Exploring the use of assessment feedback to support learning environments in public primary schools in South Africa Dr Gugulethu Nkambule Umalusi, South Africa Gaborone, Botswana 19 – 22 May 2019

PRESENTATION OUTLINE Problem statement Literature review Objectives of the study Conceptual framework Research questions Research methodology Data collection Data analysis Findings Conclusion Recommendations 2

Problem statement Poor learner performance of South African primary school learners in national, regional and international benchmarking assessments. Reasons for poor performance? Literature suggests that poor learner performance is due to inadequate and limited knowledge of teachers to cope with implementation of curriculum reforms and the interpretation of assessments. The myriad of curricular changes (four curricular changes between1997 and 2012), as well as national testing (introduced for the first time in public primary schools in 2011-2014). In addition, poor reading and inability of learners to deal with questions requiring critical thinking and problem solving skills are considered as one of the causative factor for poor learner performance. The reasons above have prompted a need to intensify the use of assessment feedback to support primary school teachers to improve learner performance. 3

Literature review What is assessment? Assessment is a broad term with various definitions. From a South African perspective, the subject assessment guidelines of the DBE defines assessment as a “continuous planned process of identifying, gathering and interpreting information about the performance of learners, using various forms of assessment” (DBE, 2012: 97). The Great School Partnership (2015) defines assessment as the use of variety of methods or tools by teachers to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning, progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of students. 4

Literature review Purpose of assessment / reasons for conducting assessment: (Most definitions about assessment attest that, assessment involves 4 steps, namely:) generating and collecting evidence of achievement; evaluating this evidence; recording the findings; using this information to understand and thereby assist the learner’s development in order to improve the process of learning and teaching. What is assessment feedback? Assessment feedback refers to the use of information about learning programmes / results to improve subsequent learning and development. 5

Formative assessment (assessment as/ for learning) Summative assessment (assessment of learning) DIFFERENCES Identifies baseline information about learners’ achievements to inform instruction. Captures the culmination of learners’ achievements within a specified time frame. Occurs throughout the school year. Occurs at the end of an academic unit or academic year. About giving feedback to learners on their progress in order to help them to maximise their potential. Purpose is to document what learners have learnt. Do little or nothing to shape future instruction. The use of results to modify and improve teaching techniques during an instructional period. Evaluating the academic achievements at the conclusion of an instructional period. It is associated with tests and examinations.

Literature review Emphasis in assessment - Assessment is widely recognised as an important part of the learning cycle. Internationally, the UNESCO (2015: 189): places much emphasis on the ‘quality education for all’ during standardised testing. The United States introduced the NCLB Act (2001) and Race to the Top as common academic standards and assessment, to ensure that all students make adequate progression on core academic areas (McGuinn, 2012; Ransford et al., 2009; Minstroop & Sundermann, 2009). In South Africa: the principal goal of the DBE is to improve the quality of basic education by raising learner test scores in Grades 1 to 9 (DBE, 2011; 2013). The DBE aspires to see an upward trend in the TIMMS, PIRLS and SACMEQ). 7

Literature review How to improve? The Annual National Assessments (ANA) implementation provided a more diagnostic interpretation of learner achievement of primary school learners in South Africa. Important lessons learnt from the ANA implementation have been incorporated in the new National Integrated Assessment Framework (NIAF), which includes three different, yet complimentary tiers of assessment, namely: Systemic evaluations (grades 3, 6 and 9 / focuses on test and questionnaire development / linked to the DBE’s commitment to participate in TIMMS, PIRLS and SACMEQ). Diagnostic assessment (annual supply of assessment tools to strengthen teachers’ classroom assessments). Summative assessment (setting and processing of an end-of-year examinations in selected grades and subjects). 8

Literature review Why investigating assessment feedback? To date, there is not enough research that has been conducted on assessment feedback to support primary school teachers to improve learner performance. Contextualised research is needed to justify reasons for using assessment feedback to enhance performance. 9

Objectives of the study This study aims at: reflecting on the use of assessment feedback to support teachers to improve learner performance in primary schools. shifting the focus of research from the senior grades by investigating the use of assessment feedback in the lowest end of the system, namely, the Grades 1-9. 10

