Secondary School Teachers’ Classroom Assessment Practices

Abstract

Classroom assessment is a regular activity for teachers. They are using different assessment tools to measure students' performance and improve their learning. The success of the activities in large part depends on the competence of the teachers. The study's main purpose was to examine teachers’ classroom assessment practices in secondary schools. The study was conducted on some selected secondary schools found in the East and West Wollega Administrative Zones. In the study, 194 male and 103 female teachers participated. Teachers’ practice of classroom assessment questionnaires was used to collect the necessary data. Percentage, mean, SD, and factorial ANOVA were employed to describe and determine the significance of tests among variables in the study at α =.05. The results of the study indicated that, on average, there was a moderate level of practice in classroom assessments among teachers and a weak degree in revision practices. Teachers were found to be more inclined to develop traditional than alternative methods of assessment. They often included non-achievement factors in the grades or marks of students. Their classroom assessment practices showed significant improvement as their teaching experience increased. Female teachers throughout their years of teaching experiences were found to be in a better position to practice classroom assessments compared with male teachers. An increase in teaching load per week was found to significantly lower teachers’ practice of classroom assessment while having prior training in student assessment, conversely raising it. Thus, in addition to improving pre-service preparation, there should be continuous in-service training for all teachers on classroom assessment of practices. In addition, experience sharing among teachers should be practically implemented to improve their teaching skills in general and assessment skills in particular.