Volume 8, Issue 4, April – 2023 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No:-2456-2165

Knowledge of Formative Assessment Practices of

Teachers in Public Senior Secondary Schools in Edo
Central Senatorial District, Nigeria
1 2
Osumah, Obaze Agbonluae, Ph.D Asekomhe, Theresa Ikhianotse
Department of Guidance and Counselling, Department of Guidance and Counselling,
Faculty of Education, Faculty of Education,
Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria

Abstract:- This study assessed knowledge of formative learned the material that is required of them and the degree
assessment practices of teachers in public senior to which behavioral goals have been met. As a result,
secondary schools in Edo Central Senatorial District, assessment has replaced other methods in schools for
Nigeria. Two research questions were raised and one measuring students' learning progress (Ugodulunwa&Okolo,
hypothesis was formulated and tested. This study 2015).
adopted the descriptive study design. The population of
the study covers the six hundred and sixteen (616) Formative assessment or formative evaluation refers to
Secondary School teachers in all the public secondary a variety of formal and informal appraisal processes used by
schools in Edo Central Senatorial District. The simple teachers or educators to adjust their teaching and learning
random sampling technique was used to select 125 strategies and improve student achievement (Young
subject head teachers who are drawn as the &Jackman, 2014). A formative assessment's objective is to
representative sample to measure teachers’ competence. track students' progress and give continual feedback that
These subject head teachers cover language subject head may help students recognize their strengths and
teachers, Science subject head teachers, and Art subject shortcomings and focus on areas that need improvement
head teachers in schools. The instrument was 20-item (Matilda & Helen, 2019). Also, it enables teachers to see
survey questionnaires on formative assessment practices trouble areas and intervene right away. It often provides
of teachers. The test-retest reliability coefficient qualitative feedback (rather than grades) for the instructor
produced an r-value of 0.78 which shows that the and student that focus on the specifics of performance and
instrument is reliable. Research question one was subject. Summative assessment, which aims to track
analysed using mean (𝐗 ̅) while the independent t-test for educational achievements, sometimes for reasons of external
two sample means was used to test the hypothesis at 0.05 responsibility, is frequently contrasted with it (Figa,
level of significance. Findings revealed that knowledge of Tarekegne, &Kebede, 2020).
formative assessment practices among public junior
secondary school teachers in Edo Central Senatorial Formative evaluation requires ongoing checks and
District, Nigeria is poor and female teachers had higher balances in the instructional and learning processes
level of formative assessment practice than male teachers (Kennedy &Iyamu, 2021). The approach enables instructors
in secondary schools in the district. It was recommended to regularly review the development of their students and the
that the government should concentrate more on efficacy of their own practice, enabling students to evaluate
exposing teachers to more practical ways of creating themselves. In order for teachers, students, or their peers to
formative evaluations. Seminars or training on formative decide on the next steps in instruction that are likely to be
evaluations may assist with this. better or more well-founded than the decisions they would
have made without the evidence that was elicited,
Keywords: Assessment, Formative, Formative Assessment, Ugodulunwa and Okolo (2015) noted that the practice in a
Teachers. classroom is formative.

I. INTRODUCTION In a word, formative assessments are examinations and

quizzes that gauge how well a student understands a subject
The goal of schools is to promote learning and during the course of a course. Summative evaluations are
teaching and ascertaining that this has taken place, often examinations and quizzes that evaluate how much a student
demands some assessment procedures by every teacher. has learnt during the course (Figa, Tarekegne, & Kebede,
Assessment is the term used to describe this method used for 2020). In the classroom, this implies that summative exams
evaluating students (Matilda, & Helen, 2019). It is the are the final evaluations at the conclusion of a semester,
procedure through which a teacher gathers information whereas formative assessments are conducted during a term
regarding the results of his or her instruction and utilizes the (Ugodulunwa & Okolo, 2015).
results for further development. It is a process that is often
carried out by a teacher to determine whether pupils have

