The main purpose of assessment is to determine if the course goals and learning objectives are being met. For that reason, assessment is extremely important because it helps you determine how effective your learning strategy, course design, and course materials are. While it's fairly easy to say that assessment is just about testing knowledge, the process is much more complicated than that. It is very important to tie the learning objectives to the assessments so that you know that what you are assessing really does demonstrate learning.
In addition to making sure that your students are achieving the course goals and learning objectives, assessment can also be very motivating. It's often encouraging for students to see that they are making progress and also to receive recognition for their achievements.
Assessment can also be effective for encouraging teams and individuals who are collaborating on a project. If they see that their team members are completing their...