Classroom Assessment Practices: A Survey of Botswana Primary and Secondary School Teachers.
Year: 2012
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The Classroom Assessment Practices and Skills (CAPS) questionnaire was administered to a sample of 691 primary and secondary school teachers in Botswana,Southern Africa to survey their thoughts about classroom assessment and identify classroom assessment practices teachers perceive to be skilled and those that they used most. The study examined the discrepancies between teachers’ perceived skill and use of classroom assessment practices. Exploratory factor analysis generated four factors from “Thoughts about Assessment” and six factors for skill and use of classroom \nassessment practices. Botswana teachers held positive beliefs about both mastery and \nperformance orientations to student assessment. Teachers were unsure about the \nadequacy of their assessment training, but indicated that they needed further training in assessment. The results also showed that primary teachers, particularly those with only a certificate needed more skill training in assessment applications, statistical applications, and criterion referenced testing. The more experienced teachers were, the more they agreed with mastery and performance orientations, and the more they had perceived skill and use of desirable classroom assessment practices. Factors wererelated to teacher characteristics of educational level, subject taught, teaching level,years of teaching experience and assessment training. The results showed that including more courses in assessment during teacher training and sending teachers for in-service \nor workshops in assessment helped to improve their perceived beliefs, skills, and use of \ndesirable classroom assessment practices. Understanding the beliefs teachers hold, \nparticularly about students’ performance, can be used as a framework for identifying \neducational resources meant to help both schools and students to perform. If policy \nmakers are aware of teachers’ beliefs regarding mastery, they can help teachers to \nformulate assessment practices that promote critical thinking skills and mastery. A \nmentoring program to match new and experienced teachers to share reciprocal \nknowledge and skills on classroom assessment practices can be developed in schools. \nTeacher educators may consider overhauling their programs to have courses that are \nmore focused on assessment, or increase the number of assessment courses for preservice \nteachers. Teachers should be sent for in-service training in assessment on a regular basis to ensure that they maintain current classroom assessment skills.
Author: Setlhomo Koloi‐Keaikitse
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W118000045