Continuous Assessment Tests Research Articles

Improving struggling medical and nursing students’ subjective vitality, school engagement and academic performance through a peer mentorship intervention programme: an intervention protocol

BackgroundThe undergraduate medical training programme is demanding and rigorous. This underlines the importance of a peer mentorship strategy to improve the well-being, self-determination, school connectedness, and performance of struggling medical and nursing students. This study is aimed at identifying struggling medical and nursing students using two cumulative continuous assessment test (CAT) scores, assess their subjective vitality and school engagement and evaluate the impact of the peer mentorship intervention on them.MethodsThe study will adopt a mixed-methods approach and will be conducted in the medical colleges of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria, and the University of Rwanda. Three instruments will be used: The subjective Vitality Scale (SVS), the University Student Engagement Inventory (USEI), and the academic records of the students before and after the commencement of the intervention programme. The consenting least-performing medical and nursing students identified by their low CAT scores (below 45%) in basic medical sciences will be selected for study in each institution. The outcome measures will include students’ CAT scores, subjective vitality, and school engagement scores. The data will be analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Thematic content analysis will be adopted in the analysis of the responses generated from the focus group discussion. The mean ± standard deviation or median and interquartile range statistic will be adopted for the quantitative data.DiscussionGiven the paucity of data on struggling medical and nursing students in Nigeria and Rwanda, this research was designed to help in exploring evidence-based interventions to improve and prevent poor subjective well-being of struggling students. The study is expected to fill these knowledge gaps. Trial registration: Pan African Clinical Trial registry, PACTR202405546896613, registration date: 27th May, 2024. This proposal has been supported by grant 1R25TW011217 from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH)/Fogarty International Center (FIC) which also includes co-funds from the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy (S/GAC) and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to the African Forum for Research and Education in Health (AFREhealth). The Grant Principal Investigators are Profs. Nelson K.Sewankambo (contact PI), Prisca Adejumo, Jean Bisimwa Nachega, Fatima Suleman.

Assessing generalizability of Deep Reinforcement Learning algorithms for Automated Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing

Modern cybersecurity best practices and standards require continuous Vulnerability Assessment (VA) and Penetration Test (PT). These activities are human- and time-expensive. The research community is trying to propose autonomous or semi-autonomous solutions based on Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) agents, but current proposals require further investigations. We observe that related literature reports performance tests of the proposed agents against a limited subset of the hosts used to train the models, thus raising questions on their applicability in realistic scenarios. The main contribution of this paper is to fill this gap by investigating the generalization capabilities of existing DRL agents to extend their VAPT operations to hosts that were not used in the training phase. To this purpose, we define a novel VAPT environment through which we devise multiple evaluation scenarios. While evidencing the limited capabilities of shallow RL approaches, we consider three state-of-the-art deep RL agents, namely Deep Q-Network (DQN), Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO), and Advantage Actor–Critic (A2C), and use them as bases for VAPT operations. The results show that the algorithm using A2C DRL agent outperforms the others because it is more adaptable to unknown hosts and converges faster. Our methodology can guide future researchers and practitioners in designing a new generation of semi-autonomous VAPT tools that are suitable for real-world contexts.

Utilising Formative Assessment to Improve Students' Learning Outcomes in Hybrid Learning Framework in Higher Education

This paper draws attention to the importance of applying formative assessment principles and providing regular feedback to students at the tertiary level. It reports on the results obtained from a case study conducted with a group of second-year students majoring in English that aimed to investigate the correlation between formative assessment and learning outcomes. During a three-month English Semantics course, one group of students did continuous assessment tasks regularly and were provided with feedback each time. Another group did not do these tasks and they took only two compulsory midterm tests that were prerequisites for taking the final exam. The results were obtained from 10 continuous assessment tests which were taken by one group of students every week as part of the lesson and the learning process, and 2 midterm tests taken by all the respondents. Descriptive statistics was used to present the results, whereby the average, minimal and maximal values were calculated, and subsequently compared and analysed. The main conclusion drawn from the study shows better learning outcomes and better scores obtained by those students who were actively involved in the continuous assessment process.

