ABSTRACT
The study aimed to find out the assessment practices of lead programs and their implications on students’ Common Final Examination (CFE) performance using mixed method approach by calculating the mean of students’ CFE scores and phenomenology under qualitative method. The participants of the study were fifteen teachers purposively chosen from all lead programs of PHINMA University of Iloilo. The data were gathered using a researcher-made questionnaire through in-depth interviews. The study revealed that the teachers in the lead programs of the university provide a variety of assessment activities such as written quizzes, class recitations, group activities, use of active learning strategies, hands-on and oral examinations, return demonstration for clinical subjects, and pre-comprehensive and posttest exams. These mentioned practices were given at different intervals and frequencies across programs, which resulted to their inadequacies and insufficiencies to meet the needs of the students.
A guidelines recommendation was created to help not just the teachers in their assessment practices but also the students in their classroom interaction which may hopefully lead to higher and better Common Final Examination result.
Keywords: Teachers’ Assessment Practices, Common Final Examination, Student Performance
INTRODUCTION
Regular assessments conducted by teachers in the classroom significantly influence student learning more than any assessments performed outside of the classroom (Absolum et al., 2009). These classroom evaluations play a crucial role in enhancing student understanding, especially when they include formative feedback that aids students in grasping their own learning processes.
Classroom assessments enable the evaluation of skills and competencies that are difficult to measure with external, standardized tests. When assessments are carried out regularly, they offer various forms of evidence that educators can use to track student progress and modify their teaching based on learners' needs. Consequently, in countries with effective student assessment systems, there is a stronger focus on classroom activities and the teacher's role (Clarke, 2012).
In addition, teachers in private universities should also employ and practice different assessment strategies to cater the needs of their varied learners while ensuring that they still provide quality instruction. One of the parameters that the school has set for different board programs in the University is for the students to pass their Common Final Examination.
PHINMA University of Iloilo, in its constant pursuit to bring affordable and quality education to its students, brought about the Common Final Examination (CFE) to all board programs.
The Common Final Examination is given to all students in selected subjects per year level to check and make sure that the students conform and are able to meet the standards and expectations based on the program standards set by the school.
The CFE is given across the network of PHINMA schools, where a common set of tests are given to all students across the network taking the same course. This year the CFE process is being streamlined and thus many initiatives have started. This is where the researcher focused her study on, identifying 15 teachers from the board programs to be part of the study.
The results of the study served as a spotlight that can help Team Learning, deans, school heads, and teachers on what key steps they can do next to provide quality instruction to their students. If the CFE results were to be used correctly, it could determine one student's present levels of strengths and weaknesses, and for teachers to assess and make necessary adjustments in their assessment practices inside the classroom and within the lead program.
see PDF attachment for more information