Assessment Practices Of Teachers Research Articles

Assessment practices of teachers in Myanmar: Are we there yet?

This qualitative paper examines teachers' assessment practices in Myanmar, specifically focusing on their strategies, implementation approach, and factors influencing their practices. An open-ended survey was administered, 331 in-service teachers participated, and 10 teachers were interviewed. The findings revealed diverse assessment strategies, with questioning techniques being the most commonly used. Additionally, we examined how teachers use these strategies, emphasising the need for a more detailed explanation of their application. We have found that factors affecting assessment practices. These findings substantially contribute to our understanding of teachers' assessment practices in Myanmar, ultimately advocating for a more balanced and student-centric approach to education.

Online assessment practices during the pandemic in secondary schools in Catalonia

ABSTRACT During the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers had to face different teaching and assessment challenges. This study aims to analyse the relationship between the assessment practices of teachers (related to their assessment conceptions) with their self-perceived level of teachers’ digital competence (TDC) and their received TDC and assessment training courses. For this, the authors applied an online questionnaire that analysed the case of secondary school teachers in Catalonia (Spain) (n = 278). Results show that participating teachers who have the highest self-perception of TDC are the ones who perceive themselves as integrating mainly formative assessment. Significant correlations were also found between recent teacher training and the kind of assessment practices carried out by participants. Official certification of TDC also has a statistically significant association with different assessment characteristics and purposes. Finally, the implications of these findings for pre-service and in-service teacher training are discussed, both regarding the TDC and the assessment competence.

A systemic analysis of secondary school mathematics teachers' attitudes toward assessment of learning

Aware of the various issues involved in assessing learning, but also of the difficulties encountered in classroom practice of this pedagogical act, we set out in this article to explore and analyze the assessment practices of secondary school mathematics teachers and the conceptions they underlie. The study was conducted from a systemic perspective. We therefore targeted three aspects in our study: the conceptual, the institutional, and the docimological. Analysis of the attitudes declared by a random sample of mathematics teachers enabled us to confirm that pedagogical, and in particular cognitive, issues do not represent a priority for them in assessment practices. They focus more on the organizational aspect of examinations, with a remarkable lack of concern for docimological considerations to give credibility to the assessments carried out.

Exploring Perceived Classroom Based Assessment Knowledge and Practices

One of the major roles of a teacher is assessing student performance in classrooms. Assessment is an essential aspect of teaching and learning that has led to significant time allocation for assessment activities. In Malaysia, classroom-based assessment (CBA) has been implemented formally since 2016. CBA is a process of assessing students continuously during teaching and learning. CBA is a multifaceted approach to assessment that can be adjusted according to students and learning outcomes. CBA is aimed at supporting and improving student learning. CBA can be directly included in the teaching and learning process; and can also be adapted to various educational objectives and contexts. This paper explores the perceptions of English language teachers towards CBA. This study also explores perceptions of CBA and the relationship with teachers’ assessment practices. This study employed a questionnaire to gather data. The study involved 164 secondary English language teachers in one school district in the northern region of Malaysia. The study found that the perceptions towards CBA and assessment practices of teachers are positively related, suggesting that when teachers' attitudes towards assessment changed, so did their practices. This study provides insights into how CBA can be integrated into language classrooms to enhance assessment practices. It is hoped that these findings of this study will provide valuable insights to policymakers and stakeholders to make well-informed decisions. It is hoped that this study can help illuminate the potential of CBA in refining assessment practices in Malaysia.

Exploring assessment practices of teachers in Advanced Speech courses

In Ethiopia, there is a general public concern that most university students lack communicative competence, and hence they could not communicate effectively in English. There are many contributing factors to this and most of these factors are related either to the curriculum, the teaching-learning process, or the assessment practice. Only a few studies have been conducted on the assessment practice of speaking skills since most researchers have focused on the teaching-learning process. This inquiry was made to look into the practice of assessing the Advanced Speech course. Specifically, it focuses on the assessment methods employed by teachers, the extent of measuring the sub-skills of speaking, and the effectiveness of the feedback given by the teachers. Forty-three students and six teachers were included in the study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, classroom observation, and document analysis. The findings revealed that not many assessment methods were employed to assess the students. Sixty percent of the assessment of the course was covered by written assignments and a written final exam. Only two individual and group presentations were given as practical assessments. In addition, the assessments did not measure the students’ accuracy, fluency, pronunciation, and vocabulary. In the end, the feedback provided to the students was not effective. Students were not given a chance to correct their own errors, and they were not allowed to practice peer correction, either. This implied that teachers’ assessment practices were not effective to measure the students’ speaking performance in the intended manner and this is one of the factors that minimizes the quality of education.