Clustering-based Recommendations for Enhancing Students’ Academic Performance by Recognizing Prevalent Assessment Method using Exploratory Data Analysis

Objectives: To analyse students’ academic performance based on assessment methods and determine the most prevalent one through which students can be categorised for recommending optimal student-centered pedagogies that enhance students’ performance. Methods: Exploratory Data Analysis identifies the implications of the assessment methods based on the marks obtained by students in Continuous Assessments (CA) and the Cumulative Test (CT). Continuous Assessment (CA) and Cumulative Test (CT) marks of three subjects that come under foundation science, elective, and skill-based course of 100 undergraduate students are collected from a reputed Arts and Science Institution using stratified sampling technique, analyzed, and the recommendations are made based on the statistical observations and cluster analysis. Clustering recognises learning patterns of the students’ on the learners’ data. The Elbow method determines the number of clusters where the Silhouette score identifies the best suitable clustering technique for the dataset. K-Means Clustering categorises students based on their performance, that helps to give recommendations to improve. Findings: Based on Univariate and Bivariate analysis on the dataset, this work identifies Continuous Assessment (CA) as a prevalent evaluation strategy that motivates students to get engaged throughout rather than just before the exam. Based on the Silhouette Score (above .5), K-Means clustering is chosen to discover hidden patterns in the assessment marks depending on the three clusters determined by the Elbow method. It helps to identify the underperformers (46%) and suggest personalised recommendations for improving student’s academic performance as per clusters. Novelty: This work integrates Statistical Analysis and Clustering Analysis as per the optimal clusters determined by the Elbow method for identifying patterns hidden in assessment marks based on the prevalent assessment types. As a result, it enables more personalised recommendations for recognising the predominant assessment method and boosting academic achievement. Keywords: Continuous Assessment, Cumulative Test, Statistical Analysis, Exploratory Data Analysis, Univariate, Bivariate, Cluster Analysis, Elbow Method, K­Means Clustering

Exploring the Positive Feeling of Physical and Mental Energy among Struggling Preclinical Medical Students in Nigeria: A pilot Observational Study

Objective: The pursuit of medical education is reputed to be demanding and research has increasingly shown that successful completion of medical studies entails fostering the mental well-being of medical students. However, medical students’ subjective vitality which is a critical component of their metal well-being is grossly underexplored. This study aimed to estimate the positive feeling of physical and mental energy among struggling medical students in Nigeria. Methods: Academic performance was evaluated through continuous assessment test (CAT) scores in basic physiology. Struggling medical students, defined as those with CAT scores less than 45%, were compared with control counterparts, whose CAT scores were ≥50%. The impact on physical and mental energy was assessed using the Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS) validated questionnaire. The study was conducted at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria. Statistical comparisons between groups were conducted using the Wilcoxon test. Data were analyzed utilizing SPSS version 26, with a two-sided p-value <0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The study recruited 144 participants, with 19 (18.0%) identified as struggling students and 125 (82.0%) non-struggling students. The mean rank for subjective vitality scale (SVS) among struggling students was 63.13, compared to 73.92 among non-struggling students (p=0.293). Struggling students reported significantly lower scores specifically in the domain of feeling alive and vital at the moment compared to their counterparts with higher CAT scores (P = 0.011), suggesting diminished vitality. No significant differences occurred in the other six SVS items of struggling medical students when compared to their non-struggling counterparts Only age of the students significantly predicted their subjective vitality (β= – 0.172, t = -2.004, p = 0.047). Conclusion: Struggling students reported significantly lower scores on the SVS domain of feeling alive and vital at the moment compared to their counterparts with higher CAT scores This pilot study underscores the importance of understanding the relationship between academic struggles and the subjective experience of physical and mental energy among preclinical medical students in Nigeria. Further research with larger samples across multiple time points can help explain observed connections between educational challenges and vitality. Supportive interventions for students should be developed using this information.

