Challenges of Formative Assessment Implementation in Lesotho Secondary Schools: Grade 8 Arts & Entrepreneurship
Arts and Entrepreneurship (A&E) in Lesotho secondary schools face challenges in implementing formative assessment. Introduced in 2017, A&E aims to develop creative and entrepreneurial skills among students. The study investigates the impact of formative assessment in Grade 8 A&E, barriers to effective teaching, and ways to support teachers in assessing A&E.
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THE 13THSOUTHERN AFRICAN ASSOCIATION FOR EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT TOPIC: CHALLENGES FACING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IN LESOTHO SECONDARY SCHOOLS: THE CASE OF GRADE 8 ARTS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP Presented By: Mr. Tumelo Motai Examinations Council of Lesotho
Arts and entrepreneurship (A & E) is a learning area that draws content from Business Education, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Home Economics, Art, Crafts, Technical subjects, Music, Drama and theatre in the newly introduced Integrated Curriculum in Lesotho. Arts and entrepreneurship was first introduced in Lesotho Secondary Schools in 2017. It is meant to promote: Individual expressions, personal and aesthetic development through the practice and appreciation of the creative arts; Understanding of the physical, socio-economic and technological environment as a prerequisite for learning and living; Acquisition and application of creative and entrepreneurial skills in solving everyday life challenges; Appropriate attitudes and values for a successful, creative and entrepreneurial culture. Gouws, (2002) states that, entrepreneurial education is a purposeful intervention, by the teacher in the life of a learner (student) to impact innovative qualities and skills to enable the learner to survive in the world of business.
Grade 8 (Integrated Curriculum) Grade 9 Vocational Artisan Academic
The syllabus for A&E aims at formative assessment for learners. Formative assessment is a range of formal and informal assessment procedures conducted by teachers during the learning process in order to modify teaching and learning activities to improve attainment. An ongoing system of monitoring and assessing learners progress. It is closely integrated with the teaching and learning processes and actually supports learning. It is formative assessment, done in the school environment through daily teaching. It can also be achieved through projects, quizzes, tests, interviews and observations. (Curriculum and Assessment Policy 2009) This study was to determine the impact of formative assessment for Grade 8 Arts and Entrepreneurship in Lesotho Secondary Schools. The study had the following objectives: To determine the impact of formative assessment for Grade 8 A & E, to find out possible barriers to the effective teaching of A & E and to find how teachers could be assisted to assess A & E.
The study employed an interview to gather data. Teachers from four schools which piloted (A & E) were interviewed. These are teachers those who teach subjects from which content are has been drawn: Business Education, Information and Communication Technology (ICT)/Computer Education, Home Economics, and Technical subjects. However the study sample could not include teachers for Art, Crafts, Music and Drama and Theatre as there were none who specialized and taught these subjects at secondary school level. In an interview with teachers the study explored possible barriers to the implementation of formative assessment for A &E. Most teachers have the syllabus which was disseminated by MoET and (NCDC). However teachers felt that workshops for the dissemination of the syllabus were not very informative as they were hosted for few days. Teachers pointed out that the syllabus had not clearly defined the assessment criteria for (A&E). The content taught in class is to is assessed through projects. Assessing these projects is a challenge.
Absence of learners books and teachers guides were a major concern by the teachers. They stated that with the syllabus alone it was not easy for them to impart knowledge to the learners. They faced a challenge of buying different books from which little content was drawn given the nature of the subject. Besides that acquiring these books was expensive for parents. Shortage of teaching facilities, such as computers and workshops are also the most prominent constraint to effective assessment of practical skills in most schools. These are: computers, laboratories, studios, workshops for practical subjects. Some schools that have workshops are boys schools which inculcated the vocational skills in boys, while on the other hand girls schools provided home-economics because in Basotho culture girls would take care of the family in the future as house wives. Schools which had laboratory facilities accommodated few learners in proportion to the huge numbers enrolled at grade 8 after the introduction of free primary education. Teachers pointed out that it was not easy to reach out to every learner during the acquisition C&E skills and concepts.
Some educators argue that they lack skills to teach some content for this learning area therefore to assess learners was a challenge. They stated that they assess the learning outcomes they concentrated on when teaching their subjects specialization. At one school the language and linguistic department was asked to assist in Drama and Theatre content, but teachers in that department were resistant to help. Despite the factors drawn above, teachers feel that Arts and Entrepreneurship could be very helpful for a Mosotho child as it natures and instills the creativity and entrepreneurial culture in an individual. They argue that the learning area has been introduced without critically considering crucial factors. Learners who had potential of studying further Accounting, ICT, Business Studies and Economics, were provided little foundation A&E. Those who were gifted in art and vocational skills, institutions sharpening such skills were not yet ready to take over the assignment. In the end such learners dreams simply fade away.
The study has found that the aim of secondary education which is providing learners with advanced entrepreneurial, vocational and technological skills for the world of work and further studies has not been achieved. Mention must be made that despite the hiccups seen during the teaching and learning of Arts and Entrepreneurship, teachers highly appreciate the role the subject plays in the development of a productive Mosotho child. However for government through the Ministry of Education and Training to achieve the mandate set out by the curriculum and assessment policy, a lot is to be done to empower teachers, and equip schools with the necessary facilities so that the subject is effectively taught and assessed.
Recommendations Based on findings from this study, the following recommendations are made: There is dire need for capacitation of teachers through workshops to assist them to teach effectively and then provide remedial feedback to learners. The study has found out that given the nature and content of the subject, a three day workshop was not enough to have fully equipped teachers with the necessary guidelines on how to assess (C&E). Subjects specialists from institution of higher learning can play a vital role in empowering teachers. Lesotho College of Education, Limkonkwing University of Creative Technology, National University of Lesotho and Lerotholi Polytechnic to mention a few. An outcry from teachers is that absence of learners books and teachers guides in classrooms was a big issue. It is recommended that the Ministry of Education and Training must supply the teaching sector with the learners books and teachers guides urgently.
Limited teaching resources, such as computer laboratories and workshops are a huge constraint to effective teaching and assessing of practical skills for (C&E). It is undisputable that there is need for a huge capital expenditure for construction of laboratories, studios, workshops, drawing rooms and home economics laboratories. However government is advised to speedily put in place these infrastructure. Some educators argue that they lack skills to teach content for this learning area. Most teachers are specialists in Business Education, Home Economics, ICT, Wood-work, and Technical Drawing. The Teacher Training college and National University of Lesotho must introduce educational courses that meet the needs of the newly introduced curriculum in secondary schools. This will help provide the needed workforce to eradicate the scarcity of teachers who are not competent in teaching Arts and Entrepreneurship.
Introduction of Music, Art and Vocational schools is of a dire need for Lesotho education system. For those learners who are outstanding in the artisan and vocational streams, their dreams simply fade away after grade 8 because there is no where they can sharpen their talent further. The Examinations Council of Lesotho in collaboration with the National Curriculum Development Centre, are faced with a big challenge of training teachers on assessment strategies. A further challenge is to maintain assessment standards so as to ensure that assessment is aligned with instruction of Arts and Entrepreneurship in schools, and nationally.
THE END Thank You
