Achievements In Primary Schools In Saudi Arabia

Exploring Exemplary Practices in Continuous Assessment For Possible Influence On Improving Students

SECTION 1:

Introduction

Primary education is one of the most important foundations for development of a citizen as well as a nation. Primary education shapes a child’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social growth; the life skills learned at a critical time enables a child to achieve success throughout the life (Wyse & Torrance, 2009). In recent decades, conforming to the idea that ‘every child has the right to education’, most developing countries have introduced free and compulsory education. Saudi Arabian education system has also achieved significant success in primary school enrollment and retention that has also made significant contribution in increasing the literacy rate (Barber et al., 2007; Maroun et al., 2008).

However, there is a wide debate among educators and policy makers over an optimal assessment system for primary education that would enhance students’ learning outcomes and meet national objectives related to primary education (Wyse & Torrance, 2009). While summative assessment is administered at the end of a term/study period, a continuous/formative assessment involves the application of an on-going process of evaluation (Gardner, 2006; Harlen, 2005; Nitko & Brookhart, 2011). Until the end of the last century, as Al-Sadan (2000) reports, in Saudi Arabian primary schools only 30% of the total mark in a subject was allocated for continuous assessment during the term (e.g. periodic tests).

In the new millennium, following the models adopted by Singapore and South Korea, Saudi Arabia has reformed the education system to improve quality in all levels (Akkari, 2004; Barber et al., 2007; Maroun et al., 2008; Yamini, 2006). Accordingly, continuous assessment practices have been widely adopted by the Saudi education system to raise the quality of education. Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia has not been able to achieve the targeted improvement in achievement, although the country has made huge investment in education (Akkari, 2004; Krieger, 2007; Maroun et al., 2008).

 

Aim of the study

The study aims to find the exemplary practices in continuous assessment which could be evaluated in order to investigate their possible influence on improving students’ learning achievements in Primary schools in Saudi Arabia. This will involve investigation and understanding of the current theory on assessment, and examining the policies and practices in terms of what is theorised about the influence of assessment on learning. The research will examine the policy framework, current practices, and the existing implementation mechanisms in Queensland, Australia. Steps being taken by the government to achieve their goals will also be analyzed. The difficulties and the constraints will be examined to understand problems and other issues which are more universal in nature.

The Problem underlying the Study

Quality education is a major contributor to a country’s economic growth and a vital component for general human index. The proposed research is based on the proposition that despite comparatively high levels of expenditure on education in Saudi Arabia, the investment has not translated into the desired outcomes (Maroun et al. 2008). This is highlighted by the low ranking of Saudi Arabia in Education For All Development Index (UNESCO, 2012). Hence, there is a need to explore possible methods to improve the quality of education. While improving the quality of education will obviously require a multi-pronged approach, this study focuses on one aspect of the education system, namely, continuous assessment at the primary level. Assessment is an integral and essential component of effective learning and teaching, and the information received helps in better educational decision-making. Improvements in the quality of assessment information can enhance the effectiveness of the decisions made by teachers and learners, resulting in better learning and better educational outcomes (Masters, 2013). Further, primary level is the foundation which shapes the future development of the child (Wyse & Torrance, 2009). Thus, it is important to understand the theories related to assessment and the current exemplary practices in continuous assessment. This requires a detailed study, which is being attempted through the current paper.

 

Research questions

1. What are the goals, policies and implementation plans of Queensland, Australia  to improve the assessment system in primary schools to improve the learning?
2. What are the exemplary practices related to assessment systems in primary schools in Queensland, Australia?

3. What are the salient features of the assessment system at primary level in Saudi Arabia? For this, a review and analysis of their policy in terms of what is known about effective assessment will be undertaken.
4. What models of exemplary practices in continuous assessment could be applied in Saudi Arabia to improve students’ learning achievements in Primary schools?