Assessment Practices and Beliefs of Secondary Choir Teachers

Previous research findings of assessment in choir indicated that teachers favor non-performance criteria such as attendance and attitude over music knowledge and skill. Music education researchers have encouraged teachers to instead use measurable learning goals that inform teaching practices and document student growth. New assessment technologies designed to assist teachers with individual assessment may have affected the assessment practices of secondary choir teachers. The purpose of this study was to describe the current assessment practices and beliefs among secondary choir teachers in Indiana. Respondents ( N = 182) completed an online survey regarding their use of formative and summative assessments in choir. Findings suggest that choir teachers in this study continued to rely upon non-achievement data such as attendance and participation in assessment. Given these findings, I offer implications and suggestions for practicing choral music educators.

Three Subjects and Seven Duties Model: Empowering Informatization Teaching Ability of Pre-Service Teachers

By constructing a model, this study seeks to provide suggestions for strengthening pre-service teachers’ informatization teaching ability. It aims to answer the following research questions: (1) What do the pre-service teachers know about informatization instruction? What is their level of informatization teaching ability? (2) What factors influence pre-service teachers’ ability to deliver informatization instruction? How to overcome the obstacles? The inquiry focuses on the theoretical exploration of informatization teaching ability, questionnaire, and interview analysis on the current condition and improvement of pre-service teachers’ informatization teaching ability. The data from the questionnaire and interview of the pre-service teachers were evaluated from three dimensions: awareness and attitude towards informatization teaching, knowledge of informatization teaching, and the ability to apply informatization teaching skills innovatively and comprehensively. The 3S-7D (Three Subjects and Seven Duties) model consisting of three subjects and the seven duties that go with them is established. The three subjects include pre-service teachers, teacher educators, and higher education schools. The seven duties involve pre-service teachers demonstrating learning motivation, cross-discipline thinking, and information and communications technology mastery; teacher educators actively constructing informatization teaching practice and formative assessment; and higher education schools providing adequate hardware and software equipment while offering cooperative opportunities with primary and junior schools through institutionalization.

Analysis of Middle School Mathematics Applications Textbook Activities Based on Model-Eliciting Principles

Model-eliciting activities (MEA) represent a distinct form of problem-solving exercises that deviate from conventional problem-solving approaches. They encompass complex real-life scenarios characterized by multiple feasible solutions, demanding non-routine thinking with open-ended possibilities. Lesh and Doerr (2003) posit that MEA conform to specific principles, encompassing model construction, reality, self-evaluation, model externalization (construct certification), model generalization, and effective prototype principles. This study examines the compatibility of tasks in Turkey's middle school mathematics applications textbooks (grades 5-8) with the principles of model-eliciting activities (MEA). The analysis focuses on five principles: reality, model construction, self-evaluation, model documentation, and model generalization. The findings reveal varying degrees of compatibility across different grades. The reality and model generalization principles show more robust compatibility, while the model construction and model documentation principles have mixed levels of compatibility. The self-evaluation principle demonstrates varied compatibility. The study highlights strengths and areas for improvement in the tasks' alignment with MEA principles and emphasizes the importance of real-life relevance and model application. Suggestions are made to enhance explicit guidance in model construction and documentation. The study provides implications for curriculum design, teacher professional development, instructional strategies, student engagement, assessment practices, and future research in mathematics education. However, limitations, such as the absence of student perspectives and contextual factors, should be considered when interpreting the findings.

Use and Usefulness of Assessments to Inform Instruction: Developing a K-12 Classroom Teacher Assessment Practice Measure

ABSTRACT Considerable literature is devoted to teachers’ assessment use to support teaching and learning. The study examined the factor structure of a measure of teachers’ assessment use along the assessments of, for, and as learning purpose dimensions. The study also examined the factor structure of teachers’ perceived instructional usefulness of these dimensions. Together, the measure provides a pulse on classroom assessment practice. The validation effort 1) presents the Classroom Teacher Assessment Use and Usefulness Survey, CTAUUS, for use in research on teachers’ assessment practice, and 2) provides empirical grounding for the distinction among the purpose-related dimensions. Exploratory factor analyses revealed two identical factors for use and usefulness: AoL, with five items on the use of standardized assessments; and a combined AfL and AaL factor with nine items that we had anticipated as two separate factors. The study contributes to developing understanding of the conceptualization and measurement of AfL and AaL constructs.

