1 distance education and resource-based learning approaches have the potential for integrating life-long learning

Transcription

1 DETA Conference Panel discussion on Assessment in teacher training delivered through Distance Education in Africa University of Fort Hare The Assessment System of the B.Ed. (Foundation & Intermediate Phase) Programme Liz Botha (slide 1) I have been asked to speak about the continuous assessment system of the B.Ed.(Foundation & Intermediate Phase) programme of the University of Fort Hare. This programme has now been running for seven years, and approximately 900 teachers have graduated from it. (slide 2) There are currently about 900 teachers studying for the qualification, at thirteen centres around the Eastern Cape. The programme is currently being phased out. Background The Fort Hare Distance Education Programme and the B. Prim. Ed. (now B.Ed.(F&I)) were conceived in the heady days of our new democracy 1996/7. (slide 3) Apartheid education was dead, and the way was wide open to take the best that international practice had to offer, and to develop new workable pedagogies, sensitive to our own context. Strong calls for a paradigm shift in education mandated a new approach to both curriculum and to assessment (Kenyon, 2000) The White Paper on Higher Education Transformation of August 1997 urged Higher Education Institutions to increase access by offering materials-based programmes through flexible modes of delivery 1. (slide 4) Basil Moore, an exiled South African working at the University of South Australia did some initial work setting up the DEP, and in 1997, nhlanganiso dladla took over the Directorship. He lost no time in strengthening the partnership with the University of South Australia, and also establishing links with the Open University in the UK. (slide 5) Professor Bob Moon and his team from the OU, here today on a new mission, were excited about the opportunity to assist in setting up a programme which was truly responsive to the needs of the day, in an environment still relatively free of regulation. He urged the B.Ed. team to focus on the needs and context of the teachers, and not be distracted by academics looking over their shoulders 2. (slide 6) At a workshop held in 1997, with OU staff, the foundations were laid for a continuous assessment system. Leading the academic team at that time was Alan Kenyon, also here today. Alan writes, For our course, there was a strong imperative to evolve and develop a pattern of assessment that went beyond paying lip-service to continuous assessment. Our process of development could not be assessment driven. We needed to evolve an assessment pattern that supported and helped build the learning process (Kenyon, 2000, in OLTDE, March 2000). (slide 7) On a visit to the University of South Australia in 1998, Alan visited the Reptile House at the Cleland Animal Park. The display case with each different snake had a Relative Danger Index that correlated a set of factors giving a scientific measure of the overall potential danger to humans of each species. (slide 8) This became the inspiration for a holistic visual representation of the yearly achievement of each teacher-learner on the B.Prim.Ed. programme. A number of aspects of the teacher s 1 distance education and resource-based learning approaches have the potential for integrating life-long learning into the basic shape and structure of higher education, and increasing access by learners to quality programmes. (Government Gazette No , p. 27) 2 the overall message [emerging from the new approach to assessment is] that assessment is now more about learning than testing; assessment for the benefit of the learner and their teacher rather than for accountability to some outside body or programme. (Mothata et all, 2003, p. 96, quoted in Government Gazette 26629, p. 17)

