What type of evaluation focuses on understanding and improving learning during the instructional process?

The type of evaluation that focuses on understanding and improving learning during the instructional process is formative evaluation. This approach is designed to continuously assess students' understanding and skills throughout the instructional period rather than after the completion of a program or course.

Formative evaluations take place in real-time and often involve feedback that can help both instructors and students identify areas that require further attention or adjustment in teaching and learning strategies. This continuous loop of feedback allows for immediate instructional modifications to enhance learning outcomes.

In contrast, summative evaluation typically occurs at the end of an instructional unit to measure what students have learned, emphasizing the outcomes rather than the learning process. Diagnostic evaluation is focused on assessing prior knowledge and abilities before instruction begins, while criterion-referenced evaluation measures a student's performance against a defined set of criteria or learning standards, often without the focus on ongoing improvement during the learning experience.