The Concept and Practice Continuous Assessment in Education

The Concept and Practice Continuous Assessment in Education

Introduction

According to the Nigerian Education and Training Policy proclamation of (MOE, 1994), states that, continuous assessment in academic and practical subjects should be conducted to ascertain the information of all rounded profile of students at all levels. As a result of this policy, University students are supposed to be assessed using continuous assessment procedure. Furthermore, the revised national education & training strategy stated that, assessment is the very important part of the higher Education Institutions as it ensures that the quality of education is reflected in real and practical skills (MOE, 2010).

For effective implementation of continuous assessment, manageability of class size, nature of course, professional skills of instructors in line with the new approach is important. Commitment of instructors towards continuous assessment, the presence of appropriate working loads and resources seem necessary in the implementation of continuous assessment. Some scholars argue that, educational quality in Nigeria is low in that students are not achieving the desired standards and that there is a wide dispersion in educational outcomes. A general consensus has emerged regarding the country’s need to improve its educational outcomes, that education quality has to increase to boost productivity and foster growth and at the same time that the country needs to reduce the education gap between top-bottom achievers as a way to reduce income inequality among Nigerians. These facts along with others had initiated the researchers to conduct the research with the intention of improving the implementation of continuous assessment and remedial instruction at the school.

The Concept and Practice Continuous Assessment in Education

Getting a good education and doing well in school are widely regarded as critical preparation for most types of success in life. Achievement tests are designed to assess current performance in an academic area. Because achievement is viewed as an indicator of previous learning, it is often used to predict future academic success. An achievement test administered in a school setting would typically include separate measures of vocabulary, language skills and reading comprehension, arithmetic computation and problem solving, science, and social studies. Individual achievement is determined by comparison of results with average scores derived from large representative national or local samples. Scores may be expressed in terms of “grade-level equivalents”; for example, an advanced third-grade pupil may be reading on a level equivalent to that of the average fourth-grade student (Schnitzer, 2007).

Assessment is a word that is used every day in human interaction. When trying to assess the worth of anything, we need information or yardsticks against which to base our judgments on. In education, we need information to determine the extent to which students have benefited from a course of study. Assessment is broadly defined as a process of collecting information about individuals and groups for the purpose of making decisions (Salvia and Ysseldyke, 1998) cited in (Marva, 2008). They identified the following purposes of assessment:-

1. Identify, diagnose, and provide essential services to selected child and family population.
2. Determine individual developmental needs, strengths and aspirations.
3. Determine individual growth, development and learning progress and academic achievements and challenges.
4. Communicate with and assist learners in reflecting on their own progress and setting learning and achievement goals.
5. Communicate individual student progress and needs with parents or guardians.
6. Analyze curriculum content and teaching strategies and make needed adjustments to assure student success.

Earl (2006) stated that “Traditionally, assessment and tests or examinations were synonymous, and their role was clear and consistent with the purposes of schooling-testing of segmented competencies and knowledge from the school curriculum as a way of sorting students into groups and deciding about future schooling. Assessment was based on the “concordance” or fidelity of the students‟ responses to the material that was delivered.

The Concept and Practice Continuous Assessment in Education

Advantages of Continuous Assessment are:

1. It provides a more representative sampling of students‟ performance across time than the traditional examination system. (Oyedeji, 2007);
2. It provides a constant stream of information about students‟ progress;
3. It is fairer to students;
4. It motivates students to learn as knowledge of results serves as a successful reward;
5. It integrates teaching, learning and assessment.

Continuous assessment however has certain disadvantages.

These include:

1. Teacher subjectivity, the existence of different standards in different schools.
2. High implications on time in terms of record keeping.

Continuous assessment is a method of evaluating the progress and achievement of students in educational institutions.