 

The background

The General education system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia consists of kindergarten, six years of primary school and three years each of intermediate and high school. The Ministry of Education sets overall standards for the country’s educational system. The Kingdom’s ratio of 15 students to every teacher is one of the lowest in the world. The educational standards are being improved by raising the quality of teacher training programs, improving standards for evaluation of students and increasing the use of educational technology. One of the strategic goals is development of student assessment methods in a way that assures achievement of instructional objectives and taking part in the development of rules for student assessment. Improving & upgrading the curriculum and upgrading the education system is one of the priorities. The policy areas include enrolling all Saudi children of primary school-going age and implementing educational and training programs for Teachers. The vision is to create an effective and practical system of education which is capable of discovering the potentials and predispositions and create the spirit of action (MOE, 2011). Public spending on education in Saudi Arabia is significant (5.7 percent of GDP) which is higher compared to countries like UK & Germany (USABC, 2010). Over 25 per cent of the $35.5 billion budget was allocated to Education and Manpower Development (Al Sadaawi, 2010). The number of Primary education pupils in Saudi Arabia in 2010 was around 3.32 million out of which around 48.7% were females. In 2007, expenditure per student on primary education was 19.2% of the per capita GDP. In 2008, the primary completion rate was 96.5% (World Bank, 2013).

Interestingly, as stated by Al Sadaawi (2010), despite the amount of resources being spent, the number of schools & facilities is inadequate to meet the numbers of school-age children. Saudi Arabia has a substantial school system, with over 30,000 schools educating 5 million students. The focus so far has resulted in quantitative expansion of the education system. However, there is no national assessment system to provide statistical evidence on students’ learning outcomes. The government is developing a plan for national assessment. Priority areas for national assessment include curricula analysis, assessment design and approval, determining assessment structures relative to schools, teachers, and activities/questionnaires for students, developing assessment kits, and producing appropriate and sufficient materials such as teacher training sets, questionnaires, and activity materials, and dissemination, application, and collection of assessment materials. The national assessment framework for primary schools includes setting the purpose, identifying the subjects, determining grades, establishing standards, constructing instruments, sampling, review process, administration, and analysis and reporting.

As evident from above, Saudi Arabia spends a significant amount of money on education, and recently the focus on quality of education has increased. For this, a national assessment plan has been made which is likely to help the country in the long run. Good quality assessment in primary schools is crucial to improve the student achievement in Saudi Arabia.

 

Research method

For conducting the research, data is being collected mainly from the official websites of the Ministry of Education, Saudi Arabia, Queensland, Australia, and the World Bank/ UNESCO etc. Various other sources, including research conducted by other scholars is being referred. First, the definitions, types of assessment and the nuances of different types of the assessment are being examined. For this, books, literature, articles and policy documents are being studied. The suitability and preference of continuous assessment for improving the education system is being examined. Then required data related to the current status of the education systems is being obtained. Also, research papers on the education system of Saudi Arabia and Australia (especially Queensland), and the policy documents related to government’s goals and implementation plans are being studied. The study so far has helped in improving the understanding about the challenges being faced by the educationists and the governments in implementing the CA system. Further discourse analysis will involve examining some school’s practices regarding using continuous assessment system in Queensland. This will help understand the methods being used to assess the students at the primary level. The forms and the criteria for CA and the other systems (e.g. summative assessment) being used will also be examined. This will help understand the effectiveness of the assessment system. Ultimately, it will help discover the exemplary practices and some alternative methods to improve the education system, especially at the primary level. Some of these practices will be suggested for improving the student’s achievements at primary level in Saudi Arabia.

 

Significance of the study

For improving the student achievement at primary level in Saudi Arabia, it is imperative to improve the assessment methods being practiced. To improve the quality of assessment, it is important to understand the current theory about assessment, the objectives set by governments to improve assessment systems for better student achievement, and their plans / implementation mechanism. It is also important to discuss the constraints being faced or expected to be faced by the implementing agencies. It is also important to understand the exemplary practices in schools, and the methods being employed in more experienced and successful systems like Australia. This will help all to discover methods to overcome the difficulties and achieve the goal of a higher student achievement at primary level in Saudi Arabia. To date, a holistic study on the issue has not been conducted.

 

Limitations and delimitations

Limitations

As mentioned above, to date no comprehensive study has been conducted on the matter. Further, the official websites of the Saudi Arabia and the other countries do not give detailed data and information about the education system, especially the status of continuous assessment. So information has been obtained from other sources. Some of the data is from a single source, and could not be verified for accuracy. Some of the studies which have been referenced are old, and hence some element of judgment has been exercised to assess its applicability to the current environment. Also, there may be some areas for which it is not possible to obtain data on the internet. Time and funding constraints limit the ability to obtain the data by either visiting the site, or getting information by writing to the concerned bodies / Ministry.

