Table 1. Distribution of the Responses of Teachers on Construct Evaluation
Assessment is a contrivance of feedback for teachers. It not only gives information to teachers about their student performance, but also serve as an indicator for their self assessment. The aim of this study was to examine the status of intermediate level assessment procedure and level of satisfaction of stakeholders, i.e., teachers from the current examination system. The study was confined to chemistry subject. 16 institutes from district Peshawar were taken as sample of study. The sample of study comprised of 57 teachers. Data was collected from teachers through questionnaire designed on five point Likert Scale and open ended questions. The major finding of the study is that evaluation procedure is still emphasized on cramming and is designed on pattern that cannot assess high order mental abilities and overall abilities of students. According to the teachers, semester and internal assessment procedure is better than annual examination system and external assessment.
A number of educational policies were introduced from time to time to uplift the standard of education in Pakistan. The main aim of these policies was active involvement of the recipient in the process of learning. It has been suggested that learning experiences at higher secondary level should be designed in a manner that help in construction of knowledge and promotion of creativity. It should be a basis of pleasure instead of anxiety. Examination system look for a shift from rote memorization to analytical and problem solving proficiency based evaluation. That is aim of the national curriculum. In essence, aspiration of the country is to; Enable all students to develop their capacities as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizen and effective contributors to society (MOE, 2006).
There is scarcity of well trained and qualified teachers, good governance, standard academic programs, motivated and devoted students, proper libraries, and laboratories. Unluckily, education system in the country cannot keep pace with international standards (Iqbal, 2004). Innovation and improvement is still a desire in our education system. However, change at this level does not imply that there is need of new policy altogether or the modification of the entire educational structures (Ahmed, 2008). Some of our educational policies are good enough to stream line our education system, but they just need to be implemented more effectively.
Rote memorization is encouraged, rather than understanding true soul of knowledge. Individual differences and multilevel are usually ignored. Limited opportunities are available for co-operative and selfdirected learning. Restricted setting has been provided to students for learning. Outdated examination system is another hurdle faced by students at secondary and higher secondary level (Khandai et al., 2012).
Assessment is crucial component of curriculum. The effectiveness of teaching methodology can be better assessed by facilitator through scope and standard of student learning. The evaluation process enable educator to assess the extent to which the objective of curriculum has been achieved. It also gives comprehensive detail about efficacy of organization of learning experience (Sultan, 2016). The assessment procedure of the country is still functional on external examination system. Insignificant modification has been brought in the external system of examination. The examination system is poorly designed to achieve preset goal of education (Saad, 2016).
Final examination mandatory at the end of intermediate level are conducted by Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE). BISE is functional all over Pakistan. Continuous assessment as practice in UK and to some extent in province of Punjab is absent in Khyber pakhtunkhwa. Both formative and summative evaluation procedure is used. But they are less organized as in European countries (Saaed, 2007).
Adopted examination system does not evaluate students on the basis of their cognitive abilities, but only test rote memory. This is due to the reason that modern evaluation techniques have not been practiced (Khan, 2008).
There are many types of assessment. Some of the commonly known types of assessments followed in the country are as follows:
According to Gronlund (1985), “Formative evaluation is used to monitor learning progress during instruction and to provide continuous feedback to both pupil and teacher concerning learning success and failure. Feedback to pupil reinforces successful learning and identifies the learning errors that need correction. Feedback to modify instruction and prescribing group and individual remedial work”.
It improves teaching learning process by providing information regarding efficacy of teaching methodology or learning problems on the basis of test result (Masood et al., 2005).
According to Gronlund (1985), “Summative evaluation typically comes at the end of a course (or unit) of instruction. It is designed to determine the extent to which the instructional objectives have been achieved and is used primarily for assigning course grades or certifying pupil mastery for intended learning outcomes”.
Validity and reliability of summative assessment value more, as it shows level of achievement. It provides information regarding promotion to higher grade.
Summative assessment find worth of an educational programme or activity at its end (Masood et al., 2005). It is a type of evaluation that is taken on the completion of an instruction or educational program. It predicts the effectiveness of an educational program on its completion, and assist in deciding about the success or failure of an educational program. It furnishes suggestions regarding continuation or modification of the educational program (Khawaja, 2001).
Diagnostic Assessment has two functions one is placement of students in special programme or grade at the end of an instructional programme and the other is to find in-depth cause of learning deficiencies among students. It offers valuable information regarding student performance and helps in finding solution of the problem (Masood et al., 2005).
It evaluates previous knowledge or diagnoses learning difficulties, which may affect student performance and learning abilities in future. It is a frequently imparted prior teaching learning process or arousal of problem. Diagnostic assessment helps in improvement of students learning and their attainment.
Shirazi (2004) elaborated some other types of assessment such as,
Assessment procedure that is designed, conducted, and checked by class teacher.
In this type, assessment activities are designed by an external evaluator. They are also checked by external examiner. Most of the time task is checked by internal examiner, which is later-on rechecked by external evaluator.
Assessment made by observing classroom performance during normal routine or class.
