Enhance school-based assessment practices in a grade 4 natural sciences and technology class at Amajuba district, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.
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Date
2021
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University of Zululand
Abstract
The study aimed at enhancing the School Based Assessment practices in grade 4 Natural Sciences and Technology classes in Amajuba District. The expectation was also that this would improve the existing School Based Assessment practices and ultimately, improve learner performance in grade 4 classes.
Four objectives were formulated to direct the study; the main objective was to determine the current state of school-based assessment in order to enhance the assessment practices in a grade 4 Natural Sciences and Technology class. The other objectives were to establish the teacher’s conceptualisation of school-based assessment practices in a grade 4 Natural Sciences and Technology class, explore the role of school-based assessment practices to enhance teaching and learning in a grade 4 Natural Sciences and technology class, and unearth best practices that can improve the school-based assessment practices in a grade 4 natural sciences and technology class.
Constructivism was identified by the researcher as a theoretical framework that could support the achievement of the stated objectives of the study. Constructivism is a theory of learning which believes that knowledge is constructed by the knower, based on mental activity. Hence, the researcher proposed the adoption of constructivism as the perspective that would best address the challenges. This study embraced participatory action research (PAR) as a research approach. Participatory action research is a philosophical approach to research that recognises the need for persons being studied to participate in the design. Participatory action research practitioners integrate three basic aspects of their work, namely participation, action and research. As per the principles of PAR, the researcher worked with the participants collaboratively to find the best practices that could be implemented to enhance school based assessment practices in grade 4 Natural Sciences and Technology classes.
In the study, reflections were made through the use of PAR, looking at the current state of school based assessment practices which revealed that the language of learning and teaching (LoLT), reading and writing skills, lesson planning, pedagogical approaches utilised by teachers and school based moderation poses a challenge in the implementation of school based assessment. Data collected through the use of PAR was analysed using Critical Discourse analysis (CDA). The empirical analysis, interpretation of data, discussion and determining the findings resulting from interventions were made
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with CDA. Critical discourse analysis acknowledges the need to examine, in practical terms, how one goes about doing critical analysis of text and conversation. A team of Eight Natural Sciences and Technology (NSTECH) teachers, one from each circuit of the Amajuba District in the KwaZulu-Natal Province, plus fellow NSTECH subject advisers worked together as equals in devising ways to enhance school-based assessment practices in a grade 4 NSTECH class. The second part of the study identified the best practices to be used to curb challenges under the supervision of a dedicated team with the vision of enhancing School Based Assessment (SBA) practices in NSTECH. The solutions predicted by the participants to curtail the challenges were discussed. Numerous findings concerning the challenges were compared with the results of the previous research studies reported in the literature review. These included the language of learning and teaching (LoLT), reading and writing competency, poor lesson preparation and inadequate schoolbased assessment moderation.
Description
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the academic requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Curriculum and Instructional Studies in the Faculty of Education, University of Zululand, 2021.