 

Delimitations

The research focuses on finding methods to improve the quality of CA in primary schools of Saudi Arabia to improve student achievement. For this, systems of Australia (especially Queensland) is being studied. Some of the problems, situations and solutions may be specific to the education system of Australia. So applicability of those systems & solutions to Saudi Arabia may require necessary adjustments. Further, the research is specific to the primary level. So some issues, theories and suggestions may not be relevant to higher levels of the system.

 

Definitions

Continuous Assessment is the evaluation of student’s progress throughout a course of study, as distinct from by examination. It is used to decide whether or not children have attained their reading targets (Oxford Dictionaries, 2013). It is important to note that when the data collected in continuous assessment is used to provide feedback and make decisions (like the next steps for a students and to improve the teaching practices), then this can be termed as formative assessment (Carlson, Humphrey & Reinhardt, 2003).

Diagnostic Assessment is a type of assessment which examines what a student knows and can do prior to a learning program being implemented.  It provides a baseline against which the progress can be assessed (DEECD, September 2012).

Formative Assessment is a process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust the ongoing teaching and learning (McManus, 2008). As per CCSSO (2012), formative assessment is a process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievements of intended instructional outcomes.

Interim Assessments are periodic assessments closely modeled on summative standardized tests. Such assessments are helpful in predicting student performance on later exams, but are much less useful in guiding teachers on anything more than coverage of specific topics (Noyce & Hickey2011, p.234). Further, as per CCSSO (2012), interim Assessment comprises of interim tests administered periodically throughout the school year to fulfill predictive (identifying students readiness for success on a later high-stakes test), evaluative (to appraise ongoing educational programs), and/or instructional (to supply teachers with individual student performance data) purpose.

Summative Assessment is one that is used at the end of a stage of learning to sum-up or summarize what the student has achieved to that point in time (DEECD, November 2012). Here, data is collected at certain pre-decided intervals, and used to show what the students have achieved to date. The data provides a summary of progress over time (Carlson, Humphrey & Reinhardt, 2003).

Summary

Good quality education at the primary level is vital for the growth and development of any nation. Primary education is the foundation on which higher levels are built. There is a belief that the education system of Saudi Arabia is not functioning at its optimal level despite the fact that there is no dearth of the required resources. To improve the students’ achievement, it is vital to improve the quality of primary education. For this, the quality of continuous assessment has to be improved. A holistic study on the issue needs to be conducted to understand the basic concepts & theories about assessment, systems and practices in various countries around the world, goals of the governments, their plans, implementation strategies, and the gaps and the constraints. This will help in a proper analysis of the systems and suggest the exemplary practices which can be implemented in Saudi Arabia to improve the student achievement at the primary level.

 

SECTION 2:

Literature Review

With summative assessments, the evaluation of a student’s learning is conducted after he/she completes a task; on the other hand, with continuous assessments, the teacher places emphasis on improving the process adopted by the student in accomplishing the task, thus, in the latter case, the evaluation is an ongoing process. In the literature, continuous assessment has been considered as a ‘time-honored practice’ (Harlen, 2005, p. 207). Assessment for learning transfers from summative to formative assessment by enhancing students’ learning and providing them feedback highlighting strengths and weaknesses of each student (Earl, 2003).  Feedback is most critical element of formative assessment. It helps both the teachers and the learners to know the progress on a more real-time basis, so that corrective action can be taken promptly. Continuous assessment is considered as ‘the use of assessment for learning’, while summative assessment is viewed as the ‘assessment of learning (Berry, 2009; Carless, 2005; Earl, 2003; Gardner, 2006; Harlen, 2005). In continuous assessment the main emphasis is placed on learning rather than assessment and it is referred to as ‘the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers, to identifying where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there’ (ARG, 2002).

Formative assessment approach creates opportunity for teachers to modify pedagogical styles continually to enhance student’s learning (Harlen, 2005; Harlen & Gardner, 2006).  Formative assessment enhances motivation for both teachers and learners; it is an effective way of empowering both teachers and learners; also as a democratic process, it creates opportunity for various other stakeholders, such as parents and guardians to interact (Heritage, 2010; Nicol et al., 2006). Using formative assessment assist teachers to monitor the progress of students’ learning (Nitko & Brookhart, 2011).  Improving formative assessment has a great effect in raising standards of achievement (Black and William, 1998). This approach allows teachers to explore strengths and weaknesses of every learner and provides them with effective feedback to revise the work on the basis of that feedback; thus learners can take an active role in the learning process and develop self-awareness and cumulative confidence (Harlen, 2005; Stiggins, 2005; Stobart & Gardner, 2006).