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Volume 8, Issue 4, April – 2023 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Formative assessment provide real-time feedback on In order to execute assessment in schools, it may be
what students are learning or not learning so that crucial to evaluate instructors' understanding of formative
instructional strategies, teaching resources, and academic assessment (FA) procedures. This is so that they can
assistance may be adjusted to meet the requirements of the effectively apply the curriculum in the classroom. However,
students (De Lisle, 2015). They are not evaluated, may be according to Kennedy and Iyamu (2021), the majority of
casual, and can take many different shapes. Also, formative secondary school teachers in Edo State are reluctance to
evaluations often have minimal stakes, which means they implement some assessment practices, such as asking and
have little to no point worth (Figa, Tarekegne, & Kebede, allowing students to ask all types of questions at period
2020). As an example of a formative assessment, you may times before the end of a lesson; the type of test instrument
ask students to submit a research proposal for preliminary to use; allowing them to solve lesson problems in pairs with
comments or to create a concept map in class to demonstrate class; and requiring students to compare their notes with
their comprehension of a subject. their pairs, among others. Although many instructors are
aware of the necessity for these activities, others see them as
The Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN, 2004) pointed a tedious and boring duty. As a result, some of them are
that educational assessment and evaluation must be reluctant to engage in the numerous activities required. So,
liberalized by being wholly or partially dependent on the issue of this research is to ascertain the level of
ongoing assessments of the student's development. When it comprehension of formative assessment procedures among
stated succinctly that "the junior school certificate shall be instructors in public senior secondary schools in Nigeria's
based on assessment and examination conducted by state Edo Central Senatorial District.
and federal examinations boards; while the senior school
certificate shall be based on continuous assessment and a  Research Questions:
national examination," FRN (2004 revised 2013) further The following research questions were raised to guide the
acknowledged the significance of assessment in the study:
certification of junior and senior secondary school students.
This is done to determine what a student has learned through  What is theknowledge of formative assessment practices
cognitive, emotional, and psychomotor learning activities. of teachers in public senior secondary schools in Edo
As a result, formative assessment offers instructors and Central Senatorial District, Nigeria?
students feedback on student outcomes and behavioral  Is there any sex difference in the level of formative
changes, among other advantages. assessment practices of teachers in public senior
secondary schools in Edo Central Senatorial District,
Such feedback gives information that is utilized to alter Nigeria?
the teaching materials, context, and procedures, as well as a
range of other choices, in order to improve the student's  Hypothesis:
performance (Kennedy &Iyamu, 2021). There must be a The hypothesis formulated and tested in this study:
technique of insuring changes at each stage of the process
that add up to the observable terminal desirable changes if a  There is no significant sex difference in the level
teacher is to guarantee desired changes in a student's offormative assessment practices of teachers in public
behavior at the conclusion of a session. This is done to senior secondary schools in Edo Central Senatorial
assess the observed progress—or lack thereof—of learners District, Nigeria.
and choose the best course of action for promoting and
maximizing learning. In this instance, learning or behavioral II. REVIEW
changes are cumulative, gradual, and ongoing. As a result,
formative evaluation occurs during every class, not only at Several studies have focused on the formative
the conclusion of a term or year (if possible). Hence, assessment techniques used by instructors in classrooms.
formative assessment procedures cannot be compromised in Using a quasi-experimental approach, Ugodulunwa and
order for the teaching-learning process to be successful (De Okolo (2015) examined the impact of a formative
Lisle, 2015). assessment on mathematics test anxiety and performance of
secondary school pupils in Jos, Nigeria. Among a total of
While teachers often and enthusiastically use the 2,326 Senior Secondary Two (SS II) pupils, a
conventional one-shot assessment, its execution has been a straightforward random sample of 110 SS II students was
source of difficulty for both teachers and important school chosen for the research. Data were gathered using two
personnel. Observation has shown that teachers, who are different types of mathematics achievement tests and a scale
responsible for carrying out the curriculum in the classroom, for measuring test anxiety in math. Descriptive and
seem to know very little about what formative assessment inferential statistical methods were used to examine the data.
involves. The systematic (periodic), progressive (complete), According to the research, many instructors are aware of
and guidance-oriented character of the practice is not well formative assessment practices but do not use them as they
understood by many, and some qualified instructors have a should, which has an impact on students' test anxiety and
tendency or attitude that is rather hostile to engaging in performance in mathematics.
them.

