A state programme officer evaluates a newly launched school health education module. She observes classroom sessions weekly during the pilot phase and gives feedback to trainers so they can modify teaching methods before statewide rollout. This type of evaluation is best termed:

• A Formative evaluation ✓
• B Summative evaluation
• C Process audit after completion
• D Impact evaluation

Explanation

Formative evaluation is conducted while a programme is still being developed or implemented, with the purpose of improving it through ongoing feedback, exactly what occurred here. Summative evaluation judges overall worth after completion, often against stated objectives, and impact evaluation measures long-term changes in health status. The key discriminator is timing and purpose: feedback during development means formative.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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