Journal of Psychology & Behavioral Science

Continuous Assessment Practices of Secondary School Teachers in Osun State, Nigeria
Bamidele Abiodun FALEYE, Benjamin Tosin ADEFISOYE

Abstract
The study investigated the frequency of method of administering Continuous Assessment (CA) by secondary school teachers and ascertained students’ attitudinal behaviour towards continuous assessment practice in Osun State secondary schools. It also compared the methods used by both private and public secondary school teachers in conducting CA. and determined the extent to which the basic characteristics of CA are captured in teachers’ assessments. The descriptive research design was adopted for the study. The study population consisted of all students and teachers in Osun State secondary schools. A sample of 270 students and 90 teachers were selected (using volunteer sampling) from nine secondary schools (six public and three private) in Osun state. From each of the three senatorial districts in Osun state, three Local Government Area (LGA) were selected using simple random sampling. Three schools were thereafter selected purposively from each LGA; the criterion for selecting schools was that a school should have more than ten teachers. A total of 30 students and 10 teachers were selected from each of the schools using volunteer sampling technique. Data were collected using two instruments titled Continuous Assessment Practice Questionnaire (CAPQ) and Students’ Attitude towards Continuous Assessment (SATCA). Data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics (percentages, mean, and standard deviation). The results of the analysis showed that 44.4% of the teachers who participated in the study conducted CA fortnightly. The results also revealed that 86.7% of the students had positive attitude towards CA. Findings also revealed that the CA methods used in private schools were different from that of public schools. Sixty percent (60.0%) of private school teachers employed tests while 41.7% of public secondary school teachers frequently used assignment in assessing their students. However, 57.8% of the sampled teachers indicated that characteristics of Continuous Assessment were fairly captured. Finally, a total of 77.8% secondary school teachers indicated that the failure of government to organize in-service training, seminar, and workshop on Continuous Assessment at regular interval for teachers is a major challenge to the implementation of Continuous Assessment. The study concluded that there was a gap between policy dictated and actuality of practice among secondary school teachers in Osun State.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jpbs.v4n1a5