EFFECTS OF CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF NCE CHEMISTRY STUDENTS
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to look into the effects of Continuous Assessment on the academic achievement of NCE chemistry students in Kaduna state. The study’s population consists of all chemistry students in Kaduna state’s colleges of education. The sample included 90 chemistry students from Kaduna state’s colleges of education. The experimental control group design was pre-test-post-test.
The experimental group was divided into two groups, E1 and E2, with only one serving as the control group. The experimental group EI received two sets of Continuous Assessment, while E2, the second experimental group, received four sets of Continuous Assessment, and the control group C received no Continuous Assessment.
The three groups were given a pre-test and a post-test. There were five hypotheses stated. The Continuous Assessment was conducted using two instruments: the teacher-made test (T.M.T.) and the Organic Chemistry Test (OCT), which served as both a pretest and a posttest. At the 0.05 level of significance, the data were analyzed using F-test, ANOVA, t-test, and Pearson product moment correlation coefficient (r) statistics. The study’s findings revealed that:
– Continuous Assessment has a significant impact on NCE students’ academic achievement.
– When male and female students are exposed to fewer C.A’s, there is no significant difference in their achievement.
– There is a significant difference in achievement between male and female students when they are exposed to a large number of C.A’s.
– There is no significant relationship between C.A scores and NCE chemistry students’ final examination scores.
Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that chemistry teachers strive to give at least four C.As to students per semester in order to improve their academic achievement, and that teachers be properly trained on the methods and techniques of Continuous Assessment construction and administration in order for the system to be effective.
THE FIRST CHAPTER
1.1 General Introduction
Exams and assessments are an essential part of our educational structure. They are held both formally and informally at almost all levels of education and serve a variety of functions. Exams and assessments, in the broadest sense, can be thought of as primarily educational in nature. They can be used to do the following:
At the end of a course or study program, evaluate students’ progress.
Diagnostically assess students’ academic achievement and progress.
and/or learning disabilities
Evaluate students’ abilities, possibly in order to assign them to different courses or teaching sets.
Examine the efficacy of a particular educational program or initiative.
curriculum.
(Richard, 1999)
Most ‘internal’ examinations and assessments administered on a regular basis by teachers and schools serve one or more of these educational functions. Other examinations, such as those conducted ‘externally’ by recognized examining boards and certain professional associations, have a primary educational purpose as well: to assess a student’s attainment at the end of a course of study.
The primary responsibility of any school is to ensure effective teaching and learning, for which assessment and examination, a type of evaluation, play an important role, particularly in making decisions about school programs.
(Ijaya, 2002) Assessment is critical in education in general and is a continuous process. It serves as the foundation for all educational activities. Assessment data is a valuable tool in the hands of a professional teacher. At every stage of academics, it directs, guides, and protects both the teacher and the learner (Okwudire, 2005).
The process of continuous assessment is an important component of the National Policy on Education (FME, 2004). This assessment and evaluation system is a Nigerian educational system innovation that arose from the first national curriculum conference in Ibadan in 1969.
When the outcomes of that historic conference were published, a high-powered committee comprised of educationists, university academics, civil servants, industrialists, and intellectuals from various walks of life was formed to thoroughly study the report and make recommendations based on its incorporation into a new National Policy on Education (FME, 1977).
In 1977, a task force was formed to develop a blueprint for the new policy’s implementation. The Federal Task Force received input from various state task forces formed for the purpose. The Federal Government White Paper on the Implementation Task Force, published in 1979, served as the foundation for what is now the new National Policy on Education (FME, 1998). The emphasis on Continuous Assessment is one of the new National Policy on Education’s distinguishing features.
According to an excerpt from the National Policy on Education (FME, 1998), “Educational assessment and evaluation will be liberalized by basing them in whole or in part on Continuous Assessment of Individual Progress.”
The National Policy on Education made the most explicit statement about how the desired ‘liberalization’ was to be achieved. And the kind of education that will lead to self-awareness, improved human relationships, national consciousness, and technological progress in Nigeria (FME, 1998).
Continuous Assessment should be used at all educational levels to evaluate student achievement, according to Nigeria’s new National Policy on Education. This means that every teacher, from elementary to university, should understand and put it into practice.
Prior to the implementation of Continuous Assessment, students were assessed at the end of the term without any other form of assessment, and this form of assessment was used to evaluate students’ achievement for placement and promotions to upper class. Prior to the WAEC examinations, a mock examination was held.
This result was frequently used to determine which students qualified to write the final examination (WAEC) and to secure provisional admission into higher education institutions prior to the release of the WAEC results (Ango,1997).
According to Carew (1985), regardless of how well a student performs during his or her years of schooling, if his or her performance in the summative type of examination is poor, he or she is considered incapable of advancing further in education.