Portrait of the Assessment Practices of Physical Education Teachers in Quebec: Reporting and Grading

Purpose: To gain a better understanding of the assessment practices currently implemented by Quebec physical education teachers regarding reporting and grading. Method: Exploratory mixed-methods study using semistructured interviews (n = 13), interviews to the double (n = 12), and a questionnaire (n = 164) with elementary and high school physical education teachers. Results: Participants use different strategies to report student performance. When grading, their strategy is to combine a mathematical approach with their professional judgment. They often consider all the marks taken during a learning and assessment situation and not only those taken at the end of it. Discussion/Conclusions: The main finding of this study is that teachers’ reporting and grading practices are subjective. We discuss how our results show the subjectivity in teachers’ practices and possible explanations for it, and then conclude by trying to understand how to make assessment in physical education more objective.

Factors Influencing Formative Assessment Practices of Junior High School Social Studies Teachers

The study investigated factors that influence formative assessment practices of Social Studies in the Techiman Municipality of the Bono East Region of Ghana. A quantitative approach with a descriptive survey research design was employed for the study. For the target population, all eighty-four public junior high school (JHS) Social Studies teachers in the Techiman Municipality of the Bono East Region of Ghana were chosen for the study. All the Social Studies teachers in the public JHSs in the Techiman Municipality were sampled for the study. The census sampling technique was employed to select the population for the study. Because the population was homogenous, all the Social Studies teachers, comprising ninety-five (95) teaching the subject at the JHS in the municipality, were selected for the study. The primary data collection instrument for the study was a twenty-two (22) five-point Likert itemized questionnaire used for the collection of data. Descriptive statistical tools were employed in analyzing the quantitative data. The quantitative figures were prearranged into frequency tables, simple percentages, weighted mean, and standard deviation for easy interpretation. The findings revealed that most teacher assessments are mainly influenced by external factors such as the nature and demand of the West Africa Examination Council’s (WAEC) questions and requirements set by the Municipal Director of Education or the school district. Therefore, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) should consider introducing interventions in teacher training universities and colleges that help improve classroom practices, including formative assessment practices.

ASSESSMENT OF 21ST CENTURY TEACHING PROFESSION SKILLS EMPHASIS IN UNIVERSITY PRE-SERVICE TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMMES IN KENYA: A CASE STUDY OF BOMET UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

<p>In this era of a global economy, education systems are changing to rethink the teaching-learning process in order to prepare better individuals to be able to meet the changing social and economic demands. It is against this backdrop that in 2019 Kenya adopted the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) in an effort to reform her education system and make it globally competitive with regard to human resource development. The new curriculum is being implemented within a 2-6-6-3 system of education framework as the old 8-4-4 system is gradually phased out. The CBC implementation is currently from Pre-primary 1 to Grade 7. CBC aims to equip school graduates with the requisite 21<sup>st</sup> century competences of communication and collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving, creativity and imagination, and citizenship, digital literacy, among others. The success of the CBC is anchored on the transformational role to be played by the teacher which goes beyond a technical transmission activity to include competences and attitude development, talent identification and nurturing, career guidance, and even activism committed to diminishing the inequities of society. The bulk of the country’s teaching force will henceforth be concentrated in secondary schools as opposed to primary schools. Ideally, secondary school teachers would have had university-level education. These developments call for paradigm shifts in the way universities prepare teachers to be responsive to the changed role of the teacher. Of critical importance is the restructuring of the university teacher education programmes to ensure that they adequately address the challenges of the 21<sup>st</sup> century classroom, hence aligning them to the demands of CBC. The objective of this study therefore was to assess the level of emphasis accorded to skills of the 21<sup>st</sup> century teaching profession in university pre-service teacher training programmes in Kenya. Stufflebeam’s (1983) CIPP Evaluation Model was used to give focus to the study. Descriptive survey and case study research designs were used in the study. The study was carried out at Bomet University College (BUC) and the study population comprised 1 Teaching Practice Assessment Criteria (TPAC) used to assess students on teaching practice in the 7 undergraduate and 1 postgraduate pre-service teacher training programmes at BUC. A saturated sampling technique was used to select 1 TPAC which formed the sample of the study. A document analysis guide was used to collect data whereby the TPAC was analyzed for content related to skills of the 21<sup>st</sup> century teaching profession. A numerical rating scale was used to gather information relating to 22 skills of the 21<sup>st</sup> century teaching profession. Each skill was rated against a 5-point scale to ascertain the degree of emphasis it was accorded in the curriculum. Mean scores were computed for each category of skills and used to report the findings. The study found an overall average emphasis (M = 2.95) on the skills of the 21<sup>st</sup> century teaching profession by university pre-service teacher training programmes in Kenya. It was concluded that pre-service teacher training programmes in Kenya did not adequately emphasize skills of 21<sup>st</sup> century teaching profession hence producing graduates who were ill-equipped with the requisite competences. The study recommended that universities in Kenya should review their teacher education programmes to align them with the demands of 21<sup>st</sup> century skills of the teaching profession and the CBC.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0006/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Flaws and Potential Remedies of an Information Communication Technology Enabled Teaching Practice Assessment Strategy: a Case of One State University in Zimbabwe

