Uko, Idorenyin Akaninyene, and J. Gbenga Adewale (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5336-0005)
COMPARISON OF ASSESSMENT ALIGNMENT OF WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION AND NATIONAL EXAMINATION COUNCIL CHEMISTRY QUESTIONS
https://doi.org/10.83151/pwwc-pf47
The objective of this study was to compare alignment with the content of senior secondary school chemistry examination questions set by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) to ascertain how evenly the questions were distributed across the cognitive domains and the themes and topics in their syllabi. Although both examination bodies operate under the same national Chemistry curriculum, concerns have been raised about differences in examination standards, reliability, and the extent to which each body adheres strictly to the prescribed curriculum. Empirical studies directly comparing the curriculum compliance and cognitive distribution patterns of WAEC and NECO examinations are limited, thereby necessitating this comparative investigation. The multiple-choice question papers in Chemistry set by WAEC and NECO in 2023 were obtained for analysis. A total of 90 Chemistry multiple-choice questions (45 from WAEC and 45 from NECO) were used for the study. These questions were administered to 1,000 senior secondary school students who were purposively selected to participate in the study. The items were classified according to curriculum topics and levels of the cognitive domain. Inter-rater reliability was established to ensure consistency in classification, while the internal consistency of the re-administered test was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha (? = 0.83). (3) Research questions guided the study. The questions were answered using t-test analyses, frequencies, and percentages. Findings showed significant differences in the coverage of higher-order thinking skills, with WAEC demonstrating a more balanced distribution of questions across cognitive levels, whereas NECO was skewed towards knowledge and comprehension. In 2023, lower-order cognitive levels accounted for 58.0% of WAEC and 59.18% of NECO multiple-choice Chemistry questions, indicating a predominance of lower-level cognitive demand in both examinations. It was recommended that teachers should ensure adequate coverage of all syllabus topics during instruction, and that examination bodies should maintain balanced cognitive and topic distribution of items to enhance assessment credibility
Keywords: WAEC, NECO, Chemistry Syllabus, Assessment Alignment Content Validity
Uko, Idorenyin Akaninyene, and J. Gbenga Adewale (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5336-0005)
COMPARISON OF ASSESSMENT ALIGNMENT OF WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION AND NATIONAL EXAMINATION COUNCIL CHEMISTRY QUESTIONS https://doi.org/10.83151/pwwc-pf47
The objective of this study was to compare alignment with the content of senior secondary school chemistry examination questions set by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) to ascertain how evenly the questions were distributed across the cognitive domains and the themes and topics in their syllabi. Although both examination bodies operate under the same national Chemistry curriculum, concerns have been raised about differences in examination standards, reliability, and the extent to which each body adheres strictly to the prescribed curriculum. Empirical studies directly comparing the curriculum compliance and cognitive distribution patterns of WAEC and NECO examinations are limited, thereby necessitating this comparative investigation. The multiple-choice question papers in Chemistry set by WAEC and NECO in 2023 were obtained for analysis. A total of 90 Chemistry multiple-choice questions (45 from WAEC and 45 from NECO) were used for the study. These questions were administered to 1,000 senior secondary school students who were purposively selected to participate in the study. The items were classified according to curriculum topics and levels of the cognitive domain. Inter-rater reliability was established to ensure consistency in classification, while the internal consistency of the re-administered test was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha (? = 0.83). (3) Research questions guided the study. The questions were answered using t-test analyses, frequencies, and percentages. Findings showed significant differences in the coverage of higher-order thinking skills, with WAEC demonstrating a more balanced distribution of questions across cognitive levels, whereas NECO was skewed towards knowledge and comprehension. In 2023, lower-order cognitive levels accounted for 58.0% of WAEC and 59.18% of NECO multiple-choice Chemistry questions, indicating a predominance of lower-level cognitive demand in both examinations. It was recommended that teachers should ensure adequate coverage of all syllabus topics during instruction, and that examination bodies should maintain balanced cognitive and topic distribution of items to enhance assessment credibility Keywords: WAEC, NECO, Chemistry Syllabus, Assessment Alignment Content Validity