Which assessment type involves gathering information using means other than standardized tests?

The correct answer is informal assessment, which encompasses a range of evaluation methods that gather information about a student's understanding, skills, and progress without relying on standardized testing. Informal assessments can include a variety of techniques such as observations, anecdotal records, interviews, portfolios, and performance tasks. These methods provide educators with insights into students' abilities in more naturalistic and contextualized settings.

Informal assessments are particularly valuable because they allow for the consideration of individual learning styles and environments, enabling educators to tailor instruction and interventions to meet specific needs. This contrasts with standardized tests, which often have rigid formats and may not adequately capture a student's learning experience or abilities.

In contrast, criterion-referenced tests and formal assessments typically involve standardized measures that compare a student's performance against a defined set of criteria or benchmarks. Progress monitoring is a method used to assess student performance over time, often through systematic measurement against specific academic goals, but it can still involve standardized components. Thus, informal assessment stands out as the unique option that emphasizes flexibility and a holistic understanding of a learner's progress.