Formative assessment is a process that uses judgments about the quality of student responses to improve student competence by avoiding the inefficiency of trial-and-error learning. It is relevant in various learning outcomes where multiple criteria are used to evaluate student work. Feedback is central to formative assessment, and is defined as information that helps close the gap between actual and desired performance. Three conditions for effective feedback are identified: students must be able to monitor their own work, understand what high-quality work is, and have evaluative skills to compare their work objectively. Additionally, students need tactics to improve their work. These skills can be developed through direct, authentic evaluative experiences. Instructional systems that do not provide such experiences are deficient, as they limit students' potential. The article discusses the importance of feedback in formative assessment, highlighting its role in helping students self-monitor and improve. It contrasts formative assessment with summative assessment, which focuses on summarizing achievement at the end of a course. The article argues that formative assessment requires a different conceptualization and technology than summative assessment. Feedback is essential for formative assessment, as it enables students to improve their performance through practice and support. Teachers use feedback to make decisions about readiness, diagnosis, and remediation, while students use it to improve their own work. The article emphasizes the need for instructional systems that support the development of evaluative skills and self-monitoring in students.Formative assessment is a process that uses judgments about the quality of student responses to improve student competence by avoiding the inefficiency of trial-and-error learning. It is relevant in various learning outcomes where multiple criteria are used to evaluate student work. Feedback is central to formative assessment, and is defined as information that helps close the gap between actual and desired performance. Three conditions for effective feedback are identified: students must be able to monitor their own work, understand what high-quality work is, and have evaluative skills to compare their work objectively. Additionally, students need tactics to improve their work. These skills can be developed through direct, authentic evaluative experiences. Instructional systems that do not provide such experiences are deficient, as they limit students' potential. The article discusses the importance of feedback in formative assessment, highlighting its role in helping students self-monitor and improve. It contrasts formative assessment with summative assessment, which focuses on summarizing achievement at the end of a course. The article argues that formative assessment requires a different conceptualization and technology than summative assessment. Feedback is essential for formative assessment, as it enables students to improve their performance through practice and support. Teachers use feedback to make decisions about readiness, diagnosis, and remediation, while students use it to improve their own work. The article emphasizes the need for instructional systems that support the development of evaluative skills and self-monitoring in students.