JOURNAL OF ISSUES AND PRACTICE IN EDUCATION

A National E-assessment Implementation Framework: Assessing Readiness in Secondary Schools and Teacher Education in Tanzania

2024-01-27T04:03:00+00:00

Nearly every aspect of teaching and learning in the education sector has undergone a technological and pedagogical shift globally. The outburst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the digital advancements in recent years are two major factors that have geared and transformed the sector practically. Due to the rapid population growth and the fee-free education policy, candidate enrollment is constantly expanding, so it is crucial to devise an efficient, cost-effective, and secured approach for conducting educational assessments. This paper explores the possibilities of implementing a national e-assessment system for teacher education and secondary schools in Tanzania. Considering that the e-assessment philosophy is diverse, interdisciplinary, and multidimensional, a holistic research approach focused on library search, document review, and international benchmarking was applied. The e-assessment adoption framework and its design are based on expert opinion. The data used for theoretical and qualitative analysis was captured from the candidate and school registration portals. The study suggests that e-assessment in Tanzania is an inevitable part, especially in the educational system of the 21^st century. More importantly, the findings show that e-assessment for teacher education appears to be more pressing as it can be deployed quickly given the computing status and educator readiness in teacher training colleges. For secondary education, e-assessment seems possible in about 6.4% of all schools that currently offer computer science as a subject. To facilitate a seamless adoption process and secure registration of examination centers, a national e-assessment framework is proposed. The framework is tailored to the local context as it applies adaptive staging, on-demand, and ready-to-go approaches to ensure the adopted solution is feasible and sustainable. Through this framework, you can tell whether certain schools are prepared to switch from conventional pen-and-paper exams to e-assessments.

Barriers hindering Effective Engagement in Online Assessment for Teacher Education in Tanzania: Perspectives from two Teachers’ Colleges

2024-01-27T04:09:02+00:00

The recent shift to online distance learning in education institutions has prompted the implementation of online assessment. However, the effectiveness of online assessment in most countries, particularly sub-Saharan Teacher Colleges, remains in a critical dilemma as their adoption of technology is still at an infancy stage. Evidence about tutors and student-teachers from sub-Saharan Africa using available virtual platforms such as Learning Management System (LMS) to conduct effective online assessment is scarcely available. This paper addresses how tutors and student-teachers face challenges of integrating online assessment into their teaching through LMS as well as how they benefit from it. The paper is based on a study that employed a qualitative approach where the phenomenological design was adopted to gain lived experiences from participants on the use of LMS for online assessment. 15 tutors from two colleges were interviewed with the expectation that they would have rich information about the implementation of online assessment through LMS. Findings indicated that both tutors and student-teachers faced multiple barriers which compromised their ability to engage in online assessment. Such barriers are categorized into policy issues, resource-related challenges, online teaching and learning services and instructor-related challenges. Despite the challenges, participants perceived online assessment to have significant impact towards learning. Participants also expressed that online assessment is essential for learning in the digital age and thus, suggested the need to strengthen their capacity to improve their engagement. This study recommends that Teacher Colleges should invest in technological systems that enhance online assessment. To accelerate learning transformation in Teacher Colleges, awareness in online learning is vital. To increase student-teachers’ engagement in online assessment through LMS, it is necessary to make curriculum reforms to ensure effective e-learning. Future research may focus on generating evidence about practices in different contexts.

Inclusive Assessment in Tanzania: A Myth or Reality?

2024-01-27T04:12:12+00:00

The National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) was established in 1973, following the withdrawal of Tanzania from the East African Examinations Council in 1971. Since then, NECTA has been coordinating and managing national examinations at primary and secondary school levels. It also coordinates and manages teacher college examinations. With such a huge pool of customers, NECTA has been serving learners with diverse learning needs, including learners with disabilities. This requires NECTA to find ways to accommodate those learners. This paper discusses inclusive assessment, an approach to assessment which ensures that assessment policies, procedures, and practices support and enhance the inclusion of all learners, including those with special needs. The paper intends to establish whether inclusive assessment in the Tanzanian context is a myth or a reality. This qualitative study mainly collected data through documentary reviews and individual interviews. The findings suggest mixed feelings; in some areas, NECTA performs well. However, there are a lot of gaps to be filled by the government, NECTA and other stakeholders to ensure inclusive assessment is implemented to the fullest.

