This document discusses formative assessment and its role in ongoing improvement of teaching and learning. It defines formative assessment as low-stakes evaluations conducted during a course to provide feedback to students and teachers. This feedback helps students understand how to improve and helps teachers adjust their instruction. The document also discusses how to design valid, reliable, authentic, and practical assessments. It emphasizes that effective formative assessment, along with specific and objective feedback, can promote ongoing improvements in teaching and student learning outcomes.