Evaluation of Assessment Strategies Used by Basic School Teachers in Ghana: The Case of Assessment for Learning

Abstract

Ghana’s new curriculum for the basic school emphasizes collecting and evaluating information about learners and using the information to make decisions to improve their learning. This study employed the survey research design aimed at evaluating the use of Assessment for learning strategy by basic school teachers in Ghana. The features, strategies and principles underpinning Assessment for learning strategy formed the basis of the construction of 16 item Likert scale with a reliability coefficient of 0.979. A sample size of 100 was computed at 95% confidence interval and randomly selected from the population. The study found significant difference between demographic variables (such as teaching division, teaching experience and gender) and the use of assessment for learning strategy. Female teachers demonstrated greater skills with respect to providing interactive assessment that gives immediate feedback and direction to students than their male teacher counterparts .Class teachers demonstrated greater skills with respect to providing assessment that is inclusive of all learners than their subject teacher counterparts .Again, teachers with at least four years of experience in teaching demonstrated greater skills with respect to use of variety of feedback from students as a basis for deciding on groupings, instructional strategies and resources than their counterparts with less than four years of teaching experience . The study recommended for continuous professional development (PD) session to be introduced for basic school teachers by Ghana Education service on effective use of formative assessment.