e-ISSN : 3026-0892 p-ISSN : 3026-1422 International Journal of Humanities.
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org/10.
58578/IJHESS.
Effect of Diagnostic Assessment on Basic Education StudentsAo Achievement in Basic Science in Jalingo Metropolis.
Taraba State.
Nigeria Shiaki O.
B1.
Danjuma S2.
Bernard A.
Y3.
Kachalla C4 Taraba State University.
Jalingo.
Nigeria bernardalphayuks@gmail.
Submitted:
Oct 25, 2024 Article Info:
Revised:
Accepted:
Nov 12, 2024 Nov 25, 2024 Published:
Nov 30, 2024 Abstract The study focused on the effect of diagnostic Assessment on Basic Education students Achievement in Basic Science in Jalingo metropolis.
Taraba State.
Nigeria.
Two objectives guide this present study which are.
to examine the problems in the used of Diagnostic Assessment Strategy based on StudentsAo Achievement in Basic Science and find out the Mean Achievement Scores of StudentsAo who were assessed using Diagnostic Assessment Strategy and those assessed without the use of Basic Science StudentsAo in Jalingo metropolis.
The study adopted Quasi-experimental design, using pretest and posttest design.
The sample consisted of 13 science teachers and 100 students out of which 50 were males and 50 were females.
Two instruments were used for the research AuStudents Achievement test in Basic Science (SATBS) and TeachersAo Diagnostic Assessment Questions (TDAQ) for both teachers and students.
The method used for data analysis were mean, standard deviation and t-test Results revealed that there is no gain in mean achievement of students assessed using DAS.
At 5% level of significance, it was shown that there is Significant Difference between the Mean Achievement scores of students assessed using DAS and those without the use of DAS in the selected Volume 2.
Issue 3.
November 2024.
https://ejournal.
yasin-alsys.
org/IJHESS IJHESS Journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.
0 International License Shiaki O.
Danjuma S.
Bernard A.
Kachalla C It was recommended that teachers need to be given training on how to use DAS effectively through providing them with Training programmes that will equipped their understanding of DAS and Also ensure each formative assessment given the classroom should contain DAS in other to allow students get used to the procedure while learning since teachers believe that Students do not find it difficult in expressing their thought.
Keywords: Assessment.
Diagnostic.
Assessment Strategy & Basic Science INTRODUCTION Assessment is a very important tool used in the educational programme to determine achievement both in teacherAos major responsibility of impacting knowledge as well as studentsAo abilities to improve in learning.
The evident way to assess students is through testing.
This gives the qualitative and quantitative abilities on student.
Ozan and Kincal, .
submitted that AuEducational legislators, teachers and researchers are more concerned in testing as it truly reflects studentsAo achievementAy.
Typically, the assessment that this present study tends to discussed is the diagnostics assessment.
This method of assessment is design to locate and identify studentsAo area of learning difficulties/weaknesses in a subject area or skill and the cause.
This assessment is likely important in science especially in teaching of basic science due to it critical steps normally used to test studentsAo learning abilities before diagnosis is been carried out by the instructor.
Rustaman, .
recently concluded that it is mostly expected to develop higher order thinking skills in the form of valid test items as well as combination of self-and peer assessment on inquiry based instruction and meaningful student learning experience.
However.
Diagnostics assessment is mostly pertinent in subjects like Mathematics.
Biology and Chemistry that attainment of specific skills or information is a requirement for the learning of advanced Therefore, basic science students are those students who have acquired requisite knowledge in basic science of the lower and middle basic education programme.
Evenly, this are students in former junior secondary schools before the onset of the universal Basic Education programme.
However, for the purpose of this research work, the interest is on programme identifying basic problems associated with the used of diagnostic assessment strategy through considering students achievement and the interviews with the selected Looking at the position of sciences in our educational institutions.
Basic science Volume 2.
Issue 3.
November 2024 Shiaki O.
Danjuma S.
Bernard A.
Kachalla C plays a significant role in the school curriculum, it important role has make it necessary and requisite in national building.
Basic Sciences are defined as the scientific disciplines of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology.
In basic education, is taught as a subject which develop in skills to students that prepares them ahead of senior secondary school Education in Nigeria.
Evenly.
Basic Education comprises primary education .
irst stage of basic educatio.
and lower secondary education .
econd stag.
Expressively, basic sciences in basic education in Nigeria Education provides a fundamental understanding of natural phenomena and the processes by which natural resources are transformed.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary define Basic science as any one of the sciences such as Anatomy.
Physiology.
Bacteriology.
Pathology or Biochemistry which is fundamental to the study of medicine.
It helps researchers understand living systems and life processes.
The acquisition of appropriate skills and the development of mental, physical and social abilities and competencies for the individual to live in and contribute to the development of the society in which he lives, has been a major concern of Basic science.