In this type of assessment, erstwhile information is given to students that assessment will be made. It provides opportunity to students to revise and learn the subject matter.
Assessment that has been made through direct observation of an experiment or action.
The teacher use conventional evaluation techniques in classroom as those techniques seem convenient in management. Teachers are reluctant to use modern and multiple assessment procedure in classroom due to shortage of time and overcrowded classrooms. Further it deems that training regarding preparation of multiple evaluation techniques and its implementation in classroom is also required on the part of teacher (Kilic et al., 2012).
To investigate consistency between implemented evaluation system and desired evaluation system at intermediate level in district Peshawar.
Evaluation is a procedure that gives true picture of learner abilities. It is used for promotion of students to next grade and recruitment of candidate for certain job and task. The desired outcome can be obtained if this component of curriculum is designed and implemented in a well organized manner, keeping in view individual differences and various abilities of students.
This study was carried to present opinion of teachers regarding executed assessment procedure. The study pinpoint shortcoming of evaluation process and presented suggestion for improvement. The study will help policy makers to bring innovation in evaluation process and to present broad perspective of evaluation mechanism in explicit form, so as to convey reform in education sector in its true sense. This practice will help in effective implementation of educational policies that were presented one after another in different era for upholding the education.
The study was carried through quantitative survey method. Five point Likert scale questionnaire based on 09 items along with two open ended questions was used. There were 30 Government Higher Secondary Schools (19 for boys and 11 for girls) (EMIS, 2016) and 17 Government Degree Colleges (09 for boys and 08 for girls) (HED, 2015) in district Peshawar. 63 teachers of chemistry subject were working in GHSSs & GDCs of district Peshawar. Among which 16 (10 males and 06 females) teachers were working in Government Higher Secondary Schools, while 47 (32 males and 15 females) teachers were working in Government Degree Colleges of district Peshawar. Data collected from 03 institutes comprising 08 teachers were pilot tested for reliability by Cronbach Alpha (SPSS-20). The reliability result for teachers data through Cronbach Alpha was 0.83. Expert opinion was also taken regarding validity of the questionnaire.
The collected data was tabulated and analyzed through frequency distribution, percentage method, Independent –Samples T Test and one way ANOVA. Table 1 results are discussed as follows,
Table 1. Distribution of the Responses of Teachers on Construct Evaluation
Ho1: Mean scores of female teachers of GHSSs & GDCs and male teachers of GHSSs & GDCs do not significantly differ on construct Evaluation.
Table 2 indicated that P >0.05, thus average score on construct Evaluation for male teachers (M=31.5144, SD=89.94367, N= 27 is insignificantly different than female teachers (M=25.8659, SD=85.48764, N=29) opinion scores. Hence the two groups on the basis of gender could be treated as equal on construct Evaluation and null hypothesis (Ho1) is accepted.
Table 2. Genderwise Comparison of Opinion of Chemistry Teachers of GHSSs & GDCs on Construct Evaluation of Chemistry Curriculum
Ho2: Mean scores of teachers of GHSSs & GDCs on the basis of 03 categories of experience (1-5, 6-10, &11-22 years) do not significantly differ on construct Evaluation.
Table 3 statistical values (F= 0.042, P>0.05) presented in significant difference among mean scores of 03 group of teachers of GHSSs & GDCs of different length of experience on construct Evaluation. Hence the three groups on the basis of experience could be treated as equal on construct Evaluation and null hypothesis (Ho2) is accepted.
Table 3. ANOVA presenting Insignificance Difference among Mean scores of 03 Groups of Teachers of GHSSs & GDCs of Different Length of Experience on Construct Evaluation
The respondents mentioned that the in-practice curriculum of chemistry mostly rely on memorization of facts and information. Assessment of creativity and other mental abilities are somehow ignored by examination system. Parental influence has decreased the validity and worth of examination process. All the educational activities are designed in the light of examination practice. This practice has disturbed the curriculum cycle and has made the examination most influential factor of education system. Likewise (Iqbal, 2011) also criticized evaluation process of Pakistan due to its focus on cramming. Faize (2011) in his study also proposed that evaluation system of Pakistan need improvement.
Assessment is a source of feedback for teacher. The result of students not only indicates student's performance in certain subject, but also interpret teacher's strength and weakness in specific subject and topic. Government of Pakistan has presented several policies wherein streamlining of education system on modern paradigms has been forced. Unfortunately till date education system is functional on traditional approaches. Assessment has been confined to memorization of pre-set knowledge. All activities of educational institutes are examination led. The whole system of education is revolving round examination system. The teachers accepted that current education system failed to assess higher mental abilities of students. The evaluation procedure is not reliable and trustworthy. The assessment is delimited to final examination. It has been observed that in certain case,s vigilant students failed to perform according to their capabilities due to personal problems, such as health or family issue, hence the entire career or hardwork done by students during academic year is wasted. Teachers prefer that assessment should be based on overall performance of the students throughout the academic session, instead of relying on single examination conducted at the end of session.