 

Feedback consists of corrective information and can be termed as a ‘consequence of performance’ (Hattie & Timperley, 2007, p. 81). Given the fact that an effective feedback has the potential to encourage a student to correct mistakes through looking for alternative strategies, searching more information and developing and analytical skills, teachers need to be clear about what is the meaning of feedback, types of effective feedback, and their effectiveness in promoting student’s learning (Harlen, 2005; Harlen & Gardner, 2006; Hattie & Timperley, 2007). Hattie & Timperley (2007) have identified three potential outcomes of an effective feedback, namely increased motivation to improve performance, increased effort (more relevant for challenging tasks) to look for better strategies/techniques to complete the task, and increased engagement. Continuous evaluation improves learners’ ‘error detection-skills’ and ‘self-regulatory proficiencies’ (Hattie & Timperley, 2007, p. 86). Teachers can also help students in clarifying their goals and enhancing commitment/effort through effective feedback; moreover, teachers may encourage students in seeking more challenging tasks’. Effective feedback must answer three major questions asked by a teacher and/or by a student: Where am I going? (goals), How am I going? (progress), and Where to next? (Action required to make better progress?). These correspond to the terms feed up, feedback, and feed forward. These three questions do not move in isolation, but work together  (Hattie & Timperley, 2007).

The basis of continuous assessment depends on multiple factors, such as a suitable curricula design; appropriate instructional methods/pedagogic styles; the availability of teachers and resources, an appropriate learning environment, the emphasis on student-teacher interactions; the motivation of students and teachers, the autonomy of students and teachers; and self-reflection (student and teacher) (Carless, 2005; Harlen, 2005; Harlen & Gardner, 2006; Hattie & Timperley, 2007). ARG (2002) has identified 10 key principles of continuous assessment for learning, such as:  

• 1. Effective planning encompassing all aspects of assessment practices
  2. Main focus is on how students learn
  3. Emphasis on classroom practice
  4. Teachers need to acquire intensive professional skills
  5. It is a constructive approach
  6. Focuses on improving motivation (for students and teachers)
  7. Focuses on clarifying/understanding of goals and strategies
  8. Learners receive unambiguous guidance on how to improve
  9. Promotes students’ self-assessment capability
  10. Recognizes the need for  educational achievement

From the above literature review, it becomes evident that the adoption of continuous assessment approach requires considerable planning, resources, empowerment, and commitment.

Continuous Assessment

Definition

Continuous Assessment (CA) is defined in numerous dictionaries and literature. Several governments have defined the concept in their policies and programs. As stated by Oxford Dictionaries (2013), continuous assessment is the evaluation of student’s progress throughout a course of study, as distinct from by examination. It is used to decide whether or not children have attained their reading targets. Macmillan Dictionary (2013) defines it as ‘A way of judging a student by looking at the work that they do during the year instead of or in addition to looking at their examination results.’ As stated by Collins Dictionaries (2013), ‘It is the assessment of a pupil’s progress throughout a course of study rather than exclusively by examination at the end of it.’ It usually involves a series of tasks that are individually assessed, though sometimes it is appropriate to add a final assessment to continuous assessment. When the data collected in CA is used to improve teaching / learning, then this can be termed as formative assessment (Carlson, Humphrey & Reinhardt, 2003). Formative assessment refers to assessment that is specifically intended to generate feedback on performance to improve and accelerate learning (Sadler, 1998).

 

As stated by Rous & Townley (2006), continuous assessment system includes both formal and informal assessments, it is conducted on a regular basis, integrated with instructions, helps improve learning, helps guide the teaching-learning process, and provides information on every aspect of the instruction and curriculum.

 

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB, 2010) defines CA as a systematic, objective and comprehensive way of regularly collecting and accumulating information about a student’s learning achievement over a period of study. The information is used to guide the student’s learning and determine their level of attainment (UNEB, 2010).

 

As evident from the above definitions, CA is a continuous process, and helps get timely information about how the learning is progressing. This helps the students and the teachers identify the problems and take corrective action to optimize the learning process. This is different from summative assessment which is periodical, and helps determine what has been achieved. For example, grades or marks obtained in an examination help decide whether the student is suitable to go to the next level. However, it is important to understand that continuous assessment is NOT simply collection of summative data more frequently.