According to Yoloye (2013), continuous assessment aims at getting the truest possible picture of each student’s ability and at the same time helping each student to develop his or her abilities to the fullest. The method or process of continuous assessment takes into account in a systematic view of the whole performance of the students during a given period of schooling. Apart from all these, continuous assessment has the

Characteristics of continuous assessment:

1. Comprehensive by making use of many evaluation instruments;
2. Cumulative by putting into consideration all the past records to compute the final grades of the students

Controlling mechanisms in CA implementation

The role of controlling the effective implementation of CA and feedback provision of instructors is shouldered by Deans and Department heads. Thus there is a need to ask the Deans and Department heads about the mechanisms that they use to check the implementation of CA and feedback provision of instructors. Two items in the interview guideline focus on these issues and the replies of the Deans and Department heads are summarized and presented as follows:

It is believed that it is the role of Deans and Department heads to check the implementation of CA, in the interview guideline and item was included which asked respondents to mention the mechanisms they use to check instructors’ implementation of CA. Their replies are summarized and presented as follows. The mechanism that the Deans used was requesting instructors to submit CA mark list to the center. Similarly, the department heads mechanisms of checking CA implementation was collecting feedback from students- some from all students and some from student representatives. Formal and informal discussions with both students and instructors had been used by department heads as a mechanism.

Problems  in implementing CA Effectively

1. Instructors don’t announce the exact time of quizzes and tests
2. Little attention is given for assignments by students and instructors
3. Some instructors show CA results after exams
4. Some students are not ready to take CA
5. There is no way to control instructors
6. Instructors give quizzes and tests after two or more chapters at a time
7. Instructors belief that quizzes are always sudden
8. Problem of understanding between instructors and students about CA
9. Some instructors evaluate students by their feelings without evaluating students’ knowledge and skills
10. Instructors give short time to complete home –take assignments which inhibit students chance to dig-out different materials

The Concept and Practice Continuous Assessment in Education

Philosophy, Principles and Practice of Continuous Assessment

 In the new National Policy on Education, (1998), it was stated that; “educational assessment and evaluation will be liberalized by basing them on Continuous Assessment of the progress of the individual”. The above statement is amplified in subsequent sections dealing with primary school education, secondary school and also in the administration and planning of education. The policy stated that Primary School Leaving Certificates should be based on Continuous Assessment results. Selection into secondary schools was to be based on Continuous Assessment and examination results of students.

The Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination was to be based on National Examination. In Teacher’s Colleges, Continuous Assessment based on a variety of techniques was to be used. The tertiary level and other institutions of higher learning were to introduce Continuous Assessment into their final grading. To ensure the maintenance of common standards, Continuous Assessment would be coordinated by schools, the Universities the Ministry of Education and the West African Examination Council (WAEC). These organizations were expected to meet and work out a common scheme.

Continuous Assessment and Academic Achievement

In the Nigerian educational system, two sets of assessments are used to evaluate the level of student’s achievements. These are the Continuous Assessment (periodic course assessment) and the final examination assessment. This replaced the one short system of assessment, which was observed to have several shortcomings (Michael and Odenu, 1994). Some of the shortcomings are lack of diagnostic and guidance oriented properties, creation of emotional problems, low context coverage and high rate of examination irregularities. According to Danjuma (2004), Continuous Assessment in the educational system serves several purposes, which include the following:

1. To provide more valid and reliable assessment of the student overall ability
2. To enable teachers’ to be more flexible and innovative in their teaching,
3. To provide basic guidance for students,
4. To reduce examination

The Continuous Assessment policy requires that students’ be assessed through both Continuous Assessment and terminal assessment to evaluate the progress and growth of students. The practice is further given a boost in the Colleges of Education Evaluation System by the requirements of the National Commission for Colleges of Education.

Odile and Ajuar (1995), asserted that Continuous Assessment takes account of all the child’s performances in tests, assignments, projects and other educational activities during a given period of term, semester, and year or during the entire period of an educational level. Teachers’ often take crucial decision on the promotion of students to the next class, identification of students who need remedial help and for grading and certification of students. Therefore, Continuous Assessment directly affects students achievements, that was why the Federal Ministry of Education

The Concept and Practice Continuous Assessment in Education

Nature of Continuous Assessment

Nature of continuous assessment in the context of international perspectives concerning teacher assessments is organized under the following subtopics:

Continuous assessment and curriculum-based assessments:

 Watkins (2007) explains, in countries that have evidently designed national curriculum, continuing, influential assessment is typically based on aim and attached directly to the aims for the curriculum designed for all the students. National strategies for assessment may define what needs to be assessed and how it is to be assessed. Inside the countries using this method, main features is that developing and applying assessment is mostly the duty of conventional schools and class teachers. This is according to the purpose of such assessment for notifying decisions about next steps in an individual student’s learning (Watkins, 2007).

