Project Abstract

<p>&nbsp;                <b>ABSTRACT</b></p><p>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 Assessment for Learning, Formative Assessment, Summative Assessment, Academic Achievement, Biology <br></p>

Project Overview

<p>introduction&nbsp;</p><p> Accomplishment of learners in every academic endeavour is measured depending on the results of their learning outcome at the termination of the learning period, term, academic calendar or at the end of a programme. The level of academic achievement of a learner is determined based on assignment, test/examination scores, and marks or grades assigned by the instructor, teacher or examiner. Achievement is “a result oriented construct aimed at accomplishing a particular task which terminates at the realisation of the attainment of the programme” (Nixom &amp; Topping, 2000). In recent years, students’ academic achievement in Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) has drawn the consideration of all stake holders in education. The decline in academic accomplishment of students in biology is reflected yearly in students result published by the examination bodies. The 2002 – 2012, West African Examination Council (WAEC) Annual Report highlighted by Akanbi and Kolawole (2014), indicated the percentage of those who passed biology obtaining a credit (A1 - C6) for the past eleven years (2002 -2012) in Nigeria were 31.52%, 44.15%, 24.69%, 35.04%, 48.60%, 33.37%, 33.94%, 33.87%, 33.90%, 38.50%, and 38.82% respectively. <br></p><p> This shows that for the past eleven years the biology achievement of students’ has been below fifty percent. Biology is a mandatory subject for any science oriented course, thus it has developed advancement as it concerns the field of forensic science, genetic engineering and medicine. In spite of its importance, however the performance of students has degenerated at higher level of secondary school (Ahmed, 2008). The result of previous findings indicates that there is more work to be done to avert this poor academic achievement among students. Over the years, researchers have attributed this pathetic level of academic achievement of students to various factors such as failure of parents to pay attention to the needs of their children which has culminated into lack of orientation, corruption, less emphasizes on hard work, unregulated television and internet viewing, usage and unnecessary addiction to face-book and mobile phones Ajayi (In Adewusi, 2013). For Adegoke and Umar (2011) in a separate study observed that most classes involve rote learning, in which there is dependence on memorization devoid of the understanding of the subject. The incessant utilization of this strategy discourages students’ participation in classroom learning. The amount and quality of the expected behaviour manifested in form of performance are determined through the process of assessment (Hassan, 2001). The attention on assessment of students’ achievement has highlighted assessment as an intrinsic aspect of instruction and learning. In their view Kallaghan and Greaney (2001), observed “that teachers’ assessment of their students in the classroom deserves a second consideration in terms of improving the quality of education”. Assessment from educational perspective according to Ukwuije (2012:3): <br></p><p> <i>“is a process of documenting, usually in measurable terms, knowledge, skills, attitudes, beliefs, practice or generally what behaviour a learner does or does not have, acquire or develop before, during and at the end of instruction, or a course of study”. </i> <br></p><p><i> </i>Furthermore, assessment has been defined as; “a process of obtaining information used to make educational decisions about students, to give feedback to the students about his or her progress, strengths and weaknesses, to judge instructional effectiveness and curricular adequacy and inform policy” (American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME); &amp; National Education Association (NEA), (in Kellaghan &amp; Greaney, 2001:19). During the 1990s, “research findings indicated that giving recognition to assessment as a constituent of teaching improves achievement for learners and also shows connection that classroom practices are relevant to bodies of research, such as: feedback, motivation, attribution and self-regulated learning” (Wiliam, 2011). Thus, for assessment to be an integral part of instruction, it has to be carried out formatively. Stiggins and Chappius (2005:18) identified three approaches to formative assessment. These include:</p><p>&nbsp; “More Frequent Testing: this refers to increase in the frequency of summative assessments from once to several times a year.&nbsp;</p><p><b><i>Effective Data Management</i></b></p><p>This approach involves the accumulation, summarizing, analysing and providing a feedback on effective assessment with diligence.&nbsp;</p><p>The third approach is Assessment For Learning: In Assessment For Learning, the emphasis is on transferable learning, here, assessment becomes a much more transparent process, which is based on critical information that is shared with learners, and thus the learners are responsible for their own learning and assessment”. Based on research findings and interviews conducted with teachers who had practiced AFL in their classrooms Black, Harrison, Marshall, Lee and Wiliam (2003:2) identified the following AFL strategies: <i> <br></i></p><p> - “Teachers use of questioning: refers to the use of questions by teachers to diagnose and extend students’ ideas and to scaffold students’ thinking. The teacher adjust questioning to accommodate students’ contributions and thinking in a neutral rather than evaluative manner” (Chin, 2006a). - Feedback through marking: refers to the use of written comments instead of grades to inform students on their area of strength and weaknesses. This approach guides the students to analyse their strengths and improve on their weakness.&nbsp;</p><p>- Peer and Self assessment by Students: Peer assessment according to (Falchikov, 1995) is defined as “the process whereby groups of individuals rate their peers. While self assessment refers to “the involvement of learners in making judgements about their own learning, particularly about their achievements and the outcomes of their learning” (Boud &amp; Falchikov, 1989).