FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

What type of assessment allows students to be creative in their problem-solving?

1. Standardized assessment

2. Performance-based assessment

3. Diagnostic assessment

4. Formative assessment

The correct answer is: Performance-based assessment

Performance-based assessment is designed to evaluate how well students can apply their knowledge and skills to real-world tasks or problems. This type of assessment typically involves open-ended tasks where students are encouraged to demonstrate creativity and innovation in their problem-solving processes. It goes beyond simple recall of information, allowing students to engage deeply with the material, make choices in how they approach the task, and express their thought processes in various ways, such as through projects, presentations, or practical applications. In contrast, standardized assessments tend to focus on measuring knowledge against a fixed set of criteria, leaving little room for creative thinking or individual expression. Diagnostic assessments are primarily used to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses before instruction, focusing more on gathering information about their current level of understanding rather than allowing creativity in problem-solving. Formative assessments are ongoing evaluations used to monitor student learning and provide feedback during the learning process, but they can also be structured in a way that doesn't necessarily emphasize creative approaches. Therefore, performance-based assessment stands out as the most conducive to fostering creativity in the problem-solving process among students.