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Facilitators’ beliefs and practices of classroom assessment in a Singaporean polytechnic
Author
Chew, Andrea Yen Ling
Supervisor
Lee, Iris Chai Hong
Abstract
In the 21st century, learners need a different set of life skills and competencies in order to be successful in life and at the same time contribute positively to the society at large. Teachers play a pivotal role in equipping learners with the necessary skills and attitudes in preparation for the century ahead. They are the gatekeepers of the curriculum and inevitably, they transmit values in the course of their practices. Particularly, teachers‟ beliefs and practices of assessment can impact the way curriculum is enacted in the classroom. In this exploratory study, teachers‟ beliefs and practices of classroom assessment in a Singaporean polytechnic are investigated. A survey which serves to measure teachers‟ beliefs and practices of classroom assessment across three dimensions – making learning explicit, promoting learning autonomy and performance, was administered to 148 teachers from this local polytechnic. Subsequently, quantitative research methods such as, paired t-test, ANOVA, factor analysis and stepwise regression analysis were used to gather information on the effects of teacher-related characteristics and school contextual factors on assessment practices. One of the key findings of this study is that there are no significant gaps between teachers‟ beliefs and practices in two of the dimensions, that is, making learning explicit and promoting learning autonomy. However, a significant gap exists for the dimension on performance orientation which signifies that teachers‟ classroom assessment practices tend to help students perform well in examinations. Another key finding is that support from school leadership, availability of assessment-related training and resources and accountability to industry partners are important factors that impact teachers‟ classroom assessment practices in this polytechnic. While the study reveals one significant predictor of teachers‟ assessment practices which is, support from leadership, this predictor accounts for a low percentage of variance in assessment practices. These findings highlight areas in which this polytechnic can further explore in order to enhance student-centred assessment practices in the school and prepare students adequately for the challenges of the 21st century.
Date Issued
2013
Call Number
LB3060.37 Che
Date Submitted
2013