 

Types of assessment

In education, Assessment involves employing different ways to gather data about the teaching and the learning by the students (Hanna & Dettmer, 2004). The collected data helps in the evaluation process, where the teachers infer the data to determine how things are progressing. That, in turn, helps in taking decisions to improve the teaching process and methods so that the learning improves. Assessment is a part of planning, focuses on how the students learn, promotes understanding of goals and criteria and helps learners know how to improve (DOTE, 2012). Broadly, there are three types of assessment, diagnostic, summative and formative.

 

Diagnostic assessment is designed to identify areas of weakness and strength (DOTE, 2012). It helps identify the student’s current knowledge of a subject, his skill sets and capabilities, and to clarify misconceptions before teaching takes place. Knowing students’ strengths and weaknesses can help the teachers plan what to tech & how to teach. Pretests, self-assessments, discussion board responses, and interviews are examples of diagnostic assessment (NIU, n.d.). As stated by DEECD (September 2012), it is a type of assessment which examines what a student knows and can do, prior to a learning program being implemented.  It provides a baseline against which the progress can be assessed. It is especially useful in re-engagement programs because of the complex learning needs and barriers of students in these programs. It is important that these aspects are considered in the design and delivery of the training programs.

 

Formative assessment (FA) is used to map/monitor learning progress during a learning. The assessment provides information on progress, and identifies and addresses areas that require improvement / development (DOTE, 2012). FA provides continuous feedback and information during the teaching / learning process and measures the progress being made by the student. It also helps assess the progress being made by the teacher. These assessments are usually not graded, but help understand learning progress, and to make the teaching more effective. Examples of FA include, observations during in-class activities, homework exercises as review for exams and class discussions, reflection journals that are reviewed periodically during the semester, question and answer sessions, both formal and informal (spontaneous), and feedback from students on instruction and their self-assessment of the performance and progress (NIU, n.d). As stated by DEECD (November 2012), FA is interwoven with, or conducted in parallel with learning, where regular feedback is used to help in learning and also to alter the teaching program. FA is referred to as assessment for learning.

 

Summative assessment is generally completed at the end of a unit of work (e.g. end of semester or term) to document the level of achievement. This assessment can provide feedback to the teacher about the effectiveness of the unit of work (DOTE, 2012). So it takes place after the learning has been completed, and normally when no more formal learning is taking place. It helps assess what has been learned and how well it has been learned. It indicates the level of knowledge to determine the suitability to go to the next class or level. It is more product-oriented and assesses the final product, whereas formative assessment focuses on the process toward completing the product. Types of summative assessment include examinations (major, high-stakes exams), term papers (drafts submitted throughout the semester would be a formative assessment) and projects (project phases submitted at various completion points could be formatively assessed) (NIU, n.d.). As stated by DEECD (November 2012), summative assessment is one that is used at the end of a stage of learning to sum-up or summarize what the student has achieved to that point in time. It is also called assessment of learning.

 

As stated by Caffrey (2009), summative and formative assessments must be closely aligned in terms of the test content and goals. The formative assessment should have the ability to predict achievement on a summative assessment.

 

From the above definitions, it is clear that diagnostic assessment takes place before the learning starts, FA is a process followed during the learning and summative assessment is done periodically to measure the effectiveness of learning. All the three types have their role and place, but the formative assessment has elements of the other two methods as well.

 

Purposes of continuous assessment

Any assessment is intended to guide the students, change instructions, convey expectations and document the progress. It helps provide information about the program by monitoring the outcomes, provides the basis for planning, helps implement improvements, and helps in proper allocation of resources (Carlson, Humphrey & Reinhardt, 2003).

 

A continuous assessment (CA) system includes both formal and informal assessments that are conducted on a regular basis. It is integrated with the instruction, improves learning, and helps guide and direct the teaching-learning process. Ideally, it should provide information about every aspect of instruction and curriculum. The objectives of assessment include promoting child learning and development, monitoring trends and evaluating programs and services, and Assessing developmental progress to hold individual children, teachers, and schools accountable (Rous & Townley, 2006). CA provides each student with individual feedback which allows him and his teachers to take actions most suited to improve their learning. Continuous assessment also supports designing of assessment tasks which fit the interests of a group of learners (NIED, 1999).

