Assessing Student Learning in Africa (Directions in Development)

✍ Scribed by Thomas Kellaghan, Vincent Greaney

• Publisher: World Bank Publications
• Year: 2004
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 100
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Education for All, supported by the international community, emphasizes the importance of learning quality. This book focuses on the use of assessment to monitor and evaluate learning in Sub-Saharan African countries. It deals with four major aspects of educational assessment: public (external) examinations, national assessments of educational achievement levels, international assessments, and classroom assessment practices. Coverage of public examinations includes a review of their quality, their potential for leveraging reform, and their positive and negative impacts on the nature of teaching and learning. Assessing Student Learning in Africa summarizes the range of national assessment activities carried out in the region. These assessments were designed to provide evidence on the outcomes of schooling, especially in terms of student achievements. The relatively few international assessments that have been carried out in Africa have reported relatively low levels of student achievement. Pros and cons of participating in international assessments are discussed. Classroom-based assessment is an integral component of the teaching learning process. The evidence presented suggests that current teacher assessment practices are deficient in specific areas. Throughout the book, the authors offer concrete suggestions of how to improve assessment practices to help enhance the quality of student achievement.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
......Page 1
Assessing Student Learning
in Africa......Page 5
Copyright
......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
Acknowledgments......Page 9
Abbreviations......Page 10
Executive Summary......Page 11
1. The Context of Proposals to Use Assessment to Improve the Quality of Education......Page 17
Obstacles to Meeting EFA Goals......Page 18
Recommitment in Dakar to EFA......Page 19
Focus of the Paper......Page 20
2. Public (External) Examinations......Page 23
Improving the Quality of Public Examinations......Page 25
Using Data from Examinations to Describe Student Achievements......Page 27
Effects of Changes in Examinations......Page 31
Mechanisms to Bring about Change in School Practice and Student Achievement......Page 35
Particular Problems When Assessment Information Carries High Stakes......Page 38
Guidelines to Improve Public Examinations......Page 42
3. National Assessments......Page 44
Uses of National Assessment Information......Page 46
National Assessment Activity in Africa......Page 47
The Impact of National Assessments......Page 51
Issues in National Assessments......Page 52
Developing and Institutionalizing the Capacity to Conduct a National Assessment......Page 55
International Assessments in Africa......Page 57
Problems Associated with International Assessments......Page 58
11. Classroom Assessment......Page 61
The Quality of Classroom Assessment......Page 62
Improving Classroom Assessment......Page 63
The Use of School-Based Assessment in Public Examinations......Page 66
Mode of Intervention......Page 70
Teachers’ Understanding of the Implications of Change......Page 71
15. The Complexity of Teaching......Page 73
Opposition Based on the Perception that a Change Will Involve a Risk to Pupils......Page 74
7. Conclusion......Page 75
Recommendations......Page 81
References......Page 84
Index......Page 93
1. Chief Examiners’ Reports in Swaziland......Page 28
2. Language of Instruction......Page 29
3. Examination Reform in Kenya......Page 33
4. Problems with League Tables......Page 37
5. How Teachers Are Influenced by Examinations......Page 39
6. Some Forms of Examination Corruption......Page 41
7. Guidelines to Improve Public Examinations......Page 43
8. Main Elements of a National Assessment......Page 45
9. Differences in National Assessment Procedures......Page 48
10. South Africa’s Experience with International Assessments......Page 60
12. Suggestions to Improve Classroom Assessment......Page 65
13. Continuous Assessment in Swaziland......Page 67
14. Teachers’ Difficulties in Adjusting to Changes in Examinations......Page 72