Flaws and Potential Remedies of an Information Communication Technology Enabled Teaching Practice Assessment Strategy: a Case of One State University in Zimbabwe

Suitability assessments in teacher education during and post the COVID-19 pandemic – an impact on professional development

IntroductionSuitability assessment of Norwegian pre-service teachers is carried out by teacher educators, and the mentors’ professional practices play a key role in these processes. This study aims to explore how the Covid-19 pandemic has influenced suitability assessment practices of pre-service teachers. The purpose of the suitability assessment is to ensure that vulnerable groups, such as students in schools, encounter teachers who are suitable for a professional practice. The process of growing suitability includes professional development, while suitability assessment of pre-service teachers intends to strengthen the quality of teacher education programs.MethodsTwo sets of data collection methods are underpinning the arguments in this qualitative study. Data were collected in 2022 from a survey with a sample of 162 mentors in teacher education attending three universities. Thereafter, in-depth interviews were conducted with three Heads of suitability assessment from the same universities as the mentors. The triangulation aimed to reduce bias and increase the validity.ResultsThe impact the pandemic has had on the suitability assessment practices is expressed in four findings: (1) a weaker basis for the assessment, (2) continuing health issues, (3) delayed professional development among pre-service teachers, and (4) differences among the universities.RecommendationsImplications for education programs for mentoring including knowledge of the procedures of suitability assessments, and a closer collaboration between all teacher educators involving systematically evaluation of pre-service teachers are indicated for future teacher education.

The Effects of Academic Anxiety on College Students Learning of Spoken English

This paper examines the effects of academic anxiety on college students learning of spoken English. Academic anxiety can hinder students fluency, pronunciation accuracy, self-expression, and overall confidence in oral communication. The study identifies various factors that contribute to academic anxiety, including personal, external, socio-cultural, and psychological factors. It explores the negative consequences of academic anxiety on students spoken English learning outcomes. Coping mechanisms and strategies, such as creating a supportive learning environment, teaching stress management techniques, and promoting self-reflection and self-assessment, are proposed to address academic anxiety. The paper emphasizes the practical implications for educators, institutions, and policymakers, including teacher training, curriculum design, peer interaction, counseling services, and assessment practices. Implementing these recommendations can create a supportive and empowering learning environment, mitigating the impact of academic anxiety. The study concludes by highlighting the importance of recognizing and addressing academic anxiety to enhance college students spoken English skills and prepare them for success in a globalized world.

Editorial

The Institute for Education (IfE) is committed to supporting educators, parents and students to address any challenges they may be facing through its research and projects. Its Research Road Map outlines the broad areas the IfE is focusing on in terms of research and practice. It reflects our vision, interests, strengths and areas requiring focus in the future.
 Besides the research undertaken by our lecturers and staff, the research carried out by our course participants as part of their dissertations also contributes to broadening the knowledge base in the field of education. During the academic year 2022/2023 the third cohort of graduates completed their Bachelor or Master degrees and the Institute wishes to provide their research the visibility it deserves. The Malta Journal of Education serves as just one of the Institute’s platforms to disseminate these research findings to a wider audience and contribute to research-informed policy and practice.
 This issue includes 10 articles by course participants and lecturers from the Institute for Education that explore various aspects of educational leadership and teacher wellbeing, subject teaching, analogy learning, assessment practices, teacher identity and multilingualism, educational myths, Catholic values, multifaith education and cultural intelligence.