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Volume 8, Issue 4, April – 2023 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
De Lisle (2015) investigated how teachers and students in favor of the experimental group; it was also
stakeholders in Trinidad and Tobago's CA Programme discovered to improve the academic performance of the
(CAP) used formative assessment. The combined data imply students as seen in the difference between the pre-test and
that the intended goal of the program developers was often post-test in favor of the post-test; and no significant
not met. Instead, educators often entered evaluation scores differences were discovered in the teachers' knowledge of
without referring to the information. There is evidence that formative classroom assessment. Kennedy and Iyamu
instructors' educational views and practices did not align (2021) looked at formative assessment knowledge and use
with their formative assessment procedures. While the in the context of teaching mathematics in public secondary
design of CA schemes implies that formative and schools in Benin Metropolis. The population of the study
summative goals may work in harmony, in practice this comprised of Mathematics instructors in the Benin
ideal is seldom realized in these specific situations. Metropolis, and the sample size was 188. The study used a
survey research methodology. Data gathering included the
At Ethiopia's West Arsi zone secondary schools, use of a standardized questionnaire. The results showed that
formative assessment procedures were investigated by Figa, while the mathematics instructors were skilled in the use of
Tarekegne, and Kebede in 2020. The study method used was formative assessment, they did not consistently incorporate
a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. Supervisors, it into their lessons. Moreover, formative assessment
administrators, instructors, and students from secondary knowledge and practice were solely impacted by years of
schools participated in the research. Data was gathered via experience.
surveys, interviews, observations, and document analysis.
The findings showed that secondary school instructors III. METHODS
sometimes share learning goals with their pupils,
occasionally include formative assessment techniques, and For this investigation, the descriptive research design
occasionally provide formative feedback, with a significant was used. The population of the research consists of six
range in practices. hundred sixteen (616) secondary school teachers from all
the public secondary schools in the Edo Central Senatorial
In Ghana's Cape Coast Metropolis, Asare (2020) District. 125 subject heads were randomly selected and
looked at the perceptions of and practices around formative acted as the representative sample in order to assess the
assessment among public basic school teachers. The teacher competence. These subject heads in educational
research chose 300 instructors from the six (6) circuits in the institutions include language subject heads, science subject
Cape Coast Metropolis using a multistage selection process heads, and art subject heads. It was chosen to employ head
and a descriptive survey. Frequencies, percentages, means, teachers as proxy participants to assess their teachers'
standard deviations, and the Pearson product-moment multiple-choice item design skills in order to remove biases
correlation coefficient were used to analyze the data. The and attitudes that may be associated with obtaining a self-
findings indicated that elementary school teachers see the report on instructors' proficiency.
value of formative assessment in the classroom favorably. It
was also discovered that basic school teachers frequently An adapted questionnaire was used as the instrument
used dominant practices like ensuring effective class for data collection. The instrument was adopted from the
participation, talking with students about feedback, using work of Ochour, Opoku-Afriyie, and Eshun (2022) who
questions and answers during instruction, utilizing studied formative assessment practices of Social Studies
summative assessments formatively, assigning homework to teachers in Ghana using a 50-item survey questionnaire. The
students, and engaging them in role-playing exercises. original instrument of Ochour, Opoku-Afriyie, and Eshun
(2022) was separated into a number of dimensions,
Young and Jackman (2014) investigated how often and including barriers to practice, practice techniques, and real
how instructors in the Grenadian lower secondary school formative assessment procedures used by instructors. Only
used formative assessment procedures (Forms 1, 2 and 3). the 14 questions regarding formative assessment procedures
252 lower secondary school teachers participated in the were adapted in this investigation. Moreover, the original
quantitative investigation. Overall, the participants answer scale of never -1, sometimes -2, often -3, and always
possessed knowledge, favorable attitudes, and judgments -4 was adjusted to represent the level of
about formative evaluation. Almost half of the instructors knowledge/awareness among instructors.
said they encouraged pupils to write in journals instead of
letting them contribute to the design of the exam. The instrument's face and content validity were
assessed by two experts from the Department of Guidance
The impact of formative classroom assessment on and Counselling at Ambrose Alli University in Ekpoma. The
students' performance in junior secondary school Basic test-retest reliability method was used to evaluate the
science in Edo State, Nigeria, was examined by Matilda and instrument's dependability. 30 senior high school students
Helen (2019) in a pre-test, post-test experimental design from inside the study area and outside the research sample
research. All pupils at public Junior Secondary School 2 were given copies of the instrument to use in the technique.
(JSS II) made up the study's population, and 80 of those A few weeks later, the same respondents were given the
individuals were purposefully selected and employed in the same instrument once again. Their responses from the first
research. The results showed that formative classroom and second tests were compared using the Pearson's Product
assessment affected the academic performance of the

