The traditional examination system in programming courses often culminates in a high-stress, high-stakes final exam, which might not accurately reflect a student's understanding or capabilities. This study explores an innovative assessment approach implemented in the first-year programming class at our University. Instead of relying on a single end-term examination, this course now features continuous assessment through eight small programming tasks distributed throughout the semester. This method aims to reduce examination stress, provide regular feedback, and enhance learning outcomes.

In this new assessment model, students complete eight programming tasks during the course. Each task is designed to align with specific learning objectives and introduce new programming concepts in an incremental manner. Importantly, only the top six scores from these tasks contribute to the final module grade. This approach allows students to demonstrate their best work and accommodates occasional underperformance without penalising the overall outcome. By permitting the exclusion of the two lowest scores, the model inherently reduces stress, as students have the opportunity to focus on learning rather than solely on performance.

The introduction of continuous assessment has several benefits. Firstly, it distributes the workload evenly throughout the semester, preventing the bottleneck of study and preparation efforts characteristic of final exam periods. Secondly, by receiving timely and formative feedback after each task, students can identify and address knowledge gaps proactively, thus fostering a deeper understanding of programming concepts. This iterative cycle of practice, feedback, and improvement encourages a growth-oriented learning mindset.

Preliminary results indicate a notable improvement in student engagement and performance, with most students showing mastery of concepts earlier in the course. Moreover, faculty observations suggest that students exhibit a greater capacity for creative problem-solving and critical thinking, attributed to the reduced pressure and increased focus on learning. The absence of a single decisive exam allows for a more comprehensive evaluation of a student's proficiency, as it reflects consistent effort and adaptability over time.

Keywords: Continuous Assessment, Competence-Oriented Exams, Programming Exams, Stress Reduction.