Some differences between Continuous Assessments and Formal Assessments Continuous Assessments | Examinations | Ongoing in the classroom throughout the year | Usually at the end of a unit, semester, term, year or cycle | Many different tasks | One exam or few tests per subject | Carried out by the teacher | Can be administered by someone other than the teacher | May be developed by the teacher | May be written by persons other than the classroom teacher | Marked by the teacher | May be marked by persons other than the classroom teacher | Teachers use assessment results to improve teaching | Don't help teacher to identify learner weakness | Are connected to the syllabus being taught | May not be always be connected to what is taught |
General Advantages of Continuous Assessment
* Learners will be assessed using different and appropriate assessment methods and this will provide a more valid assessment of the learner’s performance. * Assessment will now take place in an authentic context i.e. the learner will be assessed in a realistic situation, which is integral to the learning process. * During assessment, there will be immediate feedback into the learning process, thus promoting the formative role of assessment. * Opportunities are provided that would be impossible in a once-off external examination. * A variety of skills can be assessed by internal assessment, which otherwise would not have been considered for assessment purposes. *