Exploring the perceptions of stakeholders about the role of assessment (classroom-based assessment) on students’ learning motivation Karachi, Pakistan
Date of Award
2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Master of Philosophy in Education
Department
Institute for Educational Development, Karachi
Abstract
Assessment is an extensive process of gathering, interpreting, and analyzing the data to make a value judgment and take appropriate educational decisions. Assessment practices significantly improve students' involvement and accelerate the teaching-learning process; however, the emerging critiques on the current assessment practices question its utility and limited outcomes. Also, the researches show the absence of stakeholders’ perspectives on the role and effects of assessment practices on students and their learning motivation. This qualitative research, therefore, aimed to understand stakeholders’ perceptions on the uses and misuses of assessment and how assessment, specifically classroom-based assessment, affect students’ learning motivation, if it does, at the school level, from the stakeholders’ (students, teachers, and parents) views. The participants were 16 students of grade X and XI, 04 parents, and 02 English teachers selected from a private school in Karachi. The data was collected through focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. The overall findings concluded that assessment, mainly classroom-based assessment (CBA), was seen mechanically by the stakeholders since learning was mainly perceived instrumentally. Stakeholders appeared unaware to view assessment in its supportive role and rather seen it for its judgmental role, i.e., the primary purpose of assessment remained limited to report to the parents and students about the progress in the form of quantitative data. The facilitating role of CBA was not seen explicitly in the findings as the stakeholders’ understanding and efforts remained confined to the surface learning approach. The analysis also uncovers that the frequent conduct of assessment (specifically in marked tests) decreases the learning motivation and creates anxiety among the students. The findings also unpacked the visible communication gap among the stakeholders regarding using the assessment and its acquired evidence. Overall, CBA was perceived as a tedious process of teaching, testing, reporting, and follow-ups and did not add enough to increase the student learning motivation. The study implications call for helpful professional development forums for the teachers, providing collaborative opportunities to the stakeholders and ensuring the learner’s active involvement in the process.
Recommended Citation
Ali, Z. S. (2020). Exploring the perceptions of stakeholders about the role of assessment (classroom-based assessment) on students’ learning motivation Karachi, Pakistan (Unpublished master's dissertation). Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.