Methods and Techniques Used In the Administration of Continuous Assessment

Continuous Assessment is mainly teacher-oriented, that is why in some countries Continuous Assessment is referred to as “teacher assessment F. M. E., (1985). Detailed guidelines on how teachers should conduct Continuous Assessment are outlined, no single assessment tools may be adequate to measure all changes in behaviour or the objectives of a lesson. The objectives of a lesson have been categorized into three broad areas called domains. These are the cognitive domains, the affective domain and the psychomotor domain. The cognitive domain is concerned with knowledge and its use. The affective domain deals with emotional responses such as interest, appreciations, attitudes, feelings and values that one may attempt to teach through the lessons. The psychomotor domain is concerned with physical, motor and manipulative skills (NTI, 2006).

1. TEST: The major and the most useful instrument for the assessment of cognitive behaviour, which are tests, are written down questions to be answered by According to Nitko (1994), testing and examining are the most formal assessment methods. Learning experience is represented by qualitative marks. It could come in the multiple choice or essay form, which students are expected to answer, it is their responses to the questions that give the measure of the level of achievement or performance. Measurement is the process of assigning the marks.
2. ROJECTS: This is another instrument used for measuring

Projects can be used for the measurement of achievement in the cognitive affective and psychomotor domains according to Barclay and Breheny (2001); “project work involves collection and analysis of data, engaging in open-ended experiments. Identifying and endeavoring to solve problems in fields of learning and investigation underlying concepts and principles.” Some projects may span over a month, a term, a semester or a year.

1. ASSIGNMENTS: These are specific tasks meant to be completed within a short They are usually meant to reinforce a previous lesson or to prepare for a forthcoming one. According to Ango (1997), assignments provide students the opportunity to practice an independence work. The objective of assignment must be stated, and then assignment will follow the same procedure as for other written works.
2. OBSERVATION: This is a very important procedure for psychomotor and affective The teacher can learn a lot about the child’s interest,

attitude and ability to accomplish a particular task through observation. It is a technique of gathering information; the teacher will be better disposed to include such information in the students’ report. F. M. E (1985) pointed out that the technique has the advantage of giving a record of actual behaviuour of the child, which would be free from teacher’s bias interpretation.

ETHICAL AND UNETHICAL PRACTICES IN ASSESSMENT

Ajibola (2011), examination malpractice could take place before, during and after the examinations; by either the candidates or by officials assigned with administrative duties. Achio, Ameko, Kutsanedzie, Alhassan and Ganaa (2012) asserted that the most common form of examination malpractice before the examination is leakage.

This means that the lecturers may be influenced into revealing the questions or the marking scheme. At times, the leakage could come from the administrative staff, family members, and principal officers of the university as well as colleagues. This group of people influences the lecturers’ disposition to leaking his papers; both the questions and the marking scheme. Most times the leakage may not come from the lecturers themselves but through the paper-preparation activities like the test development, typing, photocopying, storing and in a case where the paper is stored online it could be assessed by students who engage in hacking.

Conclusions

 It can be concluded that the treatment of continuous assessment had critical impact on academic performance of students. It can also be concluded that the treatment of continuous assessment had significant impact on academic performance of high achievers at any level. It can also be concluded too that the treatment of continuous assessment had significant impact on academic performance of students even among the low achievers.

Recommendations

In view of the paper, the following recommendations are made:

1. Lecturers should focus their efforts on making C.A tests more efficient by making use of various forms of

C.A strategies because there is an appreciable effect on students‟ examination score.

1. Lecturers and school management are advised to concentrate less on mid-semester test and focus more on other forms of continuous assessments especially practical.
2. Lecturers are advised to ensure continuous assessment serves as diagnostic information to provide feedback on students‟ performances.

1. iv) Students are advised to take periodical continuous assessments as serious as they take final examinations.

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The Concept and Practice Continuous Assessment in Education