This work explores the impact of continuous assessment on the academic performances of students with the help of a survey that questioned 120 secondary school teachers in Ilorin Metropolis.
Over the years, the practice of continuous assessment has been the pre-evaluation process of the academic success of students before their final examination period. Nowadays, however, it appears that teachers are not using continuous assessment to prepare students for examinations. In view of this, the study investigates the impact of continuous assessment regarding the academic performance of students.
The descriptive survey design was employed for the study and a random sampling technique was used to select 120 teachers in ten different secondary schools in Ilorin Metropolis. The instrument used was a self-designed questionnaire entitled "Impact of CA Academic Performance Questionnaire (ICAAPQ)". The study reveals that continuous assessment helps students to remember what has been learnt, to concentrate on difficult areas of a subject, and help to identify their areas of strengths and weaknesses.
The author recommends that teachers should work with school counsellors to critically examine students performances in continuous assessment in order to understand their areas of weaknesses.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Statement of the Problem
3. Research Questions
4. Research Hypotheses
5. Methodology
6. Results
7. Discussion
8. Implications of Findings for Counselling Practice
9. Conclusion and Recommendations
Objectives and Research Focus
The primary objective of this study is to investigate the perception of secondary school teachers in the Ilorin metropolis regarding the impact and relevance of continuous assessment on students' academic performance.
- Evaluating the perceived effectiveness of continuous assessment as a tool for academic improvement.
- Examining whether teachers' gender influences their perspectives on continuous assessment.
- Analyzing the impact of educational qualifications on teachers' views regarding assessment relevance.
- Determining how continuous assessment strategies correlate with students' identification of strengths and weaknesses.
- Developing recommendations for integrating counseling practices with continuous assessment.
Excerpt from the Book
Introduction
Assessment of students’ level of academic performance is vital to teaching and learning process as it provides the necessary feedback about the outcome of educational goals and objectives. The assessment of learning outcomes provides objective evidences necessary in the decision making process in education. As pointed out by Bassavanthappa (2009), good measurement resulting in accurate data is the foundation of sound decision making about educational endevour. In education, assessment aims at determining the level of students’ mastery of a body of knowledge and skills in a subject (Airasian, 2006).
Continuous assessment is a classroom strategy implemented by teachers to ascertain the knowledge, skills and understanding attained by students at a particular point in time. Teachers administer assessments in a variety of ways in order to observe multiple tasks and information about what students know, understand and can do. The assessments are curriculum based tasks previously taught in classroom. Continuous assessment is a method of evaluation carried out periodically or at a predetermined interval of the school year. It is aimed at finding out how much students have acquired in a subject matter. It is a consistence monitoring of students’ progress in school. It involves collecting data with a view to making value judgement about the quality of a person, object, group or event (Ajuonuma, 2007).
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides the conceptual framework of continuous assessment as a vital tool for monitoring student progress and decision-making in education.
Statement of the Problem: Addresses the inconsistency in student performance and the necessity of investigating teacher perceptions on assessment strategies in the Ilorin metropolis.
Research Questions: Outlines the three core inquiries guiding the study concerning the relevance of assessment and the influence of demographic variables.
Research Hypotheses: Presents the null hypotheses regarding the lack of significant differences in teacher perceptions based on gender and educational level.
Methodology: Details the descriptive survey design, sampling techniques, and the instrumentation used to collect and analyze teacher data.
Results: Reports the statistical findings, showing that teachers largely perceive continuous assessment as a positive influence on student learning and academic mastery.
Discussion: Interprets the findings, noting that continuous assessment aids student memory and self-awareness, and contrasts these results with previous studies.
Implications of Findings for Counselling Practice: Explores the complementary role of school counseling and continuous assessment in facilitating student academic and social adjustment.
Conclusion and Recommendations: Summarizes the positive perception of teachers and suggests practical policy and instructional adjustments for the educational sector.
Keywords
Impact, Continuous Assessment, Students, Academic, Performance, Secondary, School, Teachers, Education, Counseling, Methodology, Ilorin, Nigeria, Evaluation, Teaching
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research study?
The study examines the perceptions of secondary school teachers in Ilorin, Nigeria, regarding the impact of continuous assessment on student academic success.
What are the primary themes discussed in this work?
The key themes include the definition and implementation of continuous assessment, its influence on student study habits, and its connection to educational counseling.
What is the main research objective?
The goal is to determine if teachers believe continuous assessment is an effective tool for improving academic performance and whether their demographic background influences this belief.
Which scientific methodology was utilized?
The researcher employed a descriptive survey design using a self-designed questionnaire and analyzed the data through percentage, t-test, and ANOVA statistics.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main body covers the theoretical background of assessments, the statement of the problem, research hypotheses, methodology, and the empirical results gathered from teachers.
Which keywords best characterize this publication?
The work is defined by terms such as Continuous Assessment, Academic Performance, Secondary School, Teachers, Counseling, and Educational Evaluation.
How does gender affect teachers' views on continuous assessment?
The study found no significant difference in the perception of continuous assessment relevance between male and female teachers.
Does educational qualification influence teacher perspectives on assessment?
No, the findings indicate that a teacher's educational attainment level does not significantly alter their view on the importance of continuous assessment.
What is the recommended role for school counselors?
Counselors are advised to use continuous assessment data to help students develop better study habits and social skills to improve their academic performance.
- Quote paper
- Akeem Adigun (Author), 2016, The impact of continuous assessment on the academic performances of students, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/491736
