THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION (original) (raw)
Related papers
Fijian primary school leaders’ beliefs and practices about assessment
Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 2018
School leaders have an important role in supervising learning and instruction. In these roles, they use a variety of assessment methods to measure and support student learning. Their beliefs about assessment can have an impact on how they perceive and use different forms of assessment. This study sought to explore assessment related beliefs and practices of a small group of Fijian Head Teachers. The findings suggest that they hold mixed beliefs about assessment. The findings also suggest that the Head Teachers made attempts to make formative use of written or other assessments they used. They registered little support for too much formal, standardized testing.
A Reality Check: Teaching Practices in Fijian Secondary Schools
This interpretive study of teaching practices explored the perceptions of teachers in a changing landscape in secondary schools in Fiji. Research participants engaged in focus group interviews in which they shared their teaching stories. The study found that the key issues for teachers were student-centered learning and continuous assessment. It also found that teachers were skilled and knowledgeable in pedagogy however some of their teaching practices are ineffective. It is contended that this situation is the result of inadequate support systems for teachers and in turn is perpetuating protracted change in the education system. Suggestions for teachers to develop adaptive and innovative skills that enable them to meet the changing role of teaching include a range of initiatives related to continuous professional development.
Culture of Testing: A case study in Tonga
2017
This study was commissioned by UNESCO to examine the ‘culture of testing’ in the Kingdom of Tonga and carried out by the Institute of Education of The University of the South Pacific (USP). Tonga has a formal education system that is examination oriented and driven and society has traditionally placed excessive value on the results of examinations, especially high stake ones. The study examines the social and cultural factors that create a “culture of testing” and its relationship to education policies, education reform, curriculum, and/or teacher pedagogy. It will also examines how this “culture of testing” affect learners and learning outcomes. All of these will be examined in light of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 targets. The study draws attention to the fact that while the emphasis on exams results maybe justified in the eyes of parents and the public, there are other non-examined skills and knowledges that students acquire while at schools which may be of importance...
Bulletin of Education and Research August 2023, Vol. 45, No.2 pp. 93-106, 2023
Assessment methods have more effects on the strategy of study; if an exam requires the recall of factual information, then students adopt the surface-level approach or rote learning (Newble & Jaeger, 1983). Measuring the learning outcomes of students is paramount for learning and teaching improvement. However, in the Pakistani education system, the scenario is quite contradictory. Instead of supporting learning, the exams are spoiling the real learning process. These exams have complete control over learning and teaching processes; all the pedagogies and strategies of stakeholders revolve around the examination. Negative washbacks are explored through a systematic review of twenty-year studies, which showed that in Pakistan, high-stakes (external exams) are mostly conducted and have predefined goals like promoting students to the next grade, giving them jobs, and admission to higher education. These goals were set in view of colonialism's requirements for the subcontinent. Still, our exams have the same goals even after decades of independence: rather than testing student learning, critical, analytical, and creative ability, our exams focus on testing the memory of students; thus, students and teachers adopt strategies of rote learning to score better in exams. Therefore, it is necessary to divert the approach from examination-centered to student-centered, which can promote our students' critical, analytical, and creative abilities instead of making them habitual to rote learning, cramming, and cheating, which is very dangerous for any country's educational system. Empirical recommendations rendered here can improve the examination system in Pakistan and foster critical, analytical, and creative thinking abilities.
Examination is an integral part of the education system, which has certain objectives to be realized. Examinations are useful as theymeasure a student"s progress towards predetermined objectives. Scholars indicate that in Kenya, there are a lot of issues related to examinations. However, examinations have been embraced as an evaluation tool for a long time. These issues include examination irregularities, unfair competition and burning of school property besides other issues.In Kakamega, County academic performance has been below average, the mean score has stagnated, hardly arising beyond C-(below average) for over ten years. The county has also experienced examination malpractices in national examination (K.C.S.E). The purpose of this study therefore was to establish the teachers" and students" perceptions of the role of examinations on students" academic achievements in public secondary schools. Specific objectives were to;examine teachers" perceptions of the role of examination on students" academic achievement and to determine the relationship between the frequency of examination and students" academic achievement. The study was guided by expectancy motivation theory by Victor Vroom (1964). The study adopted descriptive survey design. The main instruments for data collection were questionnaire, document analysis guide, and focused group discussion guide as well as interview schedule guide. Random, purposive and stratified sampling techniques were used to sample schools as units of study and respondents. Validity of instruments was ascertained through consultations with my supervisors and experts in the department of Educational Psychology. Reliability were ascertained through pilot study in selected neighboring schools and split half test. Descriptive statistics included frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Inferential statistics included the use of ANOVA, Pearson-Product Moment correlation-coefficient (r) linear regression Multivariate and collinearity. Data analysis was aided by SPSS software version 21 and Microsoft excel. The study established that; there is a significant relationship between teachers perception of the role of examination on students" academic achievement,(t-statistics=11.547, p-value =000<0.05) and variation of academic achievement was explained by frequency of examination; (t-test =15.773.p-value=0.045<0.05) therefore the null hypothesis was rejected. The study concluded thatexaminations have a direct influence on students" academic achievement. Therefore better approaches should be taken into consideration that will enhance the purpose of examination in Education. It is hoped that the study may be useful to the Ministry of Education, Kenya National Examination Council, policy makers, school management, teachers, parents, psychologists and students to come up with better approaches of handling examinations to enhance academic achievement among students. It will also serve as documentary evidence and a source of reference for future researchers wishing to conduct studies in a similar area.