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Volume 8, Issue 4, April – 2023 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Moment Correlation technique. The instrument's reliability two independent sample means. The hypothesis was
was shown by the coefficient's r-value of 0.78. examined at a significance level of 5%.

The copies of the questionnaire were disseminated IV. RESULTS

prior to the research activity by getting in touch with the
administrators of the selected schools and obtaining their  The Result of the Analysis are Presented as Follows:
permission. The mean (X) and standard deviation (SD) was
utilized to examine research question 1. Teachers’  Research Question 1:
knowledge was evaluated using a 2.50 criterion mean. So, a What is the knowledge of formative assessment
score of 2.50 or above indicates a good level of practices of teachers in public senior secondary schools in
understanding of instructors' formative assessment Edo Central Senatorial District, Nigeria?
strategies, but any score below 2.50 was interpreted
differently. The hypothesis was examined using the t-test for

Table 1 Analysis of Multiple-Choice Construction Competence among Public Junior Secondary School Teachers in
Edo Central Senatorial District, Nigeria
Formative Assessment Practices N = 125
As a teacher, how well do you know you should… ̅
X S.D Remark
1 Allow your students to ask any questions about the key ideas in a lesson. 2.68* 0.75 GK
2 Frame questions that will allow you to monitor students’ progress. 2.62* 0.82 GK
3 Adjust instruction and assessment as needed to re-address the objectives more PK
2.35 0.91
effectively.
4 Move about the room and listen to what students are saying when they talk with GK
2.56* 0.83
partners.
5 Assess your students on concepts learnt to separate facts from opinions. 2.64* 0.79 GK
6 Collect and read their summaries. 2.12 1.24 PK
7 Provide feedback instantly. 2.35 0.67 PK
8 Allow your students to write the big idea for the lesson that has been covered. 2.47 0.94 PK
9 Follow the pair discussion by a whole class review to reach consensus on the concept GK
2.78* 0.93
under discussion.
10 Allow your students to write down any two questions based on the topic you have PK
2.47 1.06
treated.
11 Allow your students to solve problems during lessons in pairs. 2.32 0.85 PK
12 Allow your students to add any important notes that are missing from their partner’s PK
2.45 0.95
notes.
13 Allow your students to enhance their partner’s notes by underlining key terms or ideas. 2.31 0.74 PK
14 Allow your students to switch notes with their classmates in class 2.35 0.56 PK
Overall mean = 2.46
* 𝑋̅ 𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 2.50
GK – Good knowledge PK – Poor Knowledge

The result in Table 1 shows that majority of the respondents had low response score mean on items 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13,
̅ = 2.46< 2.50). Hence, this implies that
and 14 at an overall mean score of 2.46 which is less than the criterion mean of 2.50 (i.eX
the teachers have poor knowledge of formative assessment practices in public senior secondary schools in Edo Central Senatorial
District, Nigeria.

