Understanding School Based Assessment

The most crucial part of assessment

WHAT IS SCHOOLBASED ASSESSMENT

In the context of public assessment, School- based Assessment refers to assessments administered in schools and marked by the students’ own teachers. It is embedded in the teaching and learning process hence student- centred.

The marks awarded may or may not count towards students’ final grade. SBA includes tests, essays, examinations, reports, exhibitions, performances, presentations, demonstrations and other work including various forms of products or performances.

Most teachers restrict SBA to tests which seek predetermined types of behavioural responses for a predetermined set of questions or tasks which may not be relevant to all students, and the ultimate result is the improvement of students’ performance.

School – Based assessment was traditionally the prerogative of the teacher, but idealistically involves a number of stakeholders among them teachers, students, parents, social workers, school administration, and school counsellors, to consolidate the judgement. Individual students must be judged based on what they know and can do, rather than comparing them.

Although School- Based assessment is credited for improving students’ achievement, it does not preclude the conduct of summative assessment done at the end when teaching is over, for collecting data used for the purpose of making decisions about individuals and groups. Yet, summative assessment should not be limited to a one- off multiplechoice test score because this decision- making role touches people’s lives.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SCHOOL- BASED ASSESSMENT

School- Based Assessment characteristics which distinguishes it from other forms of assessment include:

• It involves the teacher from the beginning to the end: from planning the assessment programme, to identifying and/ or developing appropriate assessment tasks right through to making the assessment judgments;

• It allows for the collection of a number of samples of student performance over a period of time;

• It is adapted and modified by the teacher to match the teaching and learning goals of a particular class and students being assessed;

• It is carried out in ordinary classrooms/ laboratories, not in a special examination hall;

• It is conducted by the students’ own teacher, not a stranger;

• Students are more actively involved in the assessment process, especially if self and/ or peer assessment is used in conjunction with teacher assessment; • Students are given constructive feedback which is incorporated into their learning process.

WHY SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT?

SBA has a number of advantages over external examinations.

• It enhances the reliability of assessment, by including a number of assessments of different formats rather than a once- off assessment.

• It enhances the validity of assessment by including content that cannot be readily assessed within the context of a once- off public examination.

• It reduces dependence on the result of public examinations, which may not always provide the most reliable indication of the actual abilities of the candidates.

• It helps students understand their strengths and weaknesses through immediate constructive quality feedback from teachers, leading to continuous improvement;

• It motivates students by engaging them in meaningful activities; and for teachers, it can reinforce curriculum aims and good teaching practices. It provides the opportu• nity to integrate learning and teaching with assessment;

• It offers a more comprehensive appraisal of students’ performance by applying multiple modes of assessment

• It enhances autonomous

learning

• It enables students to achieve their best in a more relaxed and familiar setting.

• It offers little possibility of cheating as the teacher knows students’ capabilities.

• It stimulates continuous evaluation and adjustment of the teaching and learning programme; and

• It complements other forms of assessment, including external examinations.

The Author holds PhD in ‘ Assessment & Quality Assurance’ and writes in his personal capacity as a Psychometric Researcher. The views expressed are the author’s. Contact/ WhatsApp: 71713446 or masoletm@ gmail. com or facebook page: Trust Mbako Masole.