Mathematics Teachers’ Use of National Assessment Feedback Reports in Improving Pedagogical Practices in Secondary Schools

2024-01-27T04:14:29+00:00

Despite its importance in contributing to economic development, the trend of Mathematics performance has been low. The National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) provides Mathematics assessment reports to the schools, highlighting students’ strengths and weaknesses and recommending teachers to improve their teaching and learning practices. However, Mathematics performance in national examinations is still poor. This study examined how Mathematics teachers utilise Form Two National Assessment - Students’ Item Response Analysis (FTNA-SIRA) feedback reports to enhance their teaching practices. Specifically, the study focused on teachers’ perceptions and use of assessment feedback reports and their challenges. This qualitative study employed a phenomenology design that purposively selected 33 participants from ten (10) districts after obtaining their consent. The study used interviews and open-ended questionnaires to collect and analyse information using thematic analysis. Mathematics teachers admitted they hardly access feedback reports, and most of them revealed that they could not use them despite understanding their importance. Three Mathematics teachers from urban areas admit that using assessment feedback they accessed from the NECTA website improved their classroom teaching practices. However, underutilisation of the feedback is due to frailty in utilising online copies, reports remaining at the district or heads of schools’ offices, and low motivation and skills in implementing the recommendations provided. Underutilisation of assessment feedback hardly informs any pedagogical improvement, which risks the continuation of poor Mathematics performance. The study recommends establishing strategies for teachers’ effective use of assessment feedback for improving pedagogical practices, including capacity building, feedback use framework and motivation.

Investigating the Effect of Assessment Feedback on Students’ Learning and Performance in Tanzania: Lessons from Secondary Education Mathematics

2024-01-27T05:39:17+00:00

This qualitative study investigated the effect of assessment feedback on students' learning and performance in Mathematics in form three secondary classes in Moshi Municipality. The study explored the nature of assessment feedback used by Mathematics teachers and the perceived effect of such feedback on students' learning and performance. The sample consisted of 24 form-three students and two (2) Mathematics teachers from two community secondary schools. Employing a case study design, the study used classroom observation, interviews, focus group discussion (FGD), and document analysis as methods of data collection. The data were then coded into patterns, categories and themes. The findings revealed that task-level feedback that is evaluative dominated Mathematics classes. This task level, evaluative feedback either verbal or written does not help learners to get a deep understanding of various concepts through making revisions and solving Mathematical problems of a similar nature which may in turn improve their learning and performance. The study recommends that professional development programmes for in-service teachers focusing on the provision of effective feedback should be conducted regularly to equip them with appropriate knowledge and skills. The programmes will enable teachers to provide effective feedback which will, in turn, enhance students learning and improve performance in Mathematics at CSEE.

Differentiated Assessments for Learners with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities in Inclusive Elementary Schools in Tanzania

2024-01-27T05:54:50+00:00

Differentiated Instructions and modifications in curriculum and assessments are considered a prerequisite for the successful inclusion of learners with disabilities in general education. This qualitative study assessed the current provisions and the aspired changes in the curriculum, assessments, and transition plans for learners with Neurodevelopmental Diversities such as Autism in Tanzania. A total of 21 participants partaken in this study. The participants were obtained through purposive and snowball sampling methods. Data collection methods included in-depth interviews, documentary reviews and non-participant observation. Data were analyzed thematically, aided by the vivo 12. Participants were of the opinion that there is a limited provision with regard to only time (an additional twenty minutes in every hour for mathematics and ten minutes in each hour for other subjects) within the subsidiary legislation of the Examination regulations released by the National Examination Council of Tanzania (NECTA) in 2016. The provision, however, does not mention any neurodevelopmental disabilities in the categories of disabilities and the special provisions entitled to them. Lack of reasonable accommodations in the type and structure of questions, rigid modality of responses to the examination questions for learners with learning disabilities and limited flexibility in time and room arrangements have been mentioned as barriers to proper assessments for such learners. The study concludes that there is a need to embrace the evidence-based practices of responsive education, instead of the “one-size-fits-all” kind of education. This will help to improve the curriculum for all learners instead of the approach to “fix” the deficits of learners with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Formative Assessment Practices and its Influence on Students’ Learning and Achievement in Biology: Lessons from a Selected Community Secondary School in Moshi, Tanzania