Continuous and Placement Assessment Results as a Predictor of Student Achievement in Primary Schools

The purpose of this study was to explore the performance of out-of-school children in speed school and accelerated learning programs as a basis for success in primary schools. This research field has received very little attention. The continuous assessment and placement test results of students at risk were not used much in the literature, which this study aims to fill. The total number of students involved in the study was 624. The study used the continuous assessment average scores and placement test scores as predictor variables. The results show that the relationship between placement test and 1st-semester score in grade four was significant, r (196) = .501, p < .001. For the Accelerated Learning Program, the placement test and 1st-semester score in grade three were significant, r (111) = .413, p<.001. As a tool to forecast primary school students' future achievement, the teacher-made continuous assessment appears to be less useful than placement tests for children who come through speed school. Students from speed school backgrounds performed better than students from formal schools; students from accelerated learning program backgrounds performed almost similarly to students from formal schools except in environmental science. The study indicated that in grade four of formal primary school, continuous assessment was found to be poorly linked with student knowledge and skills. However, the results show that both comparisons found placement examinations to be a reliable indicator of children's achievement in primary schools. It can be concluded that students who joined grades three and four of formal school through speed school and an accelerated learning program are capable of achieving minimum learning competence in the subsequent educational outcomes in elementary grades.

An Effective Instructional Design to Enhance Learning Outcomes of Information Security Course in Online Mode

The course on Information Security deals with the processes and tools for protecting sensitive digital data from disruption, modification and destruction in cyber space. This course is offered as a programme core during the third year of study in the undergraduate curriculum of various engineering programmes such as Computer Science and Engineering and Information Technology. The demand for graduating engineers with the technical skills to detect, respond to, and prevent cyberattacks is at an all-time high. Having understood the potential job market for Cyber Security Professionals, the syllabus of the Information Security course at Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai has been carefully designed in collaboration with industrial experts. The course also provides the necessary foundation for certification exams like Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and for pursuing a master’s degree with specialization in Information Security. Because of pandemic, the course has to be delivered in online mode with no compromise in quality. A wide variety of simulation tools, programming assignments, active and collaborative learning techniques, Problem based Learning have been included in the instructional design to create an effective online learning environment. Exclusive rubrics were created for assessing teamwork, ethics and communication. The paper presents a detailed impact analysis of the customized instructional design in improving the attainment of learning outcomes, student engagement and satisfaction. The experimental study has been carried out in a student group of 138 members from the undergraduate programme on Information Technology at our institute in the academic year 2020-21. Adoption of multiple teaching learning strategies has shown significant improvement in the performance of learners in continuous assessment tests and terminal examinations. The satisfaction index of the learners analysed from course end surveys and informal feedback and is found to be significantly high. Keywords— Active Learning; Collaborative Learning; Information Security; Higher Order Thinking Skills; Learning Outcome Attainment; Student Engagemen

Delivery of Integral Calculus at Maseno University: Is STACK Really Playing an Integral Part?

Abstract—Integral Calculus II is a second-year undergraduate course offered by the Department of Pure and Applied Mathematics at Maseno University. It is one of the 20 foundational courses with a high enrolment of about 800 students drawn from the school of Mathematics, Education, Science, and Business. Because of the large number of enrollments in these foundational courses, and the small number of teaching staff, instructors face challenges in providing immediate personalized feedback that can guide learning. Systems for Teaching and Assessment which use Computer Algebra Kernerl, STACK, a computer-aided assessment plug-in that provides a sophisticated assessment in mathematics-related disciplines, was used to deploy Continuous Assessment Tests (CAT) in the course for 370 students. This paper reports on the findings of the course based on a comparison between student test scores in STACK and in the final course exam.

Role of an Interactive Session in the Improvement of Academic Performance in Pre-Clinical Subjects of the Second Year BDS

Objective: To compare the academic performance of students from two consecutive batches taught through different teaching strategies during their pre-clinical year.
 Methods: We compare two batches of the second year BDS in a basic dental science subject (a subject I and Subject II). The mode of intervention of the current batch was via interactive lectures compared with didactic lectures delivered to the previous batch. Both batches were assessed by Continuous Assessments Test CAT in mid of semester followed by the Semester Exam. The two-independent t-test was used to measure the difference in academic scores between two batches of students who received teachings through an interactive session and didactic lectures respectively.
 Results: The students of the current batch (n=41) obtained better scores during the continuous assessment test (65.1±11.01) than (55.3±11.80) previous batch students (n=43) at p<0.001. Similarly, semester exam scores of the current batch were also higher (72.0±8.08) than the previous batch (68.3±9.04) in the subject I at p<0.004. However, in Subject II the academic scores were improved but not statistically significant.
 Conclusion: It is concluded as, with the interactive sessions academic performance of the current batch has improved as compared to its counterpart.
 