Conceptual framework Improving the quality of teaching and learning Organisational support theory The policy framework for improving the quality of education Informed by goal number 6 of the UNESCO’s ‘Education for All’ (EFA), Focuses on how well an organisation meets the socio-emotional needs of its employees. 11

Research questions The following two research questions underpinned the study: How do primary school teachers experience external assessment feedback support in a South African school district? How do primary school teachers experience internal assessment feedback support in a South African school district? These questions lead to reasoning / substantiation on how assessment feedback can be used to enhance the teaching and learning environment. 12

Research Methodology A qualitative research approach, located in the interpretative paradigm, was used for the purpose of this study . A case study was conducted in three primary schools offering grades 1-9 in one circuit office in the Nkangala school district in the Mpumalanga province in South Africa. Participants: 3 principals, 8 HODs and 9 PL1 teachers. 13

Data Collection Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with the principals, and separate focus group interviews for the HODs and PL1 teachers were conducted. Documents analysis (school improvement plans, class visit reports for subject advisors, HODs and deputy principals, as well as the ANA results0 were evaluated. Non-participant observation (3 phase meetings and a cluster workshop) 14

Data Analysis Content analysis – was used to analyse the data that was collected from the interviews, documents and observation. How conducted? Coding, categorising, looking for recurring patterns, similarities, inconsistencies, or contradictions was followed to analyse the data. Categories, patterns and emerging themes were linked to the research questions and discussed in relation to the relevant literature. 15

Findings Comment Annual off-site workshops are conducted (focuses on content coverage, lesson preparation and guidance on setting tests). The workshops do not provide teachers with information on how to support learners.  Primary school teachers received training on the national intervention strategies (covers ANA implementation, curriculum coverage, provision of exemplars, support material and workbooks) The national interventions did not provide guidance for teachers to deal with learners with learning difficulties in their classrooms.  A proposal was made that the off-site workshops be conducted during school holidays. This could help to circumvent the loss of time for teaching and learning.

Findings Comment Participants perceived the curriculum support as surveillance intended mostly to ensure compliance with the prescripts. These curriculum support seldom focussed on the use of assessment feedback to support teachers to improve learner performance. Internal support focuses on phase and subject meetings, observing classroom teaching, and controlling of learner books and portfolios. No evidence of supporting teachers to use assessment feedback.

Findings Comment Inadequate human resources in the form of subject advisors and HODs. Insufficient subject advisors and HODs hinder effective support for teachers.  HODs guide teachers in subjects which they had no or limited knowledge (since teachers specialised in two or three subjects in SA during teacher training. The learner-educator ratio system of the DBE limits the appointment of teachers in schools.

Findings Comment The Grades 1-9 teachers do not participate in projects (MSSI, Dinaledi, Khanyisa, Integrated Education Projetct) offered in certain sectors in some provinces in SA. There is lack of additional support for primary school teachers as the focus is on the high school teachers.  The documents, meetings and workshop did not specify the kind of support for teachers to improve learner performance. No focus on the use of assessment feedback to improve learner performance.

Findings Comment The ANA results were below the national target of 60%. No attempt was made by the DBE officials to support teaching and learning to the underperforming schools.

Conclusion Consistent problem? The DBE officials did not use the ANA results to support teachers and learners in schools which were consistently achieving below the national target. At the time of conducting the study, there were no measures in place to use assessment feedback to support teachers to deal with learners with poor reading and those who cannot answer questions requiring critical thinking and problem solving skills. 21

Conclusion How could support be conducted? The DBE should strengthen the on-site support for teachers. McKinney (2009: 86) advised that when learners perform below the level of achievement, the levels of support should be contextualised and made appropriate to the challenges experienced. Capraro. et al. (2011: 3) suggested that teachers should decide on the knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs which warrant assessment; at what point and for what specific purpose they should be assessed; and which tools might best accomplish these classroom-based assessments. The DBE has rolled out the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) tools for the foundation phase, which identify ways of teaching reading in African languages. 22

Recommendations This study recommends that the use of assessment feedback to support primary school teachers should focus on enhancing the teacher content knowledge, the choice of teaching strategies, the setting of quality tasks, and improving the feedback practices in order to improve teaching and learning. The DBE should focus on developing programmes to improve poor reading as well as enhancing the ability of learners to answer questions requiring critical and problem solving skills. 23

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