Roles of Testing

In today's system, testing has become a critical policy in any environment. Schools administer various kinds of tests to students, industries or companies give tests to applicants, organizations tests their members for various reasons. Regardless of whatever the purpose of testing, the main objective of testing is to differentiate and classify individuals to specific roles and functions.

School Based Assessment Program in Sri Lanka: An Overview

This year, I am posted as Teaching-Learning Methodologies Specialist cum Team Leader of the Secondary Education Modernization Project II: Package 2 (Curriculum Development) of the Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka from January to July, 2009. This project is funded by Asian Development Bank.

The SEMPII has  3 packages. Package 1 focuses on Educational Planning and Management, Package 2 on Curriculum Development, and Package 3 is on Information and Communication Technology. In package 2, the major activities include development of capacity building in teaching-learning methodologies and development of resources and use, science instruction, technology/technical instruction, library development, and student and instructional evaluation.

On January 12-13, 2009, the consultants of all packages were gathered for a Project Orientation held at the National Education Institute (NIE), Meepe Campus. Among the topics presented was the School-Based Assessment Programme of Sri Lanka. As Educational Assessment Practitioner, I am summarizing some of the points presented by Dr. G.L.S. Nanayakkara based on the materials distributed during the orientation.

What is School-based Assessment or SBA?

-  An asessment carried out in schools by pupils' own teachers, with the prime purpose of improving pupils' learning.

- SBA should be formative and diagnostic

- Overall aim of SBA is to improve the quality of learning, teaching and assessment.

Why is SBA superior than one-shot written examinations?

High Validity - in many subjects some objectives cannot be assessed though a single written test alone, during a short period (e.g., subjects involving practical skills). Subject objectives can be readily assessed through SBA.

High Reliability - over a period of about 2 years, a teacher is able to assess a pupil several times using a variety of modalities. The average of such assessment is more reliable.

Evolution of SBA in Sri Lanka

1986 - Department of Examinations initiated Continuous Assessment Scheme to serve a component of the GCE (O/L) Exams. It had been abandoned in 1989.

1994 - NIE initiated a Classroom Based Assessment Program for Grades 6-9. Piloted in NWP and lated extended to 100 schools. Revised and changed as SBA. A training program on SBA was also launched during the year.

1999 - Revised SBA Programme was implemented at national level in Grade 6 and 9, under the Education Reform Programme.

2001 - Department of Examinations did further revision and implemented the revised SBA program to GCE (O/L) Grades, with SEMP assistance.

2003 - Department of Examinations extended the implementation of SBA Program to GCE (A/L) Grades.

Inclusion of SBA Grades in the certificated commenced in 2002 for GCE (O/L) and 2005 for GCE (A/L).

What are the key characteristics of the current SBA Program?

• extraordinary simplicity
• teacher-friendliness
• openness and transparency of assessment practices
• amenable to continuous external monitoring.
• promotes the use of diverse assessment modalities
• encourages competency-oriented teaching-learning
• not being burdensome to teachers and students
• use of definitive number of criteria ( n=5) and definitive number of marks per criterion (n=4)
• use a simple 10-point scoring rubric

What are the identified strengths of the SBA Program?

• implemented satisfactorily in the majority of schools
• popularity is growing among teachers and pupils
• teachers pay more attention to plan assessment tasks than before
• pupils pay more attention to skills development, due to high recognition given for skills in SBA
• assessment results are used to give immediate feedback to pupils

What are the recent developments relating to SBA?

• A program to improve school term tests was pilot tested and arrangements are being made to include selected term tests marks to SBA marks (one per term)
• SBA mark sheets submitted by schools are checked by a special panel of Subject Directors at the zonal level, before the mark sheets are forwarded to the Department of Examinations.
• Discussions on integrating SBA marks and external examination marks in order to award a single grade for Aesthetic subjects of the GCE (O/L) are in progress.
• A tele-drama with 15 episodes for awareness creation.

Some future needs.....

• Developing suitable mechanisms to moderate raw SBA marks prior to integrating with external exams marks.
• Extending integration of SBA marks and external exams marks for more subjects.
• Training the National Testing and Examinations Service officers on SBA moderation practices.
• Re-establishing Zonal Monitoring Panels.
• Marking SBA Grades acceptable to the employer, community, and general public.