Cognitive Based Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Detection with Ability Assessment Using Auto Encoder Based Hidden Markov Model

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a frequent Neuro-generative mental disorder. It can persist in adulthood and be expressed as a cognitive complaint. Behavioural analysis of ADHD consumes more time. This is a multi-informant complex procedure due to the overlaps in symptomatology which is the cause for delay in diagnosis and treatment. Dur to these behavioural consequences and various causes, no single test is utilized till now for diagnosing this disorder. Hence, a diagnosing model of ADHD based on Continuous Ability Assessment Test (CAAT) can enhance and balance behavioural assessment. The objective behind this study is to use a deep learning based model with CAAT for predicting ADHD. The proposed Auto Encoder Based Hidden Markov Model (AE-HMM) produces low-dimensional features of brain structures, and a novel Pearson Correlation Coefficient (PCC) is employed for normalizing these features in order to minimize batch effects over populations and datasets. This goal is consistently achieved and thus the proposed model outperforms few standard approaches which are considered like CogniLearn and 3-D Convolutional Neural Networks (3DCNN). It is found that the proposed AE-HMM method achieves 93.68% of accuracy, 90.66% of sensitivity, 87.72% of specificity, 87.78% of F1-score and 74.22% of kappa score.

Review of Literatures on E – Learning Assessment with Clustering Method

E-learning has become a reality which it is impossible to ignore now, especially in this break out of worldwide pandemic. The need to know about its concerns, related concepts, types, algorithms, skills, tools, implementation, deployment and evaluation have motivated many researchers. it also seems reasonable to expect that researchers will rate the computer as the greatest invention in human history in terms of facilitating global communication. E-learning assessment is process of assessing teaching and learning activities in the e-learning system. This paper hovers around the review of literatures on e – learning assessment with clustering method. Assessment is one of the integral parts of the educational system all over the world and it plays a vital role in students’ learning progress. This is achieved through different means of assessments which will be added together to achieve effective results in student learning progress. However, it has been observed that students who have undergone e-learning programme just read for grade at the end of the semester thereby lacking learning progress monitoring during the course of study. Most under-graduate and post-graduate modules are fully online but only few numbers of continuous assessment tests (cats) are delivered online. E-learning assessment is a means of assessing students’ learning outcomes in e-learning system and most existing systems are based on summative assessment which assess students only at the end of the semester but this assessment system uses clustering method of data mining and formative assessment mechanism, this will significantly improve students’ learning experiences and achievements. This constructive criticism and insight can be used to create an action plan that moves forward the ability to modify learning behaviors and achieve their learning goals.

Student's Performance through Online and Offline in core Information Technology courses: A Comparison

Online based education was enforced during the COVID-19 pandemic to minimize interruption in the pedagogy of teaching. Impact of transition from face-to-face to online based education on students’ learning needs to be studied. This research aims to compare the continuous assessment performance of students in both gmeet-based online and traditional offline classroom methods. Data required for this study was obtained from an academic institution (TCE-Madurai). Three core courses namely Database Management System (IV semester), Web Programming (V semester), and Theory of Computation (III semester) in the Department of Information Technology for both online (2018-2022 batch and 2019-2023 batch) and offline (2017-2021 batch) approach has been compared while considering the same cohort. Each course is designed with Course Outcomes (COs). We did Extrapolative analysis, Descriptive analysis, Correlation analysis, Regression analysis, ANOVA, and MANOVA analysis to find the relationship between internal assessments and terminal examination. The dataset has been collected from 337 students’ from the 2018-22 batch and 134 students from 2017-21 batch in the B.Tech program. Internal assessment includes three continuous assessment tests (CATs) and three assignments marks mapped with respect to corresponding COs. Terminal exam marks were also considered in the study. The dataset contains various features like scores of individual students in both internal assessments and terminal exams. Regression analysis helped to derive the relationship between final exam score which includes a specific course, a specific student, and a specific mode of delivery - Online / Offline. It explained the relationship between final exam score and internal assessment marks. It is observed that the students in online mode had significantly higher scores for the majority of the CourseOutcomes, mainly at the Knowledge level. It is difficult to measure certain areas like students’ skills and attitude level such as students’ peer Engagement, Human Interaction, Communication/Preparation, Critical thinking, and Team skills in online mode. Keywords—Regression analysis, ANOVA, MANOVA, Online Vs Offline, Core courses, Performance, Internal test, Terminal exam,

