Continuous Assessment Program Research Articles

IMPLEMENTATION OF CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT IN THE NIGERIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

This paper has explored continuous assessment as an essential tool in evaluation procedure at all levels of education. Continuous assessment takes into consideration everything done by the child in the school through tests, assignments, interviews, observations, projects and other educational activities. Characteristics of continuous assessment, advantages and the challenges that could be encountered in its practical application were reviewed. There is no doubt that these challenges have caused so much obstructions to the successful implementation of this lofty evaluation method in the Nigerian educational system. Hence, recommendations which can be very useful in finding solutions to the problems were madewith a view of ensuring a successful implementation of the continuous assessment programme.

Enhancing Hospital Accreditation Practices: Building and Implementing a Continuous Readiness Model.

Accreditation Canada is moving from a three-to-five-year assessment cycle to a continuous assessment program. As our organization shifted to a culture of continuous readiness, we aimed to develop a model that would support a seamless transition. To develop our model, we completed a literature review, environmental scan and an organizational needs assessment. Grounded in quality management theory, our continuous readiness model includes overarching supporting infrastructure and tasks, tools and initiatives to embed the principles of continuous readiness across the organization. Our model provides organizations with a practical, evidence-informed process to support a state of continuous readiness for accreditation.

Does an incremental approach to implementing programmatic assessment work? Reflections on the change process.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. In 2017, the School of Medicine (Fremantle) of the University of Notre Dame Australia began moving towards programmatic assessment. Programmatic assessment seeks to achieve robust assessment validity through the assessment of a large number of low-stakes activities or data points. These data points exemplify assessment as learning by valuing feedback, discussion and reflection, ultimately leading to deeper student engagement without compromising credible decision-making on student progress. The School adopted an incremental approach to implementing programmatic assessment that included first establishing data-informed mentoring, and then activating a continuous assessment program that contributed simultaneously to student learning and School decision-making. Action research helped understand the impact of the initiative. Re-engineering continuous assessment as an incremental step towards programmatic assessment proved to be problematic. Some ideas are proposed to draw the strands of programmatic assessment together that may be useful for others to chart a more fruitful path.

Primary School Teachers’ Perception: A Study on Assessment Components and Its Effects

This study documented teachers’ perceptions concerning the implementation of the Continuous Assessment Component of the Secondary Entrance Examination, and its effectiveness in the teaching and learning process. Specifically, the study sought to gain an understanding of the extent to which teachers are aware of what continuous assessment entails, the challenges that they encounter in its implementation and its importance to both the teaching and learning processes. The participants in this study were six female and two male teachers who varied at different levels of experience and preparation. Through interviews and questionnaires, the researcher guided the study to determine: a) what are the attitudes and perceptions of selected primary school teachers at my school, concerning the effectiveness of the continuous assessment program as a tool for assessing students, b) what do selected primary school teachers at my school consider to be the challenges that they will encounter in implementing the continuous assessment programme in their respective classes, c) how has continuous assessment affected teacher performance at my school as a result of this process, and d) what support systems do these teachers have that will assist them in the delivery of the program. The study conducted a Mixed Methods study and used the questionnaire and interview instruments to guide the collection of data for analysis. The perceived challenges that emerged were discussed according to the following headings: Benefits of continuous assessment; teachers’ perception concerning continuous assessment; attitude towards assessment; curricular challenges; instructional challenges; adequate resources and curriculum reform and effective implementation.