According the National Policy on Education, .
observes the following as the objectives of teaching basic science in Nigerian Education:
Help students observe and explore the environment.
Make students develop basic science process skills including observing, classifying, experimenting and manipulating.
Develop a functional knowledge of basic science concepts and principles.
Develop scientific attitudes.
including curiosity, honesty, perseverance, willingness to change opinion and critical reflection.
Lay a good foundation for the learning of science in the future.
Indeed, teaching basic science in school today come with different assessment problems such as.
teachers poor knowledge of the content, change in examination pattern and Generally, is a programme taught in primary and junior secondary schools in Nigeria.
Laudable, as the objectives of teaching basic science are enumerated above, one is not sure whether these objectives are achieved as documented evidences (Hancer, 2.
This make it possible to assess diagnostic assessment strategy, itAos impacts and problems among upper basic science students.
Chong, .
explained diagnostics assessment strategy (DAS) as that Strategy that can provide insight into how students understand specific ideas by analyzing their responses.
He mentioned two things to consider in the International Journal of Humanities.
Education, and Social Sciences Shiaki O.
Danjuma S.
Bernard A.
Kachalla C used of Diagnostics assessment strategy which are: A propositional knowledge statement and the explanation.
Furthermore.
Chong, .
undertook a research on the topic AoIssues and problems concerning the use of Diagnostic Assessment strategy (DAS) and formative Assessment in Brunei Schools.
The researcher used quasi-experimental design and developed 26 DAS instrument questions some of the problems he highlighted after test score analysis, interviews with teachers and students, and classroom observations are.
DAS
designed for mental capacity and language proficiency higher than the level of lower secondary students.
Inability of some teachers to use them effectively.
some teachers lacking knowledge on the subject matter.
classroom culture that does not work well with interactive styles requiring honest feedback.
Thus, the ability of a teacher to analyze the testing maybe interpreted in terms of students, ability and type of concept and for each question and then reported feedback, as such, this make it a task for teachers of basic science difficult due to class size and differentiated classroom.
Esomonu and Eleje, .
recently find that diagnostic tests are effective when used with feedback and remediation.
They further addressed that to the best of their knowledge, until time of their report studies only finding by Bett.
Hahn & Zau, .
and Ofem.
Idika & Ovat, .
on the effect of diagnostic testing on academic achievement have been researched on.
Based on this, one expects that this present study investigates the effect of diagnostic Assessment on Basic Education students Achievement in Basic Science in Jalingo metropolis.
Taraba State.
Nigeria will cover the existing gaps and add to knowledge.
The present study adopted Donald Kirkpatrick assessment theory.
Kirkpatrick rudedeveloped a model in 1959, the four level training evaluation model was designed to objectively measure the effectiveness of training.
The levels are: Reaction, learning, behavior and results.
Statement of Problems Unfortunately, well recommended assessment strategy to improve learning among students/pupils comes with great sophistication.
However, assessment on the goal to achieved positive learning, can be seen as: that of learning, for learning and as learning.
Whereas based on its function can either be a formative or summative assessment.
Clearly, the attempt by the researcher in this study specifically is to identify the problems of using diagnostic assessment strategy based on the goal and function it plays in basic science Prior to the foregoing.
Diagnostic assessment gazes rearward instead of Volume 2.
Issue 3.
November 2024 Shiaki O.
Danjuma S.
Bernard A.
Kachalla C Worthy to verify is to investigate whether diagnostic testing that provides detailed diagnosis of studentsAo strengths and weaknesses affects studentsAo achievement positively.
Thus, since there are differentiated classroom, studentsAo strength and weaknesses can be one of the difficult task teachers can have when strategizing proper assessment procedure.
Furthermore, teachers grading system, lack of content knowledge, attitudes, inability to consider individual difference and teaching method in classes has lots of implications in assessment strategy.
Observably.
Stanley .
even purports that several researches carried out for the improvement of studentsAo academic achievement in science did not solve the problem as a result of teacherAos persistence in the lecture method in teaching of Basic Science.
It is believe that our schools in the country suffers some portions of challenges which has contributed to studentsAo poor achievement in school.
It is obvious, many science teachers records poor results, as such.
It is out of this ways .
tudentsAo strength and weaknesses in attempting tes.
bring to the attention of the researcher to investigate on the effect of diagnostic Assessment on Basic Education students Achievement in Basic Science in Jalingo metropolis.
Taraba State.
Nigeria, to find out those weaknesses of the students.
Purpose of the Study The main Purpose of this study intend to investigate the effect of diagnostic Assessment on Basic Education students Achievement in Basic Science in Jalingo metropolis.
Taraba State.
Nigeria.
The objectives of the study are as follows:
To identify the problems in the used of Diagnostic Assessment Strategy based on StudentsAo Achievement in Basic Science.
