THE EFFECT OF INTERMITTENT ASSESSMENT TEST ON STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SOCIAL STUDIES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The failure of most secondary school leavers in social studies in May/June examinations administered by Junior WAEC prompted the Federal Government to establish a panel to investigate student failure in the 2007 Junior Secondary Certificate examination (JSCE). Of all the candidates who sat for the 2007 May/June JSCE, 84 percent failed (information on Nigeria Education, 2007). The implications for the candidates' failure and the nation's manpower growth should worry the country's leaders, education sector stakeholders, and the nation as a whole. Different scholars, on the other hand, have identified several causes as being accountable for students' consistently low performance in Business Studies. These include, among other things, a lack of effective digestion and usage of research results by Business Study professors, Sex Stereotyping, the transmission of unfavorable attitudes from older students to younger students, and a poor self-concept towards Business Study.

Teacher characteristics (Onocha and Okpala, 1985), anxiety, motivation, reasoning ability, problem solving skills, and instructional strategy (Nwoji, 1999), instructional/classroom characteristics, societal factors, and school factors (Nwoji, 1999), instructional/classroom characteristics, societal factors, and school factors (Nwoji, 1999), instructional/classroom characteristics, societal factors, and school factors (Nwoji, 1999), instructional/classroom characteristics, societal (Udousoro, 2000). From the above, a few significant elements emerge that seem to play a larger role in the issue of low performance in business studies.

Musa (2000) defines academic accomplishment as "the quality of outcomes achieved by students as evidenced in the quality of their test scores." Greater C.A. indicates more incentive on the side of pupils, and it is believed that success would rise as a result. Students are often encouraged to learn via continuous assessment. The teacher interprets motivation as "the urge to work independently either applying oneself to one's work, interest in one's task or course he has chosen, the desire for a good 18 qualification and good employment, determination to pass examination or a defined goal which one has set for himself, and sustenance of enthusiasm," according to Beard and Seniour (1980).

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

During the educational process, the purpose of employing assessment tests and other evaluation instruments is to lead, direct, and monitor students' learning. As well as progress in meeting the course's goals (Alonge 2004, Kolawole 2010). Breaking up the subject matter content or course into smaller hierarchical units for instruction, specifying objectives for each unit, designing and administering validated periodic tests, offering group remediation in areas where students are deficient before moving on to another unit, and then administering a summative test on completion of all units are all examples of how periodic testing can be used in the teaching and learning process. The division of a topic or course into discrete sections allows students to adequately prepare for the exam. Furthermore, regular testing encourages students to become more active and invested in the teaching and learning process, resulting in improved performance. Students (as a means of diagnosing students' learning difficulties and presenting alternative remedial measures) and teachers (as a means of locating specific difficulties that students are experiencing with subject matter content and forecasting summative evaluation results) benefit from periodic evaluation. According to Gronland and Linn (1990), periodic assessment has three purposes: i. to plan remedial action for upcoming learning inadequacies; ii. to monitor progress. ii. To assist in the motivation of students. iii. To promote learning retention and transfer.

Students' responses to a periodic exam, they claim, might be analyzed to indicate group and individual faults that need to be corrected. As a result, periodic testing is an approach for identifying learners' learning issues and giving remedial measures to improve the majority of students' performance.

As a consequence of the examination system in place, the school's activities are legally regulated and organized around rigid time units. This supported the thesis and revealed that teachers' hectic schedules in discharging their duties do not allow them the luxury of one-on-one monitoring of pupils.

1.3       OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The general objective of the study is the effect of intermittent test on student academic performance in social studies. The specific effect is as follows:

i.          To examine the effect intermittent assessment test on student academic performance in social studies.

ii.        To investigate if there is a relationship between intermittent assessment  test scores and students academic performance.

iii.      To examine the benefits of intermittent assessment test on students academic performance.

iv.      To find out how to improve students academic performance in social studies.

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

i.          What is the effect intermittent assessment test on student academic performance in social studies?

ii.        Is there is a relationship between intermittent assessment  test scores and students academic performance?

iii.      What is the benefits of intermittent assessment test on students academic performance?

iv.      How can students academic performance in social studies be improved?

1.5      SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

At the conclusion of this study, the researchers hope that it will have far-reaching importance for the learners and other members of the society at large. Some of the periodic help the student toward their academy.

The result of investigation into the extent to which cognitive entry characteristics and periodic evaluation measured students academic performance among Senior Secondary undergraduates show that periodic evaluation has the highest predictive strength to academic achievement out of all variables that is, certificate worth. 

This study will be significant to the academic community as it will contribute to the existing literature.

1.6       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will examine the effect intermittent assessment test on student academic performance in social studies. The study will also investigate if there is a relationship between intermittent assessment  test scores and students academic performance. The study will further examine the benefits of intermittent assessment test on students academic performance. Lastly the study will find out how to improve students academic performance in social studies. Hence the study will be delimited to junior secondary school student in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state.

1.7       LIMITATION OF TE STUDY

This study was constrained by a number of factors which are as follows:

Just like any other research, ranging from unavailability of needed accurate materials on the topic under study, inability to get data.

Financial constraint, was faced by  the researcher, in getting relevant materials  and  in printing and collation of questionnaires.

Time factor: time factor pose another constraint since having to shuttle between writing of the research and also engaging in other academic work making it uneasy for the researcher.

1.8             DEFINITION OF TERMS

 intermittent assessment:  not happening regularly or continuously

Academic performance:  the measurement of student achievement across various academic subjects

Get this material NGN 5,000

Message Us on WhatsApp  »