2 performance were combined to produce an overall score (The Professional Quality Index), which determined whether the teacher proceeded to the next year of study or not. (slide 9) The Purpose of the Programme. (slide 10) The programme offers opportunities for teachers across the Eastern Cape to improve their qualifications and transform their practice in line with the new curriculum, and best international practice. The programme is practice-based, activities being richly embedded in theory. It aims at genuine transformation and real upgrading of teaching practice and approaches, based on the needs of the teachers. Key Areas of Competence (slide 11) The programme, and its system of assessment has evolved over time, through discussion with part-time facilitators (abakhwezeli), moderators (affirmers) and institutional partners. The Key Areas of Competence appraised in the programme are: Overall Professional Growth Reflective Practitioner Curriculum Developer and Assessor of Learning Researcher and Innovator Change Advocate and Member of a Professional Community What is assessed? (slide 12) In the first three years of the programme, the Key Areas of Competence are developed and displayed through sixteen Key Activities, ranging over eight discipline focus areas (the modules of the programme), and carried out in classrooms or schools. Evidence of this growth is shown through participation and oral presentations made in the face-to-face sessions, eight hand-in assignments / reflective reports, a professional journal and a portfolio of learner s work, defended in a professional interview. How are the Key Areas of Competence assessed? (slide 13) A 5-level scale, adapted slightly since the early days, is used for all assessment: Weak Inadequate Adequate Very Good Excellent Fails to meet the requirements Does not fully meet the requirements Meets the Requirements Meets the requirements well More than meets the requirements Criteria for each aspect of performance were developed in discussion with the abakhwezeli, at workshops, and criteria for assignments are spelt out in the imithamo, or in the abakhwezeli guides. When and where is assessment done, and by whom? (slide 14) Assessment is both Formative and Summative. In face-to-face sessions, there is regular appraisal of participation, oral presentation and portfolio (evidence brought of activities done) by the teachers themselves, by their peers, and by the abakhwezeli. There is also self and peer assessment of assignments, before they are handed in to abakhwezeli for marking. Focus is placed on responding to the assignments in terms of their requirements, or criteria. A detailed written response is made, starting with positive comments (in what respects has the piece of work fulfilled the requirements?) and going on to constructive comments about how it could have fulfilled the requirements more adequately. Once that has

3 been done, a score is allocated to the piece of work. Teacher-learners exchange journals and write responses to the content (not the quality) of what has been written. Abakhwezeli do this as well, and also attempt to give feedback on the quality of critical reflection in the journal. The journal is not assessed in itself, but the quality of work in it influences the Professional Quality Index (in Year 1), and the scores allocated to reflective practice, in other years. Abakhwezeli keep a Profile Book, which has a section per teacher-learner. In this book, they record their observations of all aspects of the teacher s performance, as well as their personal situation. This book is invaluable in informing final decisions about each teacher-learner s progress through the programme. At the end of each year of study, a cumulative assessment form is filled in for each teacherlearner, and a complete portfolio presentation is made by each teacher, to her/his peers, the umkhwezeli, and the Centre Leader. (slide 15) S/He defends her/his portfolio in a professional interview, explaining why particular pieces of evidence have been selected, and what they demonstrate about the learnings which have taken place. The umkhwezeli writes a comment about each teacher-learner and makes a recommendation with regard to her/his promotion. (slide 16) A week or two later, the portfolio presentation is repeated, for teams of affirmers/moderators, made up of part-time staff from other centres, central university staff, personnel from other similar institutions and personnel from the provincial Department of Education. These teams travel round the province, spending a day in each centre. The results are finalised at a marks meeting which takes place after the moderation process is complete. Distinctive Features 3 (slide 17) Academics who have worked on the programme identified the fact that there are no examinations as the most important feature distinguishing this system from most others. This feature attracts teachers to the programme. They are always surprised at how demanding the assessment requirements are. It is by no means a soft option, as every aspect of what they do is assessed, and it is difficult to satisfy requirements without doing all the activities and assignments thoroughly. Another distinctive feature is the holistic nature of the assessment. Modules are assessed in an integrated fashion. The Professional Quality Index gives a holistic visual representation of how the student was doing, and of the composition of their success. The assessment is not atomistic, or purely statistical, and gives credit where performance has improved over time. Success is not dependent on being able to write academically. The weighting of assessment areas enables teachers who are effective in the classroom, and in face-to-face oral interaction to do well even though their writing skills are relatively undeveloped. This ratio changes as teacher-learners move into fourth year. This distinctive feature has given rise to much discussion and controversy. It goes to the heart of what the degree is about: embedding theory in practice; genuine transformation of teaching practice and approaches; not letting the tail (the qualification) wag the dog (transformed practice). While it gives credit to transformed teachers who do not have well-developed academic skills in English, it does have implications for moving on with an academic career, through a B.Ed. Honours. 3 Focus-group discussion with academics who have been involved with the delivery and assessment of the programme over the last 4 years, 25 th July 2005.