Introducing a flipped classroom in a pharmacology course

Flipped classroom pedagogy has been shown to improve nursing students' academic performance. The study aimed to determine the effect of a flipped classroom approach on students' pharmacology assessment scores in a school of nursing in Karachi, Pakistan. A retrospective chart review was performed. The pharmacology test scores of the BSc nursing cohort of 2020, when flipped classroom pedagogy was used, was compared with those of the BSc nursing cohort of 2019, where traditional pedagogy was employed. Students' summative evaluation for the course and their verbal feedback were analysed. The median continuous assessment test score of the 2019 cohort was 35 (interquartile range (IQR) 32-38), while that of the 2020 cohort was 38 (IQR 35-41). The difference in the score was statistically significant (P<0.001). The study gives an insight into a relatively novel pedagogy that was found to improve pharmacology knowledge test scores among nursing students.

Enhancing Student Learning and Engagement in the Course on Computer Networks

The course on Computer Networks plays a significant role in the professional development of students graduating from various programmes such as Computer Science and Engineering, Information Technology and Master of Computer Applications. Graduating Engineers with exclusive skills in administering and managing computer networks are highly demanded in the job market. The knowledge on computer networks is tested in many of the entrance examinations towards admission in Post Graduate programmes like Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE), Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Examination (TANCET) etc., The course also provides the necessary foundation for certification exams like Cisco Certified Networking Associate (CCNA). Having realized the importance of the Computer Networks in placements, higher studies and international certifications, the instructional design has been evolved with the appropriate selection of active learning and collaborative learning strategies. The paper presents a detailed impact analysis of the instructional design in improving the attainment of learning outcomes, student engagement and satisfaction. The experimental study has been carried out in a student group of 130 members from the undergraduate programme on Information Technology at Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai in the academic year 2020-21. A wide variety of network simulation tools, programming assignments have been included in the instructional design to promote hands on experience. Exclusive assessment items with customized rubrics are used for promoting technical, personal and interpersonal skills. The blend of instructor led and inquiry based teaching learning practices have shown significant improvement in the grades of continuous assessment test.

Aplicación de un calendario de pruebas de evaluación continua en la asignatura “Obstetricia” en sexto de Medicina

