Impact of external assessment on teachers’ instructional practices in Social Studies in Ghana
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
External assessment has often times been perceived to have much influence on the teaching of social studies in the senior high schools in Ghana. A study was conducted in eight senior high schools in the Eastern Region of Ghana. According to Alderson and Wall (1993, pp. 120-121), examination influences the classroom teaching; how teachers teach the subject; the rate and sequence of teaching; the degree and depth of teaching; and the attitudes to the content, method, etc. of teaching. This assertion was confirmed by Cheng’s (1997) where he concluded that a revised public examination has to a large extent changed the content of teaching in the classroom. A structured questionnaire was designed and used to gather data from the teachers on how external assessment affects the teaching of social studies in the SHS. The study revealed that most teachers use lecture technique to teach and students are to take notes. Social Studies is noted for out-of-door activities which are practical in nature and to promote the use of non-testing procedure in assessing learners, but the emphasis on external assessment and standardized assessment has intensified the domination of what get assessed as what gets taught.
Downloads
Article Details
This open-access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.
You are free to: Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format. Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially. The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms: Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
No additional restrictions You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Daniel Odekyi Martey, Department of Social Studies, Mount Mary College of Education, Ghana
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3743-7957
How to Cite
References
Airasian, P. W. (1991). Classroom Assessment. Boston: McGraw-Hill Inc
Airasian, P. W. (1997). Classroom Assessment Concepts and Applications. (Third Edition). Boston: McGraw-Hill Inc.
Akyeampong, K. (1997). Continuous Assessment in Post-Secondary Teacher Training in Ghana: a case study evaluation. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis. University of Nottingham, U.K.
Alderson, J. C., & Wall, D. (1993). Does washback exist? Applied Linguistics, 14(2), 115-290.
Alonge, J. (1985). A place of Continuous Assessment in Guidance and Counselling. Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 2, 32-48.
Baker, E.L. (1991). Trends in testing in the United States of America. Thousand Oaks, California, CA: Sage Publication Inc.
Burke, K. (1992). Authentic Assessment. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.
Bekoe, S. O., (2006). Assessment and Curriculum Goals and Objectives: Evaluation of Systematic Impact of SSSCE on the Senior Secondary School Curriculum in Ghana.
Cheng, L. (1998). Impact of a Public English Examination Change on Students’ Perceptions and Attitude toward Their English Learning. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 24(3), 279-300.
Curriculum and Research Development Division. (1987). Social Studies Syllabus for Senior High Schools. Accra: Ghana Education Service.
Curriculum and Research Development Division, (CRDD). (2007). Social Studies Syllabus for Senior High Schools. Accra: Ghana Education Service.
Falayalo W. (1986). Philosophy and theory of continuous assessment. A paper presented at a workshop for Inspectors of Education in Ondo State, Nigeria, 4th December.
Glasbergen, R. (2002). Assessment: Formative and Formative Practices for the Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.govwentworth.k12.nh.us/Assessment.html.
Glatthorn, A. A., & Joyner J. R. (2005). Writing the winning Thesis or Dissertation; A step-to-step guide. California: Corwin Press, A Sage Publication Company.
Lines, D., & Lambert, D. (2000). Understanding Assessment, Purpose, Perceptions and Practice. London: Routledge Falmer.
McNergney, R. F., & McNergney, J. M. (2004). Foundation of Education: The challenge of Professional Practice. Boston: Pearson Education Inc.
Osuala, E. C. (2001). Introduction to Research Methodology (3rd ed.). Ibadan: Africana-Fep Publihers Ltd.
O’Shea, T., & Wideen, M. F. (1993). The Impact of External Examinations on Science Teaching. A Paper presented at Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching. Atlanta. GA.
Passe, J. (2006). New challenges in elementary social studies. The social studies, 97(5), 189-192
Stiggins, R. (2005). From formative assessment to assessment for learning: A path to success in standard-based schools. Retrieved from www.assessmentinst.com.
Stiggins, R. (2005). Student-involved assessment for learning. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall.
Tamakloe, E. K (Ed.). (1985). Issues in Social Studies Education. Accra: Blackmask Ltd.
Tamakloe E. K., Atta E. T. & Amedahe F. K. (1996). Principles Methods of Teaching. Accra: Sedco Enterprise.
Tolley G. (1998). Assessment and Learning. In Murphy P. & Moon B. (Editors). Development in Learning and Assessment. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Yolote, E. A. (1984). Continuous Assessment: A simple guide for teachers. East Bourne: Cassel limited.