To examine the Mean Achievement Scores of StudentsAo who were assessed using Diagnostic Assessment Strategy and those assessed without the use of diagnostic assessment strategy among Basic Science StudentsAo in Jalingo Research Questions What is the mean scores Achievement of studentsAo who were taught using Diagnostic Assessment strategy and those without the use of diagnostic assessment strategy? What are the problems in the used of DAS based on studentsAo achievement in Basic science in Jalingo metropolis? International Journal of Humanities.
Education, and Social Sciences Shiaki O.
Danjuma S.
Bernard A.
Kachalla C Research Hypothesis HO1: There is no Significant Difference between the Mean Achievement scores of students assessed using DAS and those without the use of DAS.
METHODS
The study adopted a Quasi-experimental using pretest and posttest design.
The reason for adopting quasi-experimental designs typically allow the researcher to control the assignment to the treatment condition, but using some criterion other than random This design is also effective because researchers are able to use the Aopre-post In line with the present study, the pre-test is considered to be students who are assessed without the use of Diagnostic assessment and post-test is consider those students who were assessed using Diagnostics assessment strategy.
The study population consisted of 4000 students of Basic Education in Jalingo metropolis offering Basic science where 2300 were male and 1700 were female based on the outcomes gathered.
The study sample consisted of 13 science teachers and 100 students out of which 50 were males and 50 were The selected schools which have finished the teaching and learning of Basic Science and are not in the same location within the study area were selected using purposive sampling techniques while simple random sampling techniques was used to allocate the four selected schools namely.
Government Day Comprehensive secondary school Jalingo.
Government Day school Nukkai.
Government Science secondary school Jalingo and Government College Jalingo.
However, 2 schools were given a diagnostic assessment questions for the post-test and also 2 schools were not given diagnostic assessment questions.
Two instruments were used for the research findings titled AuStudents Achievement test in Basic Science (SATBS) and While the other one is TeachersAo Diagnostic Assessment Questions (TDAQ).
The SATBS contains some selected multiple choice questions which was used as the pretest and posttest to the study answered by the students and while TDAQ was structured to teachers based on the problems in the used of DAQ on students Achievement in Basic Science among Basic Education Students in Jalingo metropolis.
The researcher used likert 4 points scale for strongly agree (SA) Agree (A), disagree (D) and strongly Disagree (SD).
It was used to gather important data for the study from the selected teachers.
Collected data were analyzed with t-test and the rejection or acceptance of the tested hypothesis was at 0.
005 level of significance.
Volume 2.
Issue 3.
November 2024 Shiaki O.
Danjuma S.
Bernard A.
Kachalla C
RESULTS
Research Question I What is the mean scores Achievement of studentsAo who were taught using Diagnostic Assessment strategy and those without the use of diagnostic assessment strategy? Table 1: Mean Achievement of Students Assessed Using DAS (Posttes.
and Without DAS (Pretes.
Among Basic Science Students in Jalingo Metropolis.
Group Mean Difference ycuI Posttest Pre-test Results from table 1 indicates that the mean scores of students in the post-test assessment was less than that of pre-test assessment as analysis shown 11.
28 and 13.
28 points Is clear indication, that there is differences in mean achievement of students assessed using DAS and those assessed without DAS, since the mean scores of the posttest is less than pretest mean scores in the selected schools.
Research Question II What are the problems in the used of DAS based on studentsAo achievement in Basic science in Jalingo metropolis? Table 2: Problems in the Used of DAS on StudentsAo Achievement in Basic Science Among Basic Science Students in Jalingo Metropolis.
S/N ITEMS
ycuI Lack of teachers knowledge and method on topic Areas hinders good diagnostics Too many options of similar Answers Students find it difficult in expressing their thought.
Unfamiliar/unfriendly format in assessment question make the test more Teachers Attitude towards Diagnostics Assessment Questions Decision Rule 4024 Accepted 7458 Accepted 8356 Rejected 8635 Accepted 8356 Accepted The assessment Do not consider individual learning differences.
7458 Accepted yu International Journal of Humanities.
Education, and Social Sciences Shiaki O.
Danjuma S.
Bernard A.
Kachalla C Results of table 2 indicates that all the items were accepted at the decision rule of 2.
points only item in S/N 3 was rejected that students do not find it difficult in expressing their thought.
Research Hypothesis HO1: There is no Significant Difference between the Mean Achievement scores of students assessed using DAS and those without the use of DAS.
Table 3: T-Distribution of Mean Achievement Scores of Posttest and Pretest based on Used of DAS Group ycUI Posttest Pretest Df.
t-cal.
t-crit.
Remarks The above analysis shows the t-test distribution of mean achievement scores of posttest and pretest based on used of DAS.
However, the t-cal.
> t Ae crit.
Which means that the ultimate hypothesis was accepted that there is Significant Difference between the Mean Achievement scores of students assessed using DAS and those without the use of DAS.
DISCUSSION