Examining Classroom Assessment Practices of Secondary School Teachers in Shiwang’andu District, Muchinga Province, Zambia

The purpose of the study was to investigate the classroom assessment practices of secondary school teachers in Shiwang’andu District, Muchinga Province, Zambia. The objectives were to: describe the assessments that were being used by teachers in sampled schools; determine teachers’ use of classroom assessment results; as well as establish viewpoints of teachers about classroom assessments. The study adopted a descriptive survey design and targeted 62 respondents from 10 selected secondary schools including the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) office. Simple random sampling was used to sample the teachers, while the Heads of Department and Head teachers were selected conveniently. Purposive sampling was used to sample the District Education Standards Officer (DESO) and the District Resource Centre Coordinator (DRCC). Questionnaires and key informant interviews were used as data collection tools with descriptive statistics and narrative analysis used as data analysis methods for quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The study established that there were more secondary school teachers that use traditional assessments (71%) as compared to those that use contemporary assessments (29%) in sampled schools. Additionally, most respondents (42%) said that they used classroom assessment results to point out the difficult learning areas, identifying what pupils think and how they think and what they understand. 34% of the respondents use classroom assessment results to diagnose the effectiveness and drawbacks of teaching methods.
 24% of the respondents indicated that they use classroom assessment results to make decisions regarding pupils’ grade retention and promotion. The results also indicate that the majority of the respondents (48%) were of the view that pupils should only recognize rather than generalize their own answers in classroom assessment tasks and the teacher should only evaluate the pupils based on mastery of skills and knowledge. 29% of the respondents indicated that pupils must be assessed in diverse modes and the teacher must give assessments that match with pupils’ development level. 23% of the respondents said that pupils must be assessed beyond classroom environment and the teacher to give assessments that promote higher learning skills and problem solving. The Zambian Ministry of General Education and school administrators in Shiwangandu District should ensure that all teachers with teaching certificates go for further training and take more courses in assessment to improve their skills and use of up-to-date desirable classroom assessment practices.

SCIENCE TEACHERS' APPROACH TO CONTEMPORARY ASSESSMENT WITH A READING LITERACY EMPHASIS

In a sample of 1215 teachers, this study examined the readiness of science educators for assessment in the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence in education. Participants responded to an online questionnaire during the emergency remote teaching phase, offering insights into the frequency and nature of assessment methods utilized. The research draws a connection between assessment techniques during remote teaching and the emergence of AI in education. The results show that the selected assessment methods vary across teachers, with some specific differences observed in the assessment practices of science teachers. The study underscores the critical role of reading literacy in enhancing student engagement in contemporary learning environments. Moreover, the findings suggest that continuous professional development significantly improves the readiness of (science) teachers for AI-enhanced assessment. Drawing from these insights, recommendations for subsequent research are delineated. Keywords: artificial intelligence, assessment, reading literacy, science teachers, teacher training

Teacher assessment literacy in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms: A Norwegian case study

This study investigated inclusive teacher assessment practices in culturally and linguistically diverse Norwegian lower secondary schools as well as tensions in and the potential of teacher assessment literacy. Case study data gathered through interviews with 21 teachers in five schools were analysed to examine the schools' assessment policies, teacher assessment practices, adaptions and challenges teachers face when assessing diverse student groups. We found that teacher assessment literacy development benefitted from collective and shared whole-school practices and that, while teachers had multiple strategies for assessment and adapting those to their students’ needs, these were not specifically targeted at cultural diversity.

Practices, validity, and challenges of online formative assessment in Algerian higher education

Online assessment, whether formative or summative, appears to be a problematic issue for many English as a foreign language (EFL) university teachers. Formative assessment is crucial for improving the quality of teaching and learning. Therefore, it is highly significant to recognize the possible trends of online formative assessment offered in the Algerian university context. In this regard, this paper aims at exploring the online formative assessment practices of EFL university teachers including the type of formative assessment experienced, assessment and feedback techniques, and the validity of the assessment strategies employed virtually. It further seeks to identify the challenges faced in the process. To achieve this, a qualitative approach based on exploratory and descriptive research design was adopted. An online questionnaire was administered to 16 EFL teachers from 12 Algerian universities. The findings revealed that participants employ a variety of online formative assessment strategies for various purposes. The overall practices are, to a certain degree, valid. Keywords: English as a foreign language (EFL); formative assessment; online assessment; university teacher.