4 Areas for Development (slide 18) It is clear that a win-win situation would be one where more attention was given to developing academic reading and writing skills within the programme. At present, this is done by encouraging a great deal of journal writing, and a fair number of assignments. Guidance and support is incorporated in the imithamo, but this could be extended. More training for abakhwezeli in supporting academic skills development would be the best way to go. At present, the system is very dependent on the judgement of part-time abakhwezeli (facilitators). Extraneous factors such as fear of losing jobs if numbers dwindle, or fear of offending because of living in close proximity with students, do affect reliability at times. The moderation / affirmation process is not always completely successful in picking up and correcting such problems. Team marking of key assignments, by a team headed up by central academic staff, would go some of the way towards easing the problem of abakhwezeli subjectivity, and improving reliability. Regular monitoring visits to centres by central academic staff, and regular workshops for abakhwezeli, where there is a focus on assessment, are helpful, but costly. The quality of what is happening in the classroom is judged within an on-going relationship with the umkhwezeli, and through evidence of classroom activities 4. There is no direct observation of classroom practice. Adjustments which allowed for classroom / school visits would increase validity, but would be costly. It would be worthwhile looking at options which include fewer faceto-face sessions, and changed staff ratios, so that Educator and School Support Officers could be employed. Another option would be the establishment of a strong partnership with the DoE, so that Curriculum Advisors and EDO s could support and assess school and classroom practice. We have had difficulties with aligning results to the university system and departmental requirements. The colour coding of results has been abandoned, because it was too labourintensive, and had to be converted into percentages for both university and provincial department. The programme operates within a new paradigm, which these institutions cannot yet accommodate. Another difficulty has been the fact that the programme is modular in delivery, but not in assessment. Better collaborative planning and preparation at the time of the conception of the programme might have eased these problems. The assessment system is labour-intensive and costly, particularly now that subsidies have been reduced for the Education sector, and for Distance Education programmes. Any substantial decrease in expenditure would be detrimental to reliability and credibility. High costs and low subsidy levels have led Fort Hare to abandon distance education programmes. A new in-service B.Ed. is planned, delivered at the three campuses of the university (Alice, Bhisho and East London). Conclusion In a piece of research into the mode of delivery, the assessment system was cited by teachers as one of the features of the programme which gave most effective support to their learning. (Botha & Osei-Agyakwa, 2001) The assessment system of the B.Ed. programme is inextricably bound up with the programme itself 5. It takes seriously most of the key elements of modern competence-based assessment: it is formative as well as summative; continuous; integrated; criterion-referenced. It assesses applied competence, which is a combination of knowing, doing, understanding and application 4 Where a site-based assessment is not possible, a defensible equivalent is required. (Government Gazette, No 26629, p.22) 5 assessment should be integral to the teaching and learning activities of a learning programme and should therefore be part of the curriculum and learning programme development. A key point is that we cannot assess in an integrated fashion if we do not teach and learn in an integrated fashion. Integrated learning comes before integrated assessment. (Government Gazette, 6 August 2004, p.9)

5 of knowledge. (Government Gazette, 6 August 2004, p.8) It is built into the programme throughout the learning process. It is transparent, and involves the learners in self-monitoring. It engages teachers in real classroom and school-based activities, and gives recognition to teacher achievement in the workplace, as well as in written work. It has offered teacher-learners a model of continuous assessment, opening the eyes of those who were floundering with OBE and OBA. It is to be hoped that lessons learned through this ground-breaking programme can be incorporated into new initiatives. REFERENCES Adendorff, M., et al An Overview of your Fourth Year Studies. University of Fort Hare. Botha, E.K. & Osei-Agyakwa, C The Fort Hare Distance Education Project: Systems Of Delivery And Support. NADEOSA Conference Paper. Botha, E.K. 25 July Focus-group discussion with academics who have been involved with the delivery and assessment of the B.Ed. (F&I) programme over the last 4 years. Government Gazette, No August Education White Paper 3 A Programme for Higher Education Transformation. Pretoria. Government Gazette Vol. 470, No August Guidelines for Integrated Assessment Discussion Document. SAQA. Pretoria Kenyon, A, et al. March Practising what we Preach: Evolving an innovative, progressive continuous assessment procedure for a part-time in-service B.Prim Ed degree course through distance education at Fort Hare, in Open Learning Through Distance Education, March 2000.