&nbsp;</p><p>- Formative use of summative assessment: refers to the use of items from past examination and test papers that are relevant to the topics being taught by the teacher to assess on-going learning process”. <br></p><p> Assessment For Learning in the context of this study “is defined as the mean difference in scores obtained by students based on exposure to Assessment For Learning strategies such as, “use of questioning, comment only marking, self/peer assessment and formative use of summative assessment”. Black, Harrison, Marshall, Lee and Wiliam (2002), refer to Assessment for Learning “as every exercise embarked on by instructors and learners that serve as information which forms and advances the instruction and study exercise undertaken within the classroom”. The currently practiced formative assessment process in Nigeria is mostly the More Frequent Testing and the Effective Data Management Approach. These approaches are traditional formative assessment and have been in use for decades, not only in Nigeria but globally. For Wiliam, (2011:3): <br></p><p> <i>“Currently, the existing view on education sees instruction as a reasonable quality which is not adaptive to the needs of learners. A well-design instruction is effective for those students that it was meant, while others are assigned to remedial activities in which the causes of failure to learn lies on the individual in terms of materials which were difficult and as such, learners pursue the less academic avenues.&nbsp;</i> <br></p><p> According to Black et al (2002) Assessment for Learning is mainly non-formal and embedded in instruction and learning. It takes place frequently in each unit of instruction. Their study revealed that comments made by teachers were more effective and productive than the award of marks or simultaneous use of comments and marks. Stiggins and Chappius (2005) asserted that Assessment for Learning does not only monitor the students’ learning but turns the classroom assessment process which result to the instructional intervention. Findings on a study on formative assessment by Black and Wiliam (1998) showed that, it is descriptive feedback that produces the highest improvement in performance and not letter grades or scores. Similarly, Elawar and Corno (1985) in their study stated that teachers’ written feedback, in terms of students’ homework amounted to twenty-four percent difference in terminal accomplishment. The attainment of learners subjected to comments was better than that of their counterparts who were assigned grades; hence grades hinder accomplishment. Butler (1988), revealed that where comments are personalized to students they obtained predominantly higher scores up to thirty percent on specific assignment. There was visible reduction in accomplishment of learners’ assigned grades only, as well as those exposed to both comments and grade. Harrison and Harlan (2006) in their study on the effect of self/peer assessment strategy on academic achievement of students revealed that this strategy is effective, in facilitating learners’ deliberation on a specific exercise or assignment, their learning methods and enhances thorough rather than superficial learning process.</p><p> However, regardless of the growing agitation especially in developed countries on enhancing learning and classroom assessment through AFL interventions, Nigerian educators, teachers and stakeholders seem not to be aware of the continuous changes and innovation in formative assessment especially in the area of students achievement gain. Our educational system has relied on terminal assessment scores generated by teachers and public examination bodies for decades to inform our decision about accountability on the academic output of students. Which is to say that much emphasis is laid on summative assessment at the detriment of classroom assessment which if adequately used paves way for effective summative assessment and its achievement? The researchers have observed that in most developing countries, such as Nigeria, assessment practices focus primarily on examinations (summative assessment) in which little or no emphasis on classroom assessment methods are made. Most teachers appear to focus more on the activities, laid- out for teaching in order to end scheme of work than on outcome/mastery. Most teachers administer classroom assessment specifically to generate mandatory terminal continuous assessment scores. The evaluation functions are high-lighted, whereas the guidance and learning processes are not high-lighted. A high priority is accorded the collection of marks for records, rather than enquire into learners activities to detect learning requirements and assessment strategies that would improve and enhance learning.&nbsp;</p><p> It is quite unfortunate that Assessment for Learning strategies which have been introduced in most classrooms in developed countries are yet to be applied in our classrooms. The problem of the study therefore is to investigate the effect of Assessment For Learning strategies such as, “use of questioning, comment only marking, self/peer assessment and formative use of summative assessment” on biology academic achievement of Senior Secondary Students.&nbsp;</p><p> <b>Research questions&nbsp;</b></p><p>Two research questions were stated to guide the study: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><br></i></p><p> 1. What is the effect of Assessment For Learning (AFL) strategies (“use of questioning, comment only marking, self/peer assessment and formative use of summative assessment”) on biology academic achievement of students as measured by their pretest and post test scores?&nbsp;</p><p>2. What is the difference in biology academic achievement of students among the five groups (“use of questioning, comment-only marking, self/peer assessment, formative use of summative assessment” and control group) as measured by their post test scores?</p><p> Hypotheses&nbsp;</p><p>The following null hypotheses were postulated to direct the study:&nbsp;</p><p>1. There is no significant effect of AFL strategies (‘use of questioning, comment only marking, self/peer assessment and formative use of summative assessment”) on biology academic achievement of students as measured by their pretest and post test scores.&nbsp;</p><p>2. There is no significant difference in biology academic achievement of students among the five groups (“use of questioning, comment only marking, self/peer assessment, formative use of summative assessment” and control groups) as measured by their post test scores. &nbsp; <br></p>