Teachers’ Test Construction Skills in Senior High Schools in Ghana: Document Analysis

Abstract

Assessment, specifically test construction, forms a critical part of the teaching and learning process. This aspect of teachers’ responsibility has been questioned by several authorities in contemporary times. The study explored the test construction skills of Senior High Schools (SHS) teachers in the Cape Coast Metropolis. Using a qualitative document analysis, samples of End-of-Term Examination papers in Integrated Science, Core Mathematics and Social Studies in three selected SHS in the Cape Coast Metropolis were randomly (Lottery method) selected. The assessment tasks on the sampled instruments were critically examined by experts in the area of Educational Measurement and Evaluation. The results revealed that the teachers have limited skills in the construction of end-of-term examination. This was evident as issues were found with the content representativeness and relevance of the test, reliability, and fairness of the assessment tasks which were evaluated. It was recommended that head teachers should take up the challenge of inviting resource persons from recognised academic institutions to organise workshops for teachers on a regular basis to sharpen their skills on effective test construction practices.Assessment, specifically test construction, forms a critical part of the teaching and learning process. This aspect of teachers’ responsibility has been questioned by several authorities in contemporary times. The study explored the test construction skills of Senior High Schools (SHS) teachers in the Cape Coast Metropolis. Using a qualitative document analysis, samples of End-of-Term Examination papers in Integrated Science, Core Mathematics and Social Studies in three selected SHS in the Cape Coast Metropolis were randomly (Lottery method) selected. The assessment tasks on the sampled instruments were critically examined by experts in the area of Educational Measurement and Evaluation. The results revealed that the teachers have limited skills in the construction of end-of-term examination. This was evident as issues were found with the content representativeness and relevance of the test, reliability, and fairness of the assessment tasks which were evaluated. It was recommended that head teachers should take up the challenge of inviting resource persons from recognised academic institutions to organise workshops for teachers on a regular basis to sharpen their skills on effective test construction practices.