Understanding Assessment Types

The question asks about assessments that are "in-process evaluations of student learning" and are given "multiple times during a unit, course, or academic program". Let's look at the different types of assessments mentioned in the options to see which one matches this description.

• Pre-assessments: These are given before instruction begins. Their purpose is to find out what students already know or can do regarding a new topic. They are typically administered only once at the start.
• Formative assessments: These assessments are conducted during the learning process. Their main goal is to monitor student learning, provide ongoing feedback, and inform instruction. Because they are used to guide teaching and learning as it happens, they are administered multiple times throughout a unit, course, or program. Examples include quizzes, observations, classwork, or exit tickets. They help identify areas where students might be struggling so that adjustments can be made.
• High stake assessments: These are assessments where the results have significant consequences for students, teachers, or schools (e.g., final exams, standardized tests). While they can sometimes have formative elements or be summative, the key characteristic is the impact of the outcome, not necessarily when or how often they are administered in the process.
• Summative assessments: These are given at the end of a unit, term, course, or program. Their purpose is to evaluate overall learning and measure student achievement against standards or goals. They typically occur less frequently than formative assessments. Examples include final exams or end-of-unit tests.

Based on the definitions, the description "in-process evaluations... typically administered multiple times during a unit, course, or academic program" perfectly aligns with the purpose and timing of Formative assessments. They are designed to be part of the ongoing teaching and learning process to guide progress.