 

As stated by Carlson, Humphrey & Reinhardt (2003), continuous assessment is formative by nature. It serves various purposes. The continuous monitoring helps gather information continuously, which determines the next steps to support the student’s learning progress. The support is timelier compared to summative assessment. It helps plan and execute the teaching methods on a more continuous basis. It enhances student learning by catalyzing deeper thinking and understanding. This is partly due to the enhanced support of the teachers. CA also helps in the professional growth of the teachers. This is because the continuous monitoring helps them understand and guide the students better. This helps them become more reflective about the methods of teaching being employed by them. They are able to change their teaching methods and style to help the students perform and learn better. The interactions with colleagues also becomes more enriching as all teachers are themselves learning continuously. Importantly, it provides information to report students’ progress. This result is akin to what is achieved through the summative technique. This is because data collected in the continuous process helps understand the progress the student is making.

 

As stated by Ramalebe (2010), CA promotes frequent interaction between students and teachers which enables teachers to know the strengths and weaknesses of students. This helps identify the students who need review and remediation. The problems are identified and corrected before one reaches the summative assessment stage.  CA helps develop students’ knowledge, skills and values, gauge the strength and weaknesses, it lends extra support to students, make changes to the curriculum as required, and motivate and encourage students. The methods used in CA help the students develop independent and critical thinking patterns, skills of effective communication. The students learn to work collaboratively with colleagues / peers. They also learn the work ethics required to complete tasks such as investigation, research projects, and interviews. Here, the teachers are placed at the center of all performance-assessment activities, and so it encourages their enhanced participation in the assessment process. It is guidance oriented, and helps get better data because the gathering is done over a longer time frame.

 

As an example, the Government of Uganda, reviewed its education system in the 1980s. The recommendations of the review were approved in the White Paper on Education released in April, 1992. Based on the recommendations, the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), the National Assessment body, introduced reform activities that saw the establishment of National Assessment of Progress in Education (NAPE) and Continuous Assessment (CA). Inter-alia, it increased higher order thinking skills questions in all its examinations and embarked on systems upgrades. The mission of UNEB is to improve the quality of classroom teaching and learning through the use of valid and reliable teacher-made assessment. It is also important that CA contributes to terminal assessment of learners. CA is considered better by UNEB compared to high stakes examinations which attempt to determine learner achievement using one-shot examination. CA reduces the stress, anxiety, and fear associated with the one-shot exams. The students earn credit every day of their learning period, and those credits are accumulated to assess the performance. This results in a more holistic appraisal. Importantly, the learner’s difficulties are identified faster which helps in timely remediation. CA helps assess those outcomes and practical skills which are not determinable in the examination system. It helps assess the process of learning and the learning itself.  In Uganda, CA is being implemented in primary and secondary levels. The challenges faced in implementation include issues related to validity and reliability of CA scores due to difference in capabilities of individual teachers, funding, shortage of teachers, and transfer of students to other schools.

 

As stated by Kapambwe (2010), the Ministry of Education in Zambia introduced School Based Continuous Assessment to improve teaching and learning and to collect school based marks to be added to the final examination marks for certification and selection. Results of a comparative study showed that the CA pupils’ performance on the post-test were higher compared to their results on the baseline (conventional) tests. The findings indicated that CA helps in improving the teaching and learning processes. CA provides useful feedback on both the teaching and the learning processes, which enables increased involvement of teachers in teaching and assessing. Exam based approach is narrow and teaching focus on the tests. The assessment for learning emphasizes the improvement in the students rather than the final outcome called “achievement”. CA is developmental with focus on understanding the weaknesses and their remediation.

 

As stated by Carrillo & Pérez (2012), the usefulness of the CA system in facilitating student learning was has been found to be overwhelming. In the study, the CA system was associated with fewer students’ dropping the course or not taking the exam at the end of the semester, improved academic achievement, better grades, better progress, higher proportion of pass outs, and better official qualifications.

 

As evident from above, CA is a more collaborative and continuous process than summative assessment. The objective is different, it is a process which supports and improves the overall learning. It helps both the students and the teachers become more proactive in their approach. The continuous nature of assessment helps in generating a more real-time support by the teachers so that corrective action can be taken before it is too late. The focus is on learning and improving the learning process. Due to its inherent attributes mentioned above, the teaching becomes more tailored to the requirements of individual students. This is because the increased involvement of the teachers and the students helps in identifying the weaknesses of each student. The remediation response is also tailored and more measured.