US human factors engineering evaluation of an updated follitropin alfa pen injector (GONAL-f® RFF Redi-ject®) and instructions for use

ABSTRACTObjectives: The multi-dose, pre-filled GONAL-f® RFF Redi-ject® (follitropin alfa injection) pen injector was updated following feedback on user experience and pen functionality, as part of a continuous assessment program. Human-factors engineering (HFE) evaluations were conducted to confirm that the updated pen injector could be used by intended users to safely and effectively perform critical tasks identified by the risk-management plan.Methods: Five rounds of formative evaluation and a simulated-use summative evaluation of the pen injector, instructions for use (IFU), and training video were conducted by HFE specialists or the intended users of the pen injector.Results: The IFU and training video were revised following formative evaluations. Summative evaluation of simulated-use involved 60 participants, each of whom performed six use-scenarios related to potential hazards, selected on the basis of the risk-management plan. Overall, participants found the pen injector easy to use and the IFU clear and effective.Conclusions: Through an iterative process involving a series of HFE evaluations, modifications were made to the injection mechanism, the dose display, the IFU and the training video. Summative evaluation confirmed that the updated pen injector and associated user materials can be used safely and effectively to perform critical tasks identified through the risk-management plan.

Unravelling continuous assessment practice: Policy implications for teachers’ work and professional learning

Assessment policy in some countries continues to promote the use of continuous assessment (CA) within classrooms. Several policy claims have been made about the potential of CA to improve education. Using data from a 2010 evaluation of the Trinidad and Tobago Continuous Assessment Programme (CAP), canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was used to unravel the pattern of relationships between institutional variables, professional learning, teacher beliefs, and CA components. The CA components measured were (1) overall use, (2) multiple assessment formats use and (3) formative feedback use. Each CA component was shown to be associated with different variables, with overall use related to several teacher belief factors such as extra-role behaviour. However, multiple assessment formats use added only a small amount of unique variance to the CCA solution. Moreover, the canonical variate for formative feedback use was not statistically significant. These findings have implications for CA as a policy tool. Successful implementation of CA may require high quality professional learning as well as teacher workforce remodelling. Even when implemented successfully, however, CA may not be a useful vehicle for promoting high quality formative assessment or use of multiple assessment formats.

The promise and reality of formative assessment practice in a continuous assessment scheme: the case of Trinidad and Tobago

Continuous Assessment (CA) systems are externally directed, curriculum-based assessment schemes used for both summative and formative purposes within classrooms. CA has been implemented as national policy in several postcolonial developing countries and is believed to hold great promise for improving education outcomes. This theory-driven evaluation (TDE) used a mixed methods research design to interrogate the nature of CA practice. The focus was on stakeholders’ understanding and practice of formative assessment in the CA Programme (CAP) of Trinidad and Tobago. The integrated findings suggest that the programme planners’ formative intent was often not fulfilled. Instead, teachers routinely recorded assessment marks without using the data. There is evidence that formative assessment practice was not congruent with teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and practices. Although the design of CA schemes suggests the possibility of synergy between formative and summative purposes, in reality this ideal is rarely achieved in these particular contexts.

Exploring the value of integrated findings in a multiphase mixed methods evaluation of the continuous assessment program in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

AbstractContinuous assessment programs are externally directed, curriculum-based assessment schemes used for both summative and formative purposes by teachers within classrooms. Since the 1970s, continuous assessment schemes have been implemented within several developing countries, often in an attempt to improve teacher assessment practice and minimize the deleterious effect of high stakes public examinations. To date, few evaluations of continuous assessment in these contexts have employed a formal model or an explicit mixed methods research design. This paper reported on a theory-driven evaluation, which frames a mixed methods investigation of the Trinidad and Tobago Continuous Assessment Program (CAP). The qual→ QUAN→ qual multiphase mixed methods design is briefly described, but the focus is upon the construction and use of integrated findings. Integrated findings do appear to have greater policy relevance and provide deeper insight into the complex interplay among contexts, beliefs, and assessment p...

Exploring the Value of Integrated Findings in a Multiphase Mixed Methods Evaluation of the Continuous Assessment Programme in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Exploring the Value of Integrated Findings in a Multiphase Mixed Methods Evaluation of the Continuous Assessment Programme in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Continuous Assessment Program

Continuous Assessment Program

Continuous assessment program: A mechanism for inmate reform

Continuous assessment program: A mechanism for inmate reform