Competencies and Skills in the Assessment Course: The Perspective of the Graduate Teacher in Ghana

Abstract

The study determined the competencies and skills of the assessment course to the practicing teachers in the Agona West and East Municipalities of Ghana. The descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The target population for the study was all core subject teachers in the six public SHSs in the Agona West and East Municipalities of Ghana. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 204 core subject teachers in six SHSs for the study. Questionnaire was used to collect data for the study. The reliability coefficient for the questionnaire was 0.71. Frequencies, percentages, and document content analysis were statistical tools used for the data analysis. The findings of the study showed that, to a great extent, teachers indicated they have acquired competencies and skills upon taking the course which helped them to plan a test bearing in mind the purpose for the tests. Teachers indicated the course has helped them to avoid ambiguity in test items. It was found that the course should be more practical in content. It is recommended that teachers should apply the competencies and skills gained in the course when assessing their students. This would make teachers get accurate information on their students so that the right decisions can be taken. Furthermore, lecturers who teach the assessment course should include examples which would make the instruction interesting and lively. This would aid students to comprehend what is taught so that transfer of knowledge into solving problems in new environment would be achieved. It would again, erase the perception that the course is difficult from the minds of some students.