According to Dodo (1985), “there are even few cases of suicide due to failure in final examination.” Schools and colleges adopted the Continuous Assessment system for the reasons stated above. In relation to examination, the Federal Government of Nigeria emphasized the need for and importance of Continuous Assessment.
The National Policy on Education (FME, 1998) stated that Continuous Assessment is required for the integration of all types of evaluations. Continuous Assessment thus represents a continuing awareness of the pupil’s development over time, as well as the general development of cumulative judgment.
Continuous Assessment, also known as “process evaluation,” not only measures but also indicates progress toward advancement. Assessments in science, particularly chemistry, should seek to measure the specific qualities that a curriculum or course seeks to foster in students. According to Richard (1999), such qualities can be classified into three broad categories in the context of science (chemistry):
1. Intellectual abilities and skills, such as the student’s ability to recall, apply, and solve problems.
to evaluate scientific information and to plan and implement experimental procedures
Investigations for the solution of scientific problems are conducted on a regular basis. Cognitive abilities are the name given to such abilities.
2. Manipulative skills and abilities, which include the ability to handle and manipulate materials and apparatus in the context of scientific investigations, as well as the ability to follow instructions and make accurate observations. These and related abilities are collectively referred to as psychomotor skills.
skills.
3. Qualities pertaining to students’ attitudes and interests in science and the study of science, as well as science-related beliefs and values, ethical judgments, and interpersonal relationships. This type of quality is commonly referred to as an affective characteristic:
The impact of gender on students’ learning ability, interest, and achievement cannot be overstated. Several studies conducted over the years revealed a significant difference in students’ subject choices as well as their performance in science and non-science subjects.
Olarewaju (2004) discovered a significant difference in the achievement of boys and girls in the knowledge of biology concepts. Boys outperformed girls in this study, according to the findings. Dahiru (2004) also conducted a study to see if gender influences the choice of science subjects in Katsina Local Government Area.
His findings revealed that gender has no bearing on the choice of science subjects in Katsina local government.
According to Adeqive (2000), the difference in learning ability between boys and girls is due to socialization, as girls are denied out of school and pre-school experience in problem solving, particularly those involving visual activity behavior, which inhibits the development of mathematics and science capability in girls.
As a result, the purpose of this study is to provide equal opportunities for both boys and girls in the teaching and administration of Continuous Assessment.
Academic achievement in science (Chemistry) is viewed differently by different authors, depending on the context. In general, accomplishments refer to the accomplishment or demonstration of proficiency in a specific skill or body of knowledge.
Academic achievement, according to Amuset (1994), is the knowledge or skill developed in a school subject, which is usually designated by a test score or by means assigned by the teacher.
Okebukola and Jegede (1986), on the other hand, classified achievement into three categories. They are as follows:
a. Athletes with a high level of achievement (top 75 percent )
b. Middle-of-the-road performers (middle 55 percent )
c. Performers who fall short of expectations (bottom 25 percent )
According to Musa (2000), academic achievement refers to the quality of results produced by students as reflected in the quality of their examination scores. More C.A means more motivation on the part of the students, and it is hoped that achievement will rise as a result.
Continuous Assessment is frequently used to encourage students to learn. The teacher defines motivation as “the urge to work independently either applying oneself to his work, interest in ones task or course he has chosen, the desire for a good qualification and good employment, determination to pass examination or a defined goal which one has set for himself, and sustenance of enthusiasm,” according to Beard and Seniour (1980).
As a result, the purpose of this study is to determine whether students who receive more Continuous Assessments per semester perform better in the final examination than those who do not. The study also looks into whether there is a difference in achievement between male and female students who are subjected to Continuous Assessment.
Finally, the study intends to determine whether there is a relationship between NCE chemistry Continuous Assessment scores and final examination scores.
students.
1.2 Problem Description
Science educators have advocated for the inclusion of Continuous Assessment as a component of science evaluation programs (Hambury, 1995). However, there is no empirical data to support the effectiveness of the Continuous Assessment system in promoting learning or to demonstrate whether or not students’ performance will improve as they are exposed to more C.A. C.A has the ability to motivate learners to learn.
Achievement, according to Vroom (1984), is the result of motivation and ability. According to him, behavior is influenced not only by ability but also by how much the individual wants to do certain events and how much they expect to do them. As a result, when students are being tested, they are motivated to work hard.
As a result, the problem of this study is to determine whether or not exposing students to a large number of Continuous Assessments has a significant effect on the final examination. More assessment means more motivation and, as a result, higher achievement, but human behavior can change. Many assessments may cause additional stress on the student’s part.
