Comparative Analysis of Reliability Estimates of Assessment Methods by Teachers in Secondary Schools in Port Harcourt Metropolis (Published)
The present study was on comparative analysis of reliability estimates of assessment methods by teachers in secondary schools in Port Harcourt Metropolis. Three objectives and research questions guided the study. Comparative research design was adopted in the study. The population of the study consisted of 3,340 SS2 students drawn across public schools in Port Harcourt metropolis. A sample of 100 students drawn across 10 schools in the area with the help of multi-stage sampling process was used in the study. The researcher developed two forms multiple-choice test as measuring instruments. The first was a 60 item “Formative Assessment Test” (FAT) while the second was a 50 item “Summative Assessment Test” (SAT). The FAT was administered on the respondents during the course of the instruction within the term while SAT was administered at the end of the third term as part of the promotional examinations. Test blueprint was adopted to ensure that the two instruments have content validity while factor analysis was used in determining the construct validity. Administrations of the instruments were done face to face in the class with the help of the classroom teachers. Data analysis method included KR20 , split-half and test retest methods of reliabilities. For the test-retest, the researchers repeated the process for both the formative (FAT) and summative test (SAT) after a period of two weeks interval. Result of the study showed that when KR20 was used, summative assessment had higher reliability that formative assessment (SAT-0.81>FAT-0.52). When split-Half was used, summative assessment also had higher reliability that formative assessment (SAT-0.87>FAT-0.58). However, when test retest was applied, formative assessment had higher reliability than summative assessment (FAT-0.78>SAT-0.55). Based on this, it was recommended among others that teachers and test developers should rely more of summative assessment in the course of establishing the cognitive abilities of students.
Keywords: Assessment, Formative assessment, Reliability, Split-half, Test-retest., summative assessment. KR20
Effect of Assessment for Learning (AFL) On Biology Academic Achievement of Senior Secondary Students in Rivers State (Published)
The study investigated Effect of Assessment for Learning (AFL) on Biology Academic Achievement of Senior Secondary Students in Rivers State. The researchers adopted a non-randomized pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental research design. The population of the study consists of 34,825, Senior Secondary Two (SS2) students duly registered in public secondary schools (2013/2014 Session) in the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State, Nigeria. A total of 400 Senior Secondary Two (SS2) students’ (200 males and females respectively) were sampled through multistage sampling technique in Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor, Ogu/Bolo, Okrika and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas. Students’ in intact classes were assigned to four experimental groups and one control group. Students’ in the experimental groups were subjected to the following Assessment For Learning strategies: use of questioning, comment only marking, self/peer assessment and formative use of summative assessment, while students’ in the control group were subjected to the traditional assessment method. Two research questions and two hypotheses were postulated for the study. A 40 item instrument titled: “Assessment For Learning Biology Achievement Test” (AFLBAT) developed by the researchers was used for data collection. The instrument was duly validated by three subject specialists and two experts in educational measurement and evaluation. An internal consistency coefficient of 0.71 was obtained using Rulon formula. Data for the study were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, and standard deviation), analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and paired sample t-test. The analysis of data was done using SPSS software. The result of the study revealed that: Assessment For Learning strategies effectively improved biology achievement of students’; biology academic achievement of students was enhanced by the following AFL strategies: use of questioning, comment only marking and self/peer assessment but the most effective is comment only marking; AFL has a significant effect on biology academic achievement of students. Based on the results of the study, the following recommendation among others was made by the researchers: a critical review of classroom assessment methods is advocated, especially in the aspect of comments made by teachers concerning learning outcome of students’.
Keywords: Academic Achievement, Assessment for Learning, Biology, Formative assessment, Summative Assessment