School Assessment System Research Articles

Perceptions of Teachers Concerning the New Grading System at Secondary Level School: A Qualitative Approach

This paper presents the teachers’ perceptions of the Letter Grading System (LGS) at secondary-level schools in the Tarakeshwor Municipality of Kathmandu district. The main objective is to study teachers’ perceptions of LGS and identify how to address its foremost challenges. This research is based on phenomenological design and prefers citizen constructivism. Data is collected using decisive sampling methods and a semi-structured interview tool. The teachers’ practices with the LGS are significant, appropriate, motivated, and suitable for stimulating the Nepali education system. Similarly, undergraduates’ and their parents’ perceptions are simply ensuing generous promotion strategy with advancement to their child without difficulties. As a result, there is a mismatch between the evaluation technique’s practices and teachers’ perceptions of the LGS for tracking students’ progress. Furthermore, as discussed in this article, the LGS has assessed the student’s proficiency and rational domain using nine reformist scales based on the performance opportunity provided. Finally, an experienced teacher believes that LGS has biased, liable, productive, and merit-based assessment tools in education without incorporating non-standardised tests into the school assessment system. Currently, LGS has a far better assessment method in the school appraisal system if it is possible to integrate non-testing devices, such as project work, classroom assignments, homework, group work, practical work, etc., as an assignment.

The Residency Match: Escaping the Prisoner's Dilemma.

The Residency Match: Escaping the Prisoner's Dilemma.

REFORM IN ASSESSMENT: TEACHERS’ BELIEFS AND PRACTICES

Research has demonstrated that teachers’ beliefs on teaching and learning plays a part on the way they teach and assess learning. A new assessment system for schools was implemented in 2011 to set the stage for change of the Malaysian education system from centralised examination to a combination of centralised examination and school-based assessment. There is a growing concern with implementation issues pertaining to how teachers will transform their assessment practices in their school contexts. Thus, this study sought to gain insights into teachers’ beliefs about school based assessment, and examine the relationship between their beliefs and classroom practice. A survey measuring teachers’ beliefs and practices of school based assessment was administered to 174 teachers who are currently educating in Malaysian government funded schools. Findings from this study demonstrated that teachers appear to have good knowledge of assessment principles about School Based Assessment (SBA). They conducted their assessment using appropriate procedures by considering the context of teaching and assessment in which they operate. The result of Pearson correlation analysis revealed a positive relationship between teachers’ beliefs about SBA and their classroom practices.

Study regarding the use of movement games in order to improve coordination abilities in primary school pupils

The purpose of the research, performed during the school year 2015 – 2016, was to observe the role of movement games during the PE class, carried out with primary school pupils. The aim of the present paper is to present the way in which we influenced the coordination skill manifestation indicators so that they are suited to the pupils’ age possibilities. The games were combined and we used two games during each practical PE class. In order to achieve this, we changed the working method at the structure level of the lesson. Thus, in the second part of the lesson, which includes types of walking and running in order to engage the body in the effort, we used movement games. As an assessment test, we used the trial “Throw at a vertical target”. This trial tests the coordination skill (the dexterity) within the school assessment system. The results obtained in the trials were statistically processed by means of the SPSS 23.0 program. The results indicated a significant progress for the group of girls and an insignificant progress for the groups of boys.

A One‐Day Dental Faculty Workshop in Writing Multiple‐Choice Questions: An Impact Evaluation

Long training workshops on the writing of exam questions have been shown to be effective; however, the effectiveness of short workshops needs to be demonstrated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a one-day, seven-hour faculty development workshop at the College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, on the quality of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Kirkpatrick's four-level evaluation model was used. Participants' satisfaction (Kirkpatrick's Level 1) was evaluated with a post-workshop questionnaire. A quasi-experimental, randomized separate sample, pretest-posttest design was used to assess the learning effect (Kirkpatrick's Level 2). To evaluate transfer of learning to practice (Kirkpatrick's Level 3), MCQs created by ten faculty members as a result of the training were assessed. To assess Kirkpatrick's Level 4 regarding institutional change, interviews with three key leaders of the school were conducted, coded, and analyzed. A total of 72 course directors were invited to and attended some part of the workshop; all 52 who attended the entire workshop completed the satisfaction form; and 22 of the 36 participants in the experimental group completed the posttest. The results showed that all 52 participants were highly satisfied with the workshop, and significant positive changes were found in the faculty members' knowledge and the quality of their MCQs with effect sizes of 0.7 and 0.28, respectively. At the institutional level, the interviews demonstrated positive structural changes in the school's assessment system. Overall, this one-day item-writing faculty workshop resulted in positive changes at all four of Kirkpatrick's levels; these effects suggest that even a short training session can improve a dental school's assessment of its students.

ANA as part of a comprehensive reading literacy school assessment system

Making decisions about teaching and learning is as core a component to teaching as providing the teaching itself. Effective use of assessment data to plan, judge, and modify teaching is a fundamental competency for good teaching. According to the Department of Basic Education (2013b), the purpose of the ANA is to determine learner performance with regard to the skills and knowledge that they have acquired as a result of teaching and learning experiences in school. In addition, it provides important evidence to inform planning and development at national, provincial, district and school level. The purpose of this article is to report on the results of an exploratory action research study that indicate that the Annual National Assessment is overstepping its boundaries in terms of supporting the development of a systematic, dynamic and effective reading literacy assessment system to address the early literacy skills of foundation phase learners. ANA was not designed or standardised to be a screening, diagnostic, and progress monitoring assessment.

How the admission criteria to a competitive-entry undergraduate programme could be improved

The introduction of a new standards-based secondary school assessment system, the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), necessitated significant changes to the admissions processes for New Zealand universities, particularly for competitive-entry programmes such as medicine, engineering and pharmacy. Selection to such programmes was traditionally based on marks or grades in designated science subjects. Under NCEA, the emphasis changed to the number of credits obtained. This article uses the case of pharmacy at The University of Auckland to examine whether the admission criteria under NCEA are ‘fit for purpose’ in terms of academic progression during the degree. The negative consequences of students having to repeat courses are both academic and financial. Using data from six cohorts of NCEA entrants to the Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) degree, the findings of this study clearly suggest that the best predictor of course success, measured by not failing courses, is the NCEA Grade Point Average. This is at variance with the current practice for admission to pharmacy and other limited-entry degrees which rely on prerequisite courses and the number of NCEA Credits gained. These results suggest that a reappraisal of admissions processes for pharmacy and similar programmes is required.

’Accountability and Control’: a note on analysing secondary assessment systems

Abstract This paper builds on Lingard's paper (1990a, British Journal of Sociology of Education, 11, pp. 171‐188) analysing the present secondary school assessment system in Queensland by presenting comparable material for Victoria from 1856 to 1979. All Lingard's tools of analysis are used, but particular attention is paid to Offe's concept of “economic connections” and to operation‐alising it by the use of the financial accounts of examination boards. Only by employing such tools in the service of sociological theory will an approach be made to theories about assessment systems.

Need for Medical School Assessment System

Need for Medical School Assessment System