Teacher-initiated student-peer assessment: a means of improving learning-assessment in large classes

Abstract

This paper evalauted the effects of using teacher-initiated student assessment strategy as a means of enhancing student learning achievement and by extension as tool for minimizing examination malpractices that are so phenomenal in the education sector of Nigeria. The paper reviewed relevant literature on assessment andachievement as well as on examintaion malpractices-which has become a cankerworm and also cast doubt on the quality of education in the country. The research was carried out adopting the pre-post test quasi-experimental/ control design. The data were analyzed using t-test. Results show that the strategy facilitated significant improvement in student achievement in both mathematics and english language respectively with the following t- values of 20.4 and 15.94 @0.05 significant levels. Also it was found that the experimental groups respectively made a mean gain of 5.9 and 5.3 as against 1.7 and 2.0 in these respective subjects. Another discovery was the fact that those who had the treatment were found not to have been involved in examination malpracitces while some of those in control groups were found not to have not to have been involved in examination malpractices in the subsequent school examinations. Based on thses findings, it was recommended that since most classes in the zone have more than forty students and in some cases up to 80, this strategy be formally introduced in the schools where there are more than 40 students in a class and that teachers be given relevant training in evaluation methods and that record-keeping be a co-operative and a team work, to make system more effective.