What does the term "continuous assessment" refer to in education?

"Continuous assessment" in education refers to an ongoing process of evaluating student performance and learning. This approach emphasizes the importance of tracking a student's progress over time rather than relying solely on a single final evaluation, which might not capture the full range of their abilities or improvements. Continuous assessment allows educators to gather and analyze data from various sources, such as quizzes, projects, class participation, and informal observations, to provide a more comprehensive view of a student's learning journey. This method enables timely feedback, which can be utilized to guide instructional practices, support student learning, and identify areas where students may need additional help or resources.

The other options highlight different forms of assessment. A one-time evaluation at the end of a course is a summative assessment, focused on measuring what students have learned over an entire instructional period. Self-assessment involves students reflecting on their own learning and performance but does not encompass the broader and systematic approach of continuous assessment. Formal tests administered at regular intervals could contribute to ongoing assessment practices, but they do not capture the full range of ongoing evaluation that continuous assessment entails.