 

Formative assessment

As stated by Sadler (1989), formative assessment (FA) is concerned with how judgment of the quality of student responses can be used to shape and improve his competence. As stated by McManus (2008), it is a process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust the ongoing teaching and learning. The idea is to improve students’ achievement of desired instructional objectives. Effective formative assessment involves collecting evidence about how student learning is progressing during the course of instruction so that necessary changes can be made to close the gap between students’ current understanding and the desired goals. Formative assessment is not an adjunct to teaching, but, integrated the system. It is a process which involves a number of formative assessment strategies that can be implemented during classroom instruction. The teacher shares the learning goals with students and provides opportunities for students to monitor their ongoing progress.

 

As stated by McManus (2008), formative assessment has certain important attributes. In FA, learning progressions should specify the sub-goals of the main objective of learning. Learning progressions describe the learning process, and show the path of learning for the students. This implies that the teachers have the milestones, as well as the ultimate goal in mind. The milestones or the sub-goals are connected to the formative assessment, and help track how the learning is progressing. It is, therefore, imperative that the learning goals and criteria for success are clearly defined and communicated to the students. Apart from this, the students must be clearly informed about the criteria by which learning will be assessed. It is a collaborative process where both the teachers and the students are involved. FA also involves self and peer-assessment which helps the students think meta-cognitively about the learning. This puts the responsibility of learning on the students also, and makes them realize that they have an active role in planning, monitoring, and evaluating their own progress. This requires support of the teacher so that the students learn to understand and evaluate their own work and the work of their fellow students. This helps build an environment of constructive feedback. The partnership between the teachers and students is an essential aspect of FA. The interactions involve feedback, which is a critical element of the process.

 

As stated by Chappuis and Chappuis (2008), ready-made benchmark tests cannot take the place of FA conducted by teachers. FA is not a product, but a process, and how the results are used determines whether the assessment is formative or summative. FA delivers information during the instructional process, before the summative assessment. It is an ongoing, dynamic process, much more than what is achievable through frequent testing. Nearly all assessment instruments can be used for both summative and formative purposes. However, the design makes the instrument more suitable to one form. In case of FA, there is no marking or grading, but the assessment helps the student and the teachers improve the process & the outcome. The teachers can modify the instructions based on the information collected for faster benefits to all. This helps the students in actively managing their own learning. The ready-made tests are actually intended to teacher-proof the assessment process (for standardization). However, this hurts the FA process as it is against its spirit.  The key questions inherent in assessment for learning process are, where am I going? Where am I now? And how can I close the gap? This involves sharing of the goals and targets, identifying the strengths and weaknesses, and providing feedback for making improvements (closing the gap). This feedback mechanism helps the student become more responsible for their own performance. The focus is on improvement rather than judging. The feedback has to be timely, understandable, and descriptive.

 

As stated by Nitko & Brookhart (2011), FA is an active, continual process in which teachers and students work together. It has six important elements, namely, sharing learning targets and criteria for success, feedback that feeds forward, student goal setting, student self-assessment, strategic teacher questioning, and engaging students in asking effective questions.

 

The above mentioned thoughts indicate that FA is a continuous, collaborative and dynamic, process which puts the onus of learning on students as well. It is supportive and not judgmental. There is no one-shot testing, but a continuous endeavor to enhance the learning of the students and improve the teaching process. In FA, the involvement of the teacher is relatively more compared to that in summative assessment.

 

 

Feedback in formative assessment

Feedback is an important element of FA, and is defined in terms of the information about how successfully something has been or is being done. In terms of the effect, feedback is the information about the gap between the actual level and the reference level of a system parameter which is used to alter the gap (Sadler, 1989). As stated by McManus (2008), students should be provided with evidence-based feedback linked to the goals and the success criteria. The feedback should be specific, about the qualities of student learning. The feedback should clarify the goal, and give clear information about the gap between where the student is and the criteria for success. It should allow the student to identify ways to improve the learning, and discover the areas & methods of improvement. Here, comparison with peers should be avoided. Since the monitoring is continuous, the corrective action is more timely based on the feedback. 

 

As stated by DEECD (November 2012), feedback is a two way street. It is the information given by the student to the teacher and vice-versa, about learning processes and progress towards learning goals. It can help students tweak their learning approaches, and it helps teachers in changing their teaching programs.