2024-01-27T06:08:25+00:00

This qualitative study explored current teachers’ formative assessment practices in Biology classrooms and how these practices influence performance in the subject. The study employed a case study design in a single selected community ordinary-level secondary school in Moshi municipality. It purposively involved two Biology teachers and twenty students selected from classes that do not have national examinations. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with teachers, classroom observations, and focus group discussions with the students, as well as a review of students’ exercise books. The data were transcribed verbatim, then coded and themes generated through interpretive phenomenological analysis. The findings showed that teacher’s oral questioning dominated the assessment practices. Other strategies such as peer assessment, student-student interactions, descriptive feedback, and sharing of learning intentions with students seemed to be unfamiliar to the Biology teachers involved. The study recommends among other things, in-service training for teachers on how to employ alternative formative assessment practices during instruction to promote students’ learning and achievement in Biology.

Applauding or Criticising the Announcement of the Best School and Student in the National Examination: Which Way to Go?

2024-01-27T07:44:05+00:00

On 29^th January 2023, the National Examination Council of Tanzania (NECTA) stopped announcing the best-performing schools and students. The announcement drew mixed reactions (some applauding or criticising) among education stakeholders. Using a descriptive survey design, this quantitative study specifically identified reasons for the applause or criticism; compared statistically the identified reasons; and the private and public education stakeholders on the announcement. The questionnaires were used to collect data from 500 stakeholders who were selected through a multi-stage sampling technique in Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Mbeya, and Dodoma cities. The collected data were analysed using Descriptive Statistics and Independent t-tests. The findings indicate that, the applauding reasons include different study environments; no longer motivation for studying, improved understanding and restoring original logic of schooling. Other reasons are the announcement served no good purpose; the announcement marketed the schools; and it was not fair to compare schools using the British and NECTA systems. Contrarily, the criticism reasons are the Government escapism from under-investment in public schools; denying of information to education researchers; suppressing information and putting society in the dark; removing the incentives for students; cause unforeseen consequences; leader’s in-charge subjectivity/selfishness move and the Council ignores the foundational reason for the announcement. Furthermore, there is a very minimal statistically significant difference between the reasons for applauding (M=3.611, SD=.825) and the reasons for criticising (M=3.645, SD=.829) the announcement. The t-test results portrayed no statistically significant difference between the private and public education stakeholders on the announcement. Therefore, none is more powerful than the other between the applause and criticism of the announcement. The private and public education stakeholders should look for an alternative approach to improving results in the national examinations than depending on the announcement of the best schools and students.

Transforming Biology Assessment through Written Feedback in Tanzania Secondary Education: Insights from Action Research

2024-01-28T09:32:11+00:00

This study examined the impact of written feedback in Biology assessment in secondary schools, focusing on both student and teacher perspectives. Using action research with 80 students and their teacher, the study spans four months across three reflective cycles. Central findings reveal that descriptive, non-evaluative feedback empowers students. Feedback clarifies misunderstandings, offers specific improvement guidance, and makes "next steps" manageable. Further, descriptive feedback exposes students to broader problem-solving strategies. The study also shows that written feedback transcends mere evaluation. It becomes a reflective dialogue, with students actively using feedback to improve, and teachers acting as facilitators, guiding students towards better learning outcomes. Consequently, assessment shifts from simply judging to a transformative partnership. Both students and teachers contribute actively, aligning assessment with the ultimate goal of enhanced learning.

Competence-Based Assessment in Tanzanian Teacher Education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Comprehensive Analysis