According to some studies, there are gender differences in learning (Jegede, 1989 Mari, 1991 and Ajagun, 1998). This study employs both genders and uses the same teaching and assessment techniques, so adequate steps are taken to eliminate any gender differences in treatment administration. This study also attempts to determine whether gender has any effect on the administration of Continuous Assessment to students.
The consistency of Continuous Assessment scores to examination scores is not known conclusively. In his study, Odili(1995) claims that some Continuous Assessment scores are inconsistent with examination scores because they show little or no significant correlations.
Ihiegbulem(1994), on the other hand, discovered that there is a substantial high and significant degree of positive relationship between Continuous Assessment and examination scores. One of the goals of this research is to see if there is a link between Continuous Assessment and exam scores.
There is the issue of relating Continuous Assessment to actual examination scores, for example; it is not uncommon to find a student with a very high score in continuous assessment but an extremely low score in the final examination (Hassan, 1987). It is hoped that the findings of this study will shed light on all of the issues raised.
1.3 Research Issues
In light of the foregoing, the following research questions were developed to guide the study’s execution.
(1) What effect does frequent administration of Continuous Assessment have on N.C.E. chemistry students’ academic achievement?
(2) In the first experimental group, to what extent do male and female students exposed to two sets of Continuous Assessment differ in performance?
(3) In the second experimental group, to what extent do male and female students exposed to four sets of Continuous Assessment differ in performance?
(4) Is there a relationship between Continuous Assessment and final examination scores of NCE chemistry students in the first experimental group who were subjected to two sets of Continuous Assessment?
(5) Is there a link between Continuous Assessment and final exam scores of NCE chemistry students exposed to four sets of questions?
In the second experimental group, is there a continuous assessment?
1.4 Is There a Null Hypothesis?
The study’s null hypotheses are as follows:
1st HO In chemistry, there is no significant difference in the mean academic achievement scores of students exposed to Continuous Assessment versus those assessed solely through final examination.
2 HO: There is no statistically significant difference in the mean academic achievement scores of male and female students exposed to two sets of chemistry Continuous Assessments (that is the first experimental group E1).
3 HOURS There is no statistically significant difference in the mean academic achievement scores of male and female students exposed to four sets of chemistry Continuous Assessments (that is the second experimental group E2).
HO:4 The mean Continuous Assessment scores of N. C.E. students exposed to two sets of Continuous Assessment in chemistry have no significant relationship (that is the first experimental group E1).
5 H.O. There is no statistically significant relationship between the mean Continuous Assessment scores and final examination scores of N.C.E. students exposed to four sets of questions.
Chemistry Continuous Assessment (that is the second experimental group 2).
1.5 The Study’s Objectives
In light of the foregoing, the study aims to achieve the following goals:
1. To ascertain the impact of Continuous Assessment on the final examination scores of N. C. E. Chemistry students.
2. Determine whether male and female students exposed to Continuous Assessment achieve significantly differently in terms of academic achievement.
3. To determine whether or not there is a relationship between N. C. E. Chemistry students’ Continuous Assessment scores and final examination scores.
1.6 Importance of the Research
Because problems are identified and solutions are provided, the primary goal of academic research is to add to existing knowledge, and thus improvement is always expected. As a result, the findings of this study are expected to shed light on the long-term viability, applicability, and efficacy of Continuous Assessment in colleges of education N.C.E programs.
Continuous Assessment is used at all levels of education, from primary schools to universities, but there is no empirical evidence to support its effectiveness in improving performance. This research is important for teachers because it will provide empirical data on the number of Continuous Assessments that could be administered in a semester to achieve optimal student performance.
It will also teach teachers skills and techniques for organizing and administering Continuous Assessment. There are sample C.A questions that can be used as a guide for future questions.
Teachers always strive for a Continuous Assessment score that correlates very well with the final exam so that students’ performance in the final exam can be predicted. This will allow them to identify the C.A mean score, which will provide more reliable feedback that can be used to predict students’ final exam grades.
The teacher would also be in a better position to provide parents with very reliable feedback on the students’ academic performance. The C.A that correlates the most is the most reliable and will predict the students’ final performance, and when passed on to parents, it provides more reliable feedback. This research will assist curriculum planners in determining the number of C.A to be incorporated when designing the curriculum.
Without a doubt, the study findings will assist lecturers, policymakers, and educators in determining the effectiveness of the Continuous Assessment process; additionally, it is hoped that the findings of this study will have a significant impact.
Contribution to the body of knowledge in the field of Continuous Assessment.
1.7 Scope of the Research
The research is limited to two colleges of education in Kaduna state: F.C.E. Zaria and F.C.E. Kafanchan. The two universities were chosen.
Because they are the only two Colleges of Education in Kaduna State and are all affiliated with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria as the moderating institution. As a result, they have control over the standardization and quality of their programs.
The study’s findings are only applicable to these colleges.
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