Effects of Students' Self-Assessment Training on Chemistry Learning Outcome and Attitude to Examination Malpractice in Secondary Schools, Ogun State, Nigeria

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Date
2017-04
Authors
Ogbo, A.C
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Abstract
Student Self-assessment is the process whereby teachers involve students in identifying the criteria to apply to their own work and judging the extent to which these standards are met. Students’ self-assessment helps students to identify their strengths and weaknesses and direct their efforts to what needs to be learnt. Involving the students in self-assessment enhances their ability to learn independently and improve their academic achievement. Since student self-assessment training improves learning, it obviously will help to reduce examination malpractice. Students who are not well taught or prepared for examinations may engage in examination malpractice to avoid failure at all cost. The consequences of indulging in examination malpractice on an educational institution, the student and the nation are rather very serious. Examination malpractice is a big problem to our educational system. It questions the credibility of the examinations and the certificates issued. This study investigated the Effects of Student Self-assessment Training on Chemistry Learning Outcome and Attitude to Examination Malpractice in Ogun State, Nigeria. Quasi-experimental pre- and post- tests control group design was adopted for the study. Five research questions and corresponding hypotheses were raised to guide the study. Multi-stage sampling process was employed to select the participants. The population consisted of all the Senior Secondary Two students in public co-educational secondary schools in Ogun State. The sample consisted of one hundred and eighty four (184) Senior Secondary two (SS II) Chemistry students drawn from public co-educational schools.The instruments used to collect data were the Student Self-assessment Scale in Chemistry (SSASC), Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) and Attitude to Examination Malpractice Scale (AEMS); with Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficients of 0.83, 0.79 and 0.90 respectively. Data collected were analysed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. Results revealed that participants exposed to Student Self-assessment Training showed significant improvement in their Post-test Chemistry Achievement unlike those in the control group. The findings showed that the interaction of gender and experimental conditions had no significant effect on students’ achievement in Chemistry. The study also revealed that students’ Selfassessment significantly helped participants in experimental group to develop a negative attitude to examination malpractice. Also, gender and experimental conditions had no significant interaction effect on participants’ post-test attitude to examination malpractice. The results indicated that participants in the experimental group significantly acquired better self-assessment skills as evident in their post-test self-assessment scores when compared to those who did not receive the self-assessment training. These findings were discussed in relation to the relevant literature. The researcher therefore recommends that student selfassessment be infused into the teaching and learning process at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels to equip learners with life-long learning skills and improve academic achievement. Student Self-assessment Training should be employed as a means of curbing examination malpractice since it makes the learner confident and conversant with the subject matter.
Description
A Thesis Submitted to the School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Lagos
Keywords
Student Self-assessment , Chemistry Learning Outcome , Examination Malpractice , Academic achievement
Citation
Ogbo, A.C (2017). Effects of Students' Self-Assessment Training on Chemistry Learning Outcome and Attitude to Examination Malpractice in Secondary Schools, Ogun State, Nigeria. A Thesis Submitted to University of Lagos School of Postgraduate Studies Phd Thesis, 186p.