2024-01-28T09:41:27+00:00

Competence-based assessment plays a pivotal role in shaping the quality and effectiveness of teacher education programs in the dynamic landscape of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Understanding the existing assessment practices and their alignment with competence-based principles is essential for enhancing the preparation of future educators in this context. This study examined the assessment practices in Tanzanian teacher education programs gaining insights into how student teacher assessment is done and the alignment of competence-based principles in the preparation of student teachers. A survey involving 531 participants was conducted to gather data on Statistical analysis were employed to explore variations in assessment experiences based on gender, age, and education level. The findings indicate that traditional pen-and-paper assessments remain the dominant assessment method in Tanzanian teacher education, comprising a substantial 69%. Notably, 52% of student teachers believe are evaluated on their aptitude to seamlessly integrate technology into teaching and learning, accentuating the criticality of digital skills. Furthermore, our study unveils a multifaceted assessment landscape for innovation and critical thinking, with 25.2% of students always feeling assessed, in contrast to 13.6% who seldom or never experience this evaluation. Remarkably, gender emerges as a potent influencer in technology integration assessments, while age distinctly shapes the evaluation of research skills and collaborative abilities. Moreover, the findings underscore that competence-based assessment in Tanzanian teacher education is progressively adapting to meet the demands of the 4IR. However, they also underscore the need for a more diversified and innovative assessment approach to effectively address the evolving educational landscape. This study highlights the pronounced impact of gender, age, and education level on assessment experiences, underscoring the imperative for tailored approaches in nurturing future educators.

Formative Assessment Practices and its Effect on Employability Skills to Vocational Students in Tanzania

2024-01-28T10:04:28+00:00

The study evaluated the effect of formative assessment practices on employability skills development. Specifically, the study explored students’ perceptions on essential employability skills for vocational career; examined formative assessment practices in vocational training centres and assessed the influence of formative assessment practices on employability skills among vocational students in Tanzania. It adopted a pragmatism paradigm which enabled the use of sequential explanatory mixed methods design. Data were collected from 97 vocational students and six vocational tutors sampled from Chang’ombe and Mwanza Vocational training centres. The quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using regression model and content analysis techniques respectively. The study found that, vocational Students perceive a number of employability skills as essential for their career. The vocational education and training centres employ workshop, industrial projects and field placement as formative assessment practices to enhance such employability skills. However, formative assessment which is essential for employability skills, accounts only for 40%, compared to 60% of its counterpart summative assessment. Therefore, the study recommends for curriculum review to give formative assessment a more weight than summative assessment. Further study may develop measuring scale for employability skills among vocational education graduates in Tanzania.

Proposal for Aligning the National Examinations Council of Tanzania’s Roles with Principles of Education for Self-Reliance

2024-01-28T10:08:48+00:00

The paradigm shift from content to competence-based curriculum in the first decade of the 21^st century had brought with it the inevitability of transforming the National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) towards competence-based assessment (CBA). Although the council has a success story of fulfilling its mission of providing fair, efficient, and effective educational assessment, it does not seem to have fully shifted its attention to those educational reforms made. This study was undertaken to highlight the need for transforming NECTA so that its operations are in line with the principles of Education for Self-Reliance (ESR) and CBA. It employed the bibliometric strategy; the study retrieved information using the Google Scholar tool using keywords such as education for self-reliance, national curriculum framework, NECTA guidelines and education policy, CBC, and NECTA Act. Although a total of 63 were retrieved, only 8 documents met the inclusion criteria. content analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that although NECTA claims to have shifted its attention towards competence-based assessment procedures, it has not fully integrated those CBA procedures to grasp the principles of ESR. It concludes that NECTA’s current operations are not aligned with the objective for which it was formed. The study recommends a need for transformation of NECTA’s assessment procedures to be able to match with the 21^st century situation.

The Assessment Literacy for Secondary School Teachers in Tanzania

2024-01-28T10:12:11+00:00

In this quantitative study, the assessment of literacy for secondary school teachers in Tanzania was examined using the Assessment Literacy Inventory (ALI), originally developed by Mertler and Campbell in 2005. Data were collected from 100 randomly selected secondary school teachers using the modified inventory which matched the local context. The purpose of employing ALI was to evaluate the levels of competence within the seven assessment standards and determine significant differences among the variables. The findings revealed that teachers had different levels of skills across these standards. Higher performance was observed in the area of "Choosing Assessment Methods that are Appropriate for Instructional Decisions," which scored an average of 1.52. In contrast, “Developing assessment methods that are appropriate for instructional decisions" had the lowest average score of 0.98. The Findings also revealed that significant differences were found in the mean competence of teachers with varying professional qualifications (p-value = 0.013). Teachers with master's degree qualifications had a mean score =10.20, which was higher assessment literacy compared to teachers with Diploma qualifications which had the mean score =7.7. However, the amount of time teachers spent in teaching (teaching experiences) had no significant impact on their assessment literacy (p-value = 0.429). Generally, the study revealed a worrying trend and indicated that Tanzania secondary school teachers have limited levels of assessment literacy. To address this, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology should prioritise the enhancement of assessment literacy amongst secondary school teachers through comprehensive professional development programmes in collaboration with educational institutions.