 Hypothesis 1:
There is no significant sex difference in the level of formative assessment practices of teachers in public senior secondary
schools in Edo Central Senatorial District, Nigeria

Table 2 T-test Analysis on Sex difference Sex difference in the Level of Formative Assessment Practices of Teachers
in Public Senior Secondary Schools in Edo Central Senatorial District, Nigeria
Variables Sex (n=125) ̅
𝐗 S.D t-cal. p-value Remarks
Male 56 2.19 0.85 3.093 0.015
Knowledge of teachers’ Reject null
Formative assessment Female 69 2.53 0.45 hypothesis
practice

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Volume 8, Issue 4, April – 2023 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
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The result in Table 2 shows that the mean score on playing in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. Also, it
teachers’ formative assessment practice of 2.53 for female supports the results of Kennedy and Iyamu (2021), who
teachers was higher that than of their male counterpart at a found that while mathematics instructors in Benin
mean score of 2.19. Hence, this answers the research Metropolis were skilled in the use of formative assessment,
question that sex difference exist in the level of formative they did not consistently use it into their lessons.
assessment practices of teachers in public senior secondary
schools in Edo Central Senatorial District, Nigeria. The results show that there is a sex difference in favor
However, to determine whether the observed mean score of female instructors on the subject of formative assessment
difference is significant, the test result from the test of procedures in Nigeria's Edo Central Senatorial District's
hypotheses shows that the calculated t-value of 3.093 is public senior secondary schools. This suggests that there are
statistically significant (p<0.05). Therefore, the null gender differences in teachers' use of formative assessment
hypothesis which states that there is no significant sex in public senior secondary schools in Nigeria's Edo Central
difference in the level of formative assessment practices of Senatorial District. This research contradicts Matilda and
teachers in public senior secondary schools in Edo Central Helen's results from 2019 that there was no discernible
Senatorial District, Nigeria is rejected. This implies that sex difference in teachers' expertise of formative classroom
difference exist in the level of formative assessment assessment in junior secondary school Basic science in the
practices of teachers in public senior secondary schools in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. On the contrary,
Edo Central Senatorial District, Nigeria. it supports the findings of Kennedy and Iyamu (2021), who
discovered that only years of experience had an impact on
V. DISCUSSION formative assessment knowledge and application.

The findings indicated that teachers in Nigeria's Edo VI. CONCLUSION

Central Senatorial District senior secondary public schools
have limited knowledge of formative assessment Conclusively, teachers in public senior secondary
procedures. This research supports the findings of Figa, schools in Nigeria's Edo Central Senatorial District have
Tarekegne, and Kebede (2020), who discovered that insufficient awareness of formative assessment techniques
secondary school teachers in Ethiopia's West Arsi zone and female teachers in the district's secondary schools had
secondary schools occasionally communicate learning better levels of knowledge of these practices than male
objectives for students, occasionally integrate formative instructors.
assessment strategies, and occasionally provide formative
feedback. Findings, on the other hand, contradict the RECOMMENDATIONS
findings of Ugodulunwa and Okolo (2015), who discovered
that many teachers in Jos, Nigeria, are aware of formative The following recommendations are provided in light
assessment practices but do not implement them as they of findings:
should. As a result, students' test anxiety and performance in  The government should concentrate more on exposing
mathematics were negatively impacted. The results differ teachers to more practical ways of creating formative
from those of De Lisle (2015), who discovered that at evaluations. Seminars or training on formative
certain schools in Trinidad and Tobago, the formative goal evaluations may assist with this.
of instructors was often not met since many teachers  The principals and head teachers should assist in the
consistently recorded assessment marks without utilising the development of a formative assessment policy for
data. There is evidence that instructors' educational views teachers in their school and then encourage teachers to
and practices did not align with their formative assessment abide by the policy by providing them with the necessary
procedures. Despite the fact that De Lisle (2015) discovered reinforcement.
that the design of formative assessment schemes implies the
potential for synergy between formative and summative REFERENCES
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