ASSESSING NON-COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTS IN EDUCATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR INCLUSIVE LEARNING IN THE NIGERIAN SCHOOL SYSTEM AND SOCIETY
Abstract
The assessment of non-cognitive constructs in schools has continued to be a global issue in the past decades. Perhaps, the reason for this, as some scholars claim, is the complex nature of constructs or the fact that assessment programmes are yet to be developed adequately in these critical areas, compared to the known traditional assessment of educational objectives in the cognitive learning domain. This problem may account for the sole reliance on cognitive measures in the rating of learning competences in our school systems. The formal school curriculum at all levels of learning in Nigeria has no provision for the learning and assessment of affective skills. So that, a learner who excels on the basis of cognitive rating is presumptively deemed fit in learning and character. This is so, even when he or she may be grossly lacking in critical affective values such as grit, tenacity, self-control, curiosity, persistence, confidence, tolerance and the like, whose utility transcend to life after school. This paper explored the fact that assessment of noncognitive constructs in schools would make for inclusive learning
which would be of benefit to the learner and society as a whole.
Keywords: Assessment, cognitive learning outcomes, non-cognitive constructs,
inclusive learning.
Henry Ojating
ASSESSING NON-COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTS IN EDUCATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR INCLUSIVE LEARNING IN THE NIGERIAN SCHOOL SYSTEM AND SOCIETY
Abstract The assessment of non-cognitive constructs in schools has continued to be a global issue in the past decades. Perhaps, the reason for this, as some scholars claim, is the complex nature of constructs or the fact that assessment programmes are yet to be developed adequately in these critical areas, compared to the known traditional assessment of educational objectives in the cognitive learning domain. This problem may account for the sole reliance on cognitive measures in the rating of learning competences in our school systems. The formal school curriculum at all levels of learning in Nigeria has no provision for the learning and assessment of affective skills. So that, a learner who excels on the basis of cognitive rating is presumptively deemed fit in learning and character. This is so, even when he or she may be grossly lacking in critical affective values such as grit, tenacity, self-control, curiosity, persistence, confidence, tolerance and the like, whose utility transcend to life after school. This paper explored the fact that assessment of noncognitive constructs in schools would make for inclusive learning which would be of benefit to the learner and society as a whole. Keywords: Assessment, cognitive learning outcomes, non-cognitive constructs, inclusive learning.