 

As stated by Nicol & Macfarlane-Dick (2006) (it is important to mention that the paper pertains to higher education), during learning, the students are already assessing their own work and generating their own feedback. It is asserted that the formative assessment and feedback can help the students become more self-regulated and take control of their learning.  In FA, the importance of the quality of the feedback is paramount. A good feedback practice, helps clarify what good performance is (goals, criteria, standards), facilitates the development of self-assessment (reflection), delivers high quality information to students about their learning, encourages teacher and peer discussions, encourages positive motivational beliefs and self-esteem, helps close the gap between current and desired performance, and provides information to teachers for improving the methods. The students are more involved in the learning, but there has been reluctance to give them more responsibility for assessing their performance. Since learning is a continuous process throughout one’s life, the student’s capacity to regulate their own learning should be developed. The key principles mentioned above help organize formative assessment and feedback to support this development.  The principles address the cognitive, behavioral and motivational aspects of self-regulation. Self-regulation is an inherent principle of the formative assessment.

 

As stated by Chappuis and Chappuis (2008), feedback occurs while there is still time to take action. It offers descriptive information about the performance compared to the learning objectives. It avoids marking or judgment which implies that the learning is complete. It focuses on intended learning, helps find the strengths and areas which need special attention for improvement. It also suggests the path to close the gap between the current and the desired state. It is important to keep in mind the amount of corrective feedback the student can handle at any point of time. It also help model the type of thinking students will engage while assessing themselves. This is remarkably different from the summative assessment method where there is a product focus e.g. the final grades or marks. The grading or the marking does not identify the individual strengths and the points requiring extra effort. It is, therefore, not very successful in discovering the best path for improvement. The continuous nature of feedback in FA helps the teachers & the students to adapt quickly based on the guidance provided by the assessment.

 

As stated by Sadler (1998), in feedback, the communication is not between equals. So the nature of the inequality needs to be kept in mind to determine if the communication is effective or not. The teacher’s feedback act comprises of three aspects. The teacher must attend to the learner’s production, appraise it through comparison with some standard, and the teacher reflects the judgment through marks, grades or a verbal response.                                                                      

 

Feedback reduces the discrepancy between current and desired understanding. Further, there are four major levels of feedback, and the level at which the feedback is directed influences its effectiveness. The feedback can be about the task / product, the process used to accomplish the task/ create the product, it can be at self-regulation level (e.g. for improving self-efficacy) or it can be personal (directed at the individual). Feedback combined with effective instructions can be very powerful to enhance learning. However, teachers often consider assessment feedback as making statements about the students and not about their teaching. Thus, the benefits are diluted (Hattie & Timperley, 2007).

 

Further, during learning, feedback has three elements, recognition of the desired goal, evidence about present position, and some understanding of a way to close the gap between the two. It is important to understand all three to improve learning (Black & Wiliam, 1998).

 

Further, it is the quality, and not just the quantity of feedback which is important. Quality refers not only to the technical structure of the feedback (e.g. accuracy, comprehensiveness and appropriateness), but also its accessibility to the learner (good communication), its catalytic and coaching value to improve learning, and its ability to inspire hope and confidence in the system.

 

As stated by Nitko & Brookhart (2011), effective formative feedback describes the student’s work in terms of the learning targets and criteria. It also provides suggestions to the students about future course of action. Feedback strategies include describing the work against criteria, describing at least one strength & at least one suggestion for improvement of the work, providing timely feedback and giving more feedback to practice work (formative part) rather than the final graded work (summative part).

 

As apparent from the above mentioned literature, feedback is an essential element of continuous and dynamic process which intends to improve the learning, rather than make one time, end-of-the-semester judgment about the student. The quality of the feedback has to be good so that the teachers and the students can optimize the learning process, and take timely and relevant corrective action in a collaborative manner. The feedback should have certain attributes so that the quality is optimal. Further, the difference between the levels of the two communicating parties, namely the teacher and the student, needs to be kept in mind. This ensures that the feedback has the desired effect on the learners, the teachers and the learning process. Proper feedback requires maintaining a collaborative teaching environment.

 

 

SECTION 3

Discussion

This section can be completed after all the data has been collected (e.g. how the CA system is being practiced some schools etc.), analyzed and the literature review completed. It is a discussion of the key aspects of the literature while relating them to the research questions / objectives.

 

SECTION 4

 

Conclusion

This is a summary of the findings of the study which can be written only after its completion.

 

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