use formative feedback from students and instructors to revise a lab activity or the pacing of lessons before the next cohort, rather than waiting until the program ends to decide if it “worked.”

Formative evaluation is about gathering feedback during the development and delivery of a program so you can make timely improvements. The goal is to continually refine design, content, and implementation based on what is working and what isn’t, before final outcomes are judged. This ongoing, improvement-focused use distinguishes it from evaluations aimed at showing overall effectiveness to others after the fact or meeting external requirements. By collecting input during the process and making adjustments, the program becomes better aligned with learners’ needs and goals. For example, in a pharmacy technician training program, you would use formative feedback from students and instructors to revise a lab activity or the pacing of lessons before the next cohort, rather than waiting until the program ends to decide if it “worked.”