QUALITY ASSURANCE MECHANISMS IN CONSTRUCTING TEACHER-MADE TEST ITEMS IN THE TEACHER TRAINING COLLEGES, CAMEROON
https://doi.org/10.83151/qp4s-5376
The shift in paradigm from standardized tests to much more predominant teacher-made tests in the Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) of Cameroon, especially against the backdrop of the progressive transformation of these institutions to align with the country’s reality and goals of sustainable development, presupposes the construction and use of quality teacher-made test items that accurately capture students’ acquisition of pedagogical content knowledge. This, apparently, is not often the case as teachers’ test items have been found wanting with regard to quality. Thereby, raising concerns about teachers’ adherence to quality assurance mechanisms inherent in their test construction processes, and on which basis, many critical decisions are often taken. Based on this premise, this study sought to assess quality assurance mechanisms in test item construction and their influence on the effectiveness of teacher-made tests in the TTCs. The study adopted the survey research design and conveniently selected five out of the seven government TTCs of the North West Region of Cameroon. Using a disproportionate stratified random sampling method, a sample of 134 teachers was selected out of a population of 207. A 12-item questionnaire was used for data collection. A reliability coefficient of 0.84 was determined using Cronbach Alpha Cronbach Alpha and the content validity index was assessed to be 0.87. Data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics, one-sample t-test, and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed (P<0.01) that teachers of the TTCs do not significantly adhere to quality assurance mechanisms in the construction of their test items. The findings further refuted the fact that the qualification and teaching experience of teachers were perfect predictors of quality assurance mechanisms in constructing teacher-made test items in the TTCs. On the grounds of the above findings, and to improve adherence to quality assurance mechanisms in constructing teacher-made test items, it was recommended that the Ministry of Secondary Education must make a conscious and sustained effort in the training and retraining of teachers of the TTCs in the development of quality test items to attain these enviable goals.
Keywords: Quality assurance mechanisms, Teacher-made tests, Test construction processes, Sustainable development goals, Teacher Training Colleges.
Dr Victor Mbah Foghang,
QUALITY ASSURANCE MECHANISMS IN CONSTRUCTING TEACHER-MADE TEST ITEMS IN THE TEACHER TRAINING COLLEGES, CAMEROON https://doi.org/10.83151/qp4s-5376
The shift in paradigm from standardized tests to much more predominant teacher-made tests in the Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) of Cameroon, especially against the backdrop of the progressive transformation of these institutions to align with the country’s reality and goals of sustainable development, presupposes the construction and use of quality teacher-made test items that accurately capture students’ acquisition of pedagogical content knowledge. This, apparently, is not often the case as teachers’ test items have been found wanting with regard to quality. Thereby, raising concerns about teachers’ adherence to quality assurance mechanisms inherent in their test construction processes, and on which basis, many critical decisions are often taken. Based on this premise, this study sought to assess quality assurance mechanisms in test item construction and their influence on the effectiveness of teacher-made tests in the TTCs. The study adopted the survey research design and conveniently selected five out of the seven government TTCs of the North West Region of Cameroon. Using a disproportionate stratified random sampling method, a sample of 134 teachers was selected out of a population of 207. A 12-item questionnaire was used for data collection. A reliability coefficient of 0.84 was determined using Cronbach Alpha Cronbach Alpha and the content validity index was assessed to be 0.87. Data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics, one-sample t-test, and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed (P<0.01) that teachers of the TTCs do not significantly adhere to quality assurance mechanisms in the construction of their test items. The findings further refuted the fact that the qualification and teaching experience of teachers were perfect predictors of quality assurance mechanisms in constructing teacher-made test items in the TTCs. On the grounds of the above findings, and to improve adherence to quality assurance mechanisms in constructing teacher-made test items, it was recommended that the Ministry of Secondary Education must make a conscious and sustained effort in the training and retraining of teachers of the TTCs in the development of quality test items to attain these enviable goals. Keywords: Quality assurance mechanisms, Teacher-made tests, Test construction processes, Sustainable development goals, Teacher Training Colleges.