The Effectiveness of Three Rating Scales in the Assessment of Upper Basic Science Students’ Practical Skills in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Nigeria
Keywords:
science students, practical skills, Rating scalesAbstract
The study analyzed and compared the effectiveness of three rating scales in the
assessment of upper basic science students’ practical skills in Ekiti State. The
study sample consisted of 280 (male and female) students, which were selected
from five junior secondary schools in Ekiti State using multi-stage sampling
techniques. Two null hypotheses were formulated and tested p = 0.05 level of
significance by using the analysis of covariance and student t-test for independent
data, while turkeys HSD post HOC comparison was carried out on the ANCOVA
results to determine the comparative nature of the rating scales. However, findings
showthat there was a significant difference in the practical skills of upper basic
science students assessed with numerical, Likert and graphic rating scales. The
group assessed with numerical rating scales had the best performance in
practical skills. Students’ gender and school type did not significantly affect
students’ practical skills in basic science. Consequently, observational techniques
should hence forth be employed in assessing basic science students’ practical
skills.
References
Agbayewa J. O. (2000). Comparativeness Effectiveness of three problem solving instructional
strategies on students’ Heuristic transfer in Secondary School Physics. Ikere Journal of
Science Education, 1 (1), 26-38.
Alonge, M. F. (2004). Measurement and Evaluation in Education and Psychology. Ado Ekiti: Adedayo
Printing Press. 62-67
Bandele, S. O. (2006). Educational Research in Perspectives. Lagos: Bolabay Publications.
Ilugbusi, A. A. (2007). Refocusing the assessment of integrated Science Students’ practical Skills
through the use of rating scales. Ikere Journal of Education, 7 (1), 42-54.
Kolawole, E. B. and Ilugbusi, A. A. (2007). Cognitive Entry Grades as Predictors of students’ Academic
in Mathematics in Nigerian Universities. Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, 2 (3), 322-326.
Macintosh, H. B. (1974). Techniques and problems of Assessment. A Practical Handbook for Teachers.
London. Edward Arnold Limited.
William, A. M. and Irvin, J. L. (1978). Measurement and Evaluation in Education and Psychology.
Chicago: Holt Rinchart and Winson Publishers.
