admin
Shelton Mwanyisa
Emerging Issues in Education
The updated Curriculum Framework (2015-2022) prescribes a hybrid of assessment procedures in schools.
Continuous assessment is now applied in the process of grading learner performance as a modification and improvement of evaluating learner performances.
It is argued that continuous assessment promotes the holistic development of the learners through providing a platform for dialogue with the teacher, educational guidance, research skills and application of learnt knowledge and skills to real life situations.
This week the focus on the use of Continuous Assessment Learning Activities (CALAs) guides for learners.
The essence of continuous assessment
Continuous assessment is an ongoing process that is undertaken by teachers as teaching and learning progresses rather than for learners to only sit for final examinations at the end of the course.
Final examinations are summative and eliminate the teacher who knows the abilities of the learners by assigning assessment of the learner to an unknown examiner.
In this regard, justifying the grading of learners basing on a 2-hour paper written under exam conditions is unfair as it ignores the past useful abilities the learner has exhibited since enrolment into school.
Evaluation of learners based on cognitive competences alone was biased and not in tandem with the proposals made by educational philosophers and psychologists that education should develop the total child.
Therefore, total development of learners should also assess other dimensions of child development. In carrying out continuous assessment, learners are provided with CALA guides.
The guide clearly spells out all the expectations to be done by the learners.
Why a CALA guide?
CALA guides offer meaningful guidance through suggestions to help learners stay on track and on the CALA.
Discussions between teachers and learners should be guided and based on the CALA guide.
CALA guides direct the learner to understand the required information about the activity.
Therefore let us all ensure that our children bring their CALA guides before they request for assistance.
Also by assessing themselves, learners gain understanding of their own progress, and develop critical, analytical skills.
Self and peer assessment increases learner responsibilities, among other virtues.
No CALA should be done without a clear written guide.
Students should access National Syllabus
The syllabus outlines the experiences that learners should undergo in a particular course of study.
Specific learning areas, objectives, content, methods, evaluation and assessment criteria are spelt out in the national syllabus.
The assessment objectives are found at the back of the national syllabus and these are used by examiners to set examinations for learners, including the CALA activities.
It also serves as a source document for the teacher and the learner.
However, some teachers have never extended this document to the learners, even by just going through topics.
Hiding the source of the assessment objectives adds to the confusion that is often observed among learners.
CALAs imparting skills on learners
Specific skills to be gained by learners should be outlined in CALA guides.
The teacher provides learners with the background of the problem to be solved.
The parameters of the CALA need to be clear and applicable to all learners.
This involves setting time frames that require all learners to cover steps or points.
The skills are listed in order of complexity, from simple to complex.
Skills acquired differ according to nature of the CALA assigned to the learners.
Allocation of marks and time frame
The CALA guide must clearly state how marks will be allocated to each part of the CALA.
In the process of marking learners work, teachers are expected to adhere to the ethical principles that guide the marking process.
The principles include being objective, fair, providing quick feedback, reliability, and consistency.
Failure to set clear and fair parameters can result in marking that is unfair and inconsistent.
CALAs are marked several times until both the teacher and the learner are satisfied that the work can now be submitted for final marking.
Low CALA marks can be argued to be a sign of poor communication between the teacher and the stakeholders.
All CALAs are done within a specific timeframe agreed upon by the teacher and the learners.
It should be noted that continuous assessment promotes self-reflection which is important in that the students learn to evaluate their own performance before an external person comes in to assess their work.
This is important as life is based on self-evaluation.
Online Reporter