Influence of Examinations Oriented Approaches on Quality Education in Primary Schools in Kenya
Journal of Education and Practice, 2017
This paper provides a critical appraisal of the influence of examinations oriented approaches on quality education in primary schools in Kenya. The purpose of the study was to determine effects of examination oriented teaching approaches on learning achievement among primary school pupils in Kakamega County, Kenya. It explored the assumptions underlying pedagogical approaches as well as the negative influences of exam-oriented approaches in Kenyan schools. Examination oriented approaches don't address acquisition of practical skills, values, and attitudes in learners. The approaches merely concentrate on passing of national examinations by pupils. Globally, primary education is recognized as the pillar of any country that is expected to have the stable economy. Due to the role played by education in economic development and promotion of peace development, the United Nations (UN) general assembly in 1948 endorsed education as a fundamental human right. The purpose of the study is to interrogate the influence of examinations oriented approaches on quality education in primary schools. The paper examined the advances of United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in defining and actualizing quality education. The paper further assessed the role played by examinations in determining teaching approaches in schools. Instructional approaches play the crucial role in learning achievement of pupils. Appropriate approaches enhance achievement of competencies during the learning process. However, inappropriate methods affect knowledge retention negatively and lead to rote learning.The study was guided by transactional analysis theory as advanced Eric Berne in 1950. Transactional analysis is a method that facilitates communication between learners and teachers in a classroom environment. The theory illustrates how people have developed and how they treat themselves. It further outlines how people relate and communicate among themselves. This is actualized in the provision of suggestions and interventions which enable people to change and adjust to the environment. Flanders (1970), notes that teachers as initiators of communication adopt teaching methods based on their cognitive orientation. Through the pedagogy selected, the teacher communicates to learners in the classroom. Pupils are stimulated in order to achieve learning objectives. Flanders further developed a system of interaction analysis on the transaction that goes on in the classroom. The analysis came up with teacher-centered and learner-centered approaches. This study adopted by transactional analysis theory in order to analyze the influence exam oriented model of education on the use of convectional approaches by teachers in Kenyan primary schools. The qualitative property to be acquired is quality oriented model in primary school education. Inputs which lead to quality education in primary schools are the independent variables of this study. The outputs which culminate into outcomes of quality education are realized in quality indicators. The study had to examine the challenges of educational quality that arise due to pressure from examinations excellence. The study further examined how enrolment in primary schools influences examinations oriented approaches. Particular attention was given to the crises in inputs and processes that affect the output of quality primary education. These crises are reflected in class size, teacher establishment and physical resources that influence quality education. The study, therefore, focused on teaching approaches practiced by teachers in primary schools. The study adopted mixed methods of study. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches to research were used. Descriptive survey design was therefore adopted. It targeted a population of 536000 in Kakamega County, Kenya. The target population comprised of head teachers, teachers, and pupils. Purposive and simple random sampling was adopted to obtain the desired sample size. Using the descriptive survey design, data was collected using three sets of questionnaires. The reliability was estimated through use of Cranach's Alpha Coefficient using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19.0. Findings of the study revealed that examinations oriented approach negatively affect pupils' learning achievement. It is therefore anticipated that this study is significant as findings of the study may help in the formulation of education policies and legal framework which are geared towards curbing inequalities leading to the qualitative approach to primary school education. The policy implementers would also understand and appreciate education policies within which they are supposed to operate in providing effective leadership and management practices in the implementation of quality-based education at primary level. The study is also significant to the field of comparative and International education as it provides data on what the Kenyan
Implications of School-Based Assessment for the Pacific
The paradigm shift in education from a traditional approach to constructivist approaches has paved the way for the emergence of a variety of assessment methods under the umbrella of school-based assessment. Teacher assessment can be considered an integral part of school-based assessment. Many institutions, world wide, slowly but surely are incorporating one or other of these forms of assessment in their educational services. In the Pacific, the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) is one of the premier institutions to take a lead in this regard. IBO's Suva International Secondary School practises a broad range of modern assessment forms as an alternative to school examinations. Until students reach the public examination at the end of schooling, teacher assessment alone sets, maintains, and monitors the curriculum and performance standards at all levels. Focusing on the assessment practice in this Suva school, this paper discusses implications of such a system for Pacific educational management and teacher education.
The main purpose of this study is to portray the effects of the national examinations on students. The research is done by a narrative inquiry method. The methodologies are by (1) writing a personal narration about the researcher's experience in working with children who failed the national examination, (2) reflection, and (3) analysis of the narration. The results of the study showed that the national examination affects students' by demotivating students, making students in an uncertain position, and students become unable to continue education. It also shows that the national examination is not fair to determine a student's success and failure in schools because the students in Indonesia have not received equal access to education. An equitable system those in greatest need must receive the most support. The unintended consequence of the national examination is the other way around. It does limit students' who are most in need of educational support to education. The recommendation for the government is that a better assessment system should be designed. This assessment should be done through the schooling year, not at the end of the schooling year. The government should also map the needs of the schools. Additionally, further research is needed to find the best way of mapping the quality of schools. Finally, teachers should be trained on assessment. 2
Jurnal Penjaminan Mutu
This qualitative research study used narrative approach to retell the narratives of twelve (12) high school teachers on the processes, challenges, and solutions of student assessment. The investigation identifies that teachers assess the students by utilizing modules and other activities as alternatives of face-to-face instruction and assessment, using rubrics and providing feedbacks, utilizing online platforms, and involving parents. The participants also encountered challenges such as academic dishonesty, students’ attitude towards learning tasks, and lack of ICT resources. These are solved by communicating with parents, feedbacking, and alternatives means of distributing learning tasks. The findings provide insights specifically for teachers who struggle in assessing student learning in the New Normal Setup and who aim to use distance learning even in the post-pandemic class setting; and contribute inputs to quality assurance in education, considering the pandemic-impacted educat...