Introducción. Con el objetivo de promover y motivar al aprendizaje continuo durante el curso de la asignatura de Obstetricia (6º Medicina), se diseñó un calendario de “Pruebas de Evaluación Continua” (PEC). Este aprendizaje progresivo permite interiorizar conceptos, mejor seguimiento de las clases sucesivas y facilita el estudio, mejorando el rendimiento final. Métodos. Se diseñaron 4 PEC voluntarias, una por bloque del temario, con 10 preguntas tipo test sin puntuación negativa por error, para estimular al alumnado a pensar en cada una de las cuestiones y tomar decisiones. Las PEC se realizaron en los últimos 10 minutos de la última clase de cada bloque. Medicina tiene cinco grupos, uno por hospital docente. Esta iniciativa se realizó sólo en uno de los grupos (grupo A). Resultados. Se presentaron a las PEC el 90,9% de los alumnos matriculados. En la primera PEC la calificación media fue 68% (máximo 90%; mínimo 50%; moda 70%), en la segunda 88% (máximo 100%; mínimo 60%; moda 90%), en la tercera 95% (máximo 100%; mínimo 80%; moda 100%) y en la cuarta 99% (máximo 100%; mínimo 90%, moda 100%). La calificación media en el examen final de la asignatura (común a los 5 grupos) del grupo A fue de 7,300 (sobre 10), superior a la de los grupos B (6,886), C (6,592), D (6,572) y E (6,463). Conclusiones. Se objetivó un aumento del rendimiento progresivo grupal e individual. Los resultados de la primera PEC fueron más dispersos, y posteriormente se fueron homogeneizando. El grupo en el que se realizaron las PEC obtuvo mejor resultado en el examen final que los otros grupos. Abstract: Introduction. We designed a “Continuous Assessment Tests” (CAT) for promoting and motivating continuous learning during the course of the subject “Obstetrics” (6th year of Medicine). This progressive learning enables concepts to be internalized, better monitoring of successive classes and facilitates study, improving results. Methods. Four voluntary CAT were designed, one per block of the subject, with 10 multiple choice questions without negative score by mistake to stimulate students to think about each of the questions and make decisions. The CAT were performed in the last 10 minutes of the last class of each block. Medicine has five groups, one per teaching hospital. This initiative was carried out in only one of the groups (group A). Results. 90.9% of the enrolled students attended the CAT. In the first CAT the mean score was 68% (maximum 90%; minimum 50%; mode 70%), in the second 88% (maximum 100%; minimum 60%; mode 90%), in the third 95% (maximum 100%; minimum 80%; mode 100%) and in the fourth 99% (maximum 100%; minimum 90%, mode 100%). The mean score in the final exam of the subject (common to the 5 groups) of group A was 7,300 (out of 10), higher than that of groups B (6,886), C (6,592), D (6,572) and E (6,463). Conclusions. An increase in group and individual progressive yield was observed. The results of the first CAT were more dispersed, and later they were homogenized. The group in which the CAT were performed got better yield in the final exam than the other groups.

THE POLITICS OF EDUCATION REFORMS IN KENYA: CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM FROM 1963-2020

The study conducted a critical appraisal of the education system and reforms in Kenya as influenced by the regime of the day. There are various factors that influence educational development in any particular country, namely political, historical, geographical, technological, religious, and ideological factors. The political factor is seen as the steering wheel of education in Kenya during pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial periods. There is no doubt that educational policies on system reforms are significantly dependent on political and social conditions, which are no longer consistent with the current predominant economic reality. This has made it difficult to come up with better, reliable, and sustainable policies. The historical design was adopted in reviewing educational development under the leadership of the four presidents of Kenya. So far, the first and the second presidents remain known as the ones who have brought the most educational changes in the country. The new 2-6-6-3 education system emphasizes continuous assessment tests rather than the end of cycle tests and is more competencies-based than exam-based (as is the 8-4-4 system). The policy designers in the education sector should comprehend and embrace education policies since they are expected to give effective leadership and management practices in the development of education. Good education development can only be realized when a country tries to separate educational policies from national politics, clear stipulation of educational policies and their role in national development and a sound implementation of educational reforms. This article digs deeper into education policies and implementation in Kenya in an attempt to provide recommendations and suggestions to improve the educational sector.

Modelling the Impact of Continuous Assessment Tests on Final Grade in a Course

This study is an application of multi-equation system modelling to evaluate the effect of Continuous Assessment (CA) tests on academic performance. Understanding and consequently having good grades in statistics is generally presumed to be a difficult task for many students. Many factors contribute to academic performance, but the concern at the moment is on CA and other extraneous factors. The model was a 2-equation system. The first structural equation expresses final grade as a function of CA, and the second expresses CA as a function of the frequency of conducting CA and class attendance. Two service courses in statistics were used for the study. The results showed the frequency of CA and attendance to be highly significant (P&lt;0.01) in explaining the variation in CA, while, as expected, CA significantly affects the final grades. Estimation of a simple regression of final grade on attendance revealed that attendance was significant (P&lt;0.01) but not when final grade was regressed on both CA and attendance. This disagreement could be attributed to the multicollinearity of CA and attendance. Thus, multi-equation modelling enables the consideration of variables that could further help to improve on CA and, consequently, on the final grade without drawing a wrong inference.

