Frequency of Performance-Based Assessments in Secondary School Computer Studies and Its Influence on Students’ Innovation Capacity in Kandara Sub-County, Kenya

Jackson Musyimi ,John Aluko Orodho ,O.m Thuo

doi:10.7176/jep/12-30-08

Abstract

The central purpose of carrying out this study was to establish the extent to which the frequency of Performance-Based Assessments (PBAs) in secondary school Computer Studies influences students’ innovation capacity. A correlational research design was used to conduct the study. Stratified sampling using proportional allocation and random sampling were used to select a total of 313 Computer Studies students from a target population of 1561 students. Data on the frequency of PBAs and students’ innovation capacity was collected through Computer Studies Students questionnaire whose Cronbach Alpha coefficient,a for internal consistency was 0.817. Pearson moment correlation and simple linear regression were used to analyze data inferentially. The study found a low frequency of PBA use in Computer Studies in the secondary schools which had negatively influenced students’ innovation capacity. The study recommends an increased frequency of PBAs in the subject’s curriculum implementation and close monitoring of Computer Studies PBAs implementation in order to ensure that teachers implement them more often. Keywords: Performance-Based Assessments, innovation, innovation capacity, secondary school, Computer Studies DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-30-08 Publication date: October 31 st 2021

Highlights

There is undoubted evidence that the type of assessments used in the learning continuum have a lot of bearing to the level of student learning
This study considered Computer Studies innovation capacity as the dependent variable
The indicators of this variable were: students’ participation in computing innovation forums, level of competition the innovation reaches and the number of students who had sought for patents or intellectual property for their innovations

Summary

Introduction

There is undoubted evidence that the type of assessments used in the learning continuum have a lot of bearing to the level of student learning. The type of assessment students know will be used to assess them is a key determinant of when they “switch on” to a lesson and when they “switch off.”. Kearney & Perkins (2014) find strong linkages between these backwash effects of assessments and student learning outcomes. They urge educators to capitalize on them by using assessments such as PBAs that enhance desired learning outcomes. In the perspective of this paper, a key question arise, which is: does the frequency of PBAs use in secondary school Computer Studies contribute to Computer Studies students’ capacity to innovate, and if it does, to what extent?

Methods

Results

Conclusion