Teacher’s satisfaction of assessment process of competency based curriculum in primary school education in sri lanka

Abstract

Assessment is one of the main components in the curriculum process. From 1997 Government has drawn attention to enhance assessment procedure in the primary education. Therefore the government has planned several training programs for developing teacher’s capacity in this purpose. In this study researchers try to identify the teacher’s satisfaction of Assessment process of Competency Based Curriculum at Primary Level. Grade 1 to Grade 5 is considered as primary level in the Sri Lankan Education System. Competency based curriculum and formative and summative evaluations are used in the primary levels. At present the government pays more consideration for the formative assessment methods than summative assessment methods. There are three objectives in this study. Those are: (i) To identify assessment methods that teachers use at primary level (ii) To find out teachers satisfaction to assess children at primary level (iii) To find out the problems faced by teachers of assessment process in the Primary level. Survey method was used for data collection in this study. The researchers collected data from 123 teachers through questionnaires. Formative (continuous assessment-subjective, common, portfolio and anecdotal report) and summative methods (teacher made question papers, term test and question paper made by external resource person) are used by every class teachers as assessment methods. Most of the primary class teachers (46%) strongly agree to do subjective records. Because first language, mathematics and environment related activities, are the main subjects in the primary curriculum. Teachers feel that, subjective records are convenient to assess the children. 83% of the primary teachers agree or strongly agree to maintain common assessment records. 61% of the teachers agree or strongly agree to maintain essential learning competencies. According to the new education reforms teachers have to assess students’ performances. They are assessing students through summative and formative assessment methods. But their satisfactions varies about those assessment methods. Teachers face internal and external problem is to assess children.