Integrating Learning Management System and Digital Library for Students’ Assessment

2024-01-28T10:35:45+00:00

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has recently advanced in education sector where teachers and other educational stakeholders use learning management system (LMS) to improve students learning. Tanzania in the meantime, has implementing multiple initiatives aimed at enhancing ICT integration in education. The initiatives includes connection of National ICT broadband backbone, implementing various ICT projects such as Tanzania Education and Research Network (TERNET) and the use LMS and digital library (DL) through Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE). Apart from the government initiatives, a critical gap exists in the knowledge and proficiency of both tutors and students in utilizing LMS and DL skills to enhance creativity. This study seeks to address this issue by exploring the integration of LMS and DL to preserve the talents and skills of educators and students. The research utilized a mixed-method approach that involved questionnaires and interviews from tutors. Data were analyzed both inferentially and descriptively. The study found that 33% of tutors were competent to ICT skills related to LMS and DLs. Furthermore, the study proposed a digital library system (DiLaS) prototype as a blueprint for integrating LMS and DLs to support students in learning and assessment. The paper recommends that the government should draw policy strategies that support innovation in digital systems to preserve exceptional skills.

Examiners’ Feedback Reports and their Effects on Mathematics Performance in Tanzanian Secondary Schools

2024-01-28T10:43:57+00:00

The National Examination Council of Tanzania (NECTA) issues Candidates Items Response Analysis reports (CIRA) as feedback reports for improving performance in secondary schools. Despite such initiative, the performance is in critical condition. Therefore, this paper presented in the NECTA 50^th years’ anniversary conference which had the theme about ‘Assessment bodies as stirrers for effective learning’, evaluated such reports. Specifically, the study explored students’ awareness of candidates’ items response analysis reports; examined the perceived usefulness of candidates’ items responses analysis reports; evaluated the availability of candidates’ items analysis reports, assessed students access of candidates’ items response analysis reports and evaluated the influence of candidates’ items responses analysis reports on mathematics performance in secondary schools. The study adopted a sequential exploratory mixed methods design, multiple regression model and feedback intervention theory. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires and interview from students and teachers in secondary schools. The study found that, most of the students in secondary schools are not aware of examiners’ feedback reports issued by the National Examination Council of Tanzania, hence do not make use of them, as the results they influence little on mathematics performance. Therefore, the study concludes that, there is a dire need for enforcing the effective utilization of such reports for improving performance. The study recommends therefore, teachers’ professional training institutions, T.I.E and ADEM to incorporate the use of feedback reports in their training packages. Further study may develop intervention programme on effectiveness use of feedback reports for improving performance in secondary schools.

Utilisation of Information and Communication Technology in Teaching and Assessment of Secondary School Students in Tanzania

2024-01-28T10:51:45+00:00

This study assessed the implementation of ICT as a pedagogical tool in teaching and assessment of secondary school students in Tanzania. The study employed a survey design with 179 secondary school science teachers. One teacher was randomly sampled from each of 179 randomly selected secondary schools. The teachers responded to questionnaires. Responses from questionnaires were coded and numbers entered into M-Excel for processing. Results obtained were presented in Tables showing absolute numbers and percentages. The study established that 62 per cent of teachers were trained in ICT as a pedagogical tool. They used the knowledge in teaching and assessment aspects such as searching teaching materials through internet (90%), examination word-processing (81%), typing notes (80%), processing examination results (59%) and using projectors in classroom instruction (56%). However, no teacher was found to use computer technology for assessment. Teachers faced various challenges in utilisation of ICT such as inadequate number of ICT equipment (78%), inadequate knowledge and skills in ICT (59%), unreliable internet (35%) and absence of electricity or power cut-off (34%). The study recommends that all teachers should be trained in the use of ICT in both teaching and assessment. Moreover, the challenges observed in the use of ICT should be addressed for effective utilisation and integration of ICT in secondary education.