Reliability score evaluation of continuous assessment tests: A longitudinal study

In this paper, a longitudinal study is presented about the score reliability in continuous assessment tests of the subject Network Architecture II, which is taught in the Telecommunication Technologies and Services Engineering degree, offered at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain. It is important to evaluate if scores in tests are reliable, because it shows if the phenomenon under study is measured with precision and low error, which are necessary conditions for a fair assessment. Thus, an analysis is provided about the scores obtained in the 28 continuous assessment tests taken across seven years. Correlation, corrected correlation and Cronbach’s α are used as psychometric indicators. Results show that, in general, there is a high correlation in the students’ scores among the different assessment tests every year, which let us confirm that they have been correctly set out. Additionally, the results are compared among different years, showing that they are similar in the different cohorts. However, variations have also been observed over the years, with tests with poor correlation. Finally, based on the analysed data, a novel method is proposed to early detect problems in the tests’ evaluation before the course ends, by correlating their scores in pairs. A low correlation between two tests in the same year, empirically below 0.2, would imply issues in the evaluation.

Types of Assessment Tests Used in the Teaching and Learning of English Language in Awendo Sub-County, Kenya

Continuous Assessment is a very important process in any educational program and it is also one of the key steps in curriculum implementation in primary schools in Kenya. The government of Kenya adopted continuous assessment to help in gauging learners’ performance with a view of making necessary adjustments to help improve teaching and learning process. The instructional methodologies used in the teaching and learning process are meant to provide attainment of certain goals in education, however, it can be said that continuous assessment has not been given the attention it requires because learning outcome has continued to be poor, especially in English language in class seven which is a pre-candidate class for national examination. The data on performance of learners in English language as a subject is available in Awendo Sub-County. The purpose of this study was to identify the types of assessment used in teaching and learning of English language in class seven in public primary schools in Awendo Sub-County. Descriptive survey research was used in conducting this study. The study was conducted in Awendo sub-county, Migori County. The study targeted 71 head teachers, 71 class seven teachers of English, 5 Curriculum Support Officers and 2354 pupils, giving a total population of 2501. Saturated sampling was used to sample head teachers, teachers of English and Curriculum Support Officers. However, on the side of the pupils, the researcher used simple random sampling to get the sample size of 235 which is 10% of pupils’ population. Therefore, the total sample size was 382. To establish the validity and reliability of research instruments, piloting was done in two schools that would not be included in the study. Data collection was done using questionnaires for class seven teachers of English and class seven pupils and interview schedules for head teachers and C.S.Os. Data analysis was done through descriptive statistics and results presented in the form of tables, graphs and descriptive form. The findings of this study may be useful to the Ministry of Education officials who are the policy makers, the Teachers Service Commission and other researchers. It may be useful for them to help in undertaking further research in the teaching and assessment of English language in the country. The research findings were as follows: the study revealed that formative assessment was commonly used. The study recommended that the government should employ more teachers to reduce teacher shortages in schools, teachers should use a variety of instructional methods and different types of continuous assessment tests in the teaching and learning. The study also recommended that further research should be done in other counties.&#x0D;

Effects of continuous assessment on the academic performance of Future Teachers

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence that the system of assessment used has on academic performance, taking into account the implementation of an activity based on social networks (Twitter), and the weight of students' perceptions with regard to the improvement of interpersonal relationships and academic progress. The study sample consisted of 519 students studying for a Master's degree in Secondary Education Teacher Training at the National University of Distance Education, Spain (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia): 332 pursued Option A (continuous assessment of task-based learning) and 187 Option B (evaluation of learning based mainly on examination performance). There were significant differences between the students of Option A and those of Option B. In addition, the students that engaged in the Twitter activity performed better in the exam and in the CAT [Continuous Assessment Test] compared with the students of Option B. It was concluded that a task-based system of continuous assessment and participation in activity on social networks helped to improve academic performance.