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Preservice Economics Teachers Perception And Attitude Towards The Use Of Computer-based Test For Assessment
[A CASE STUDY OF UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN]
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Some key reasons for using computer-based test are to increase the frequency of assessment; motivating students to learn and encouraging skills practice, to broaden the range of knowledge assessed; to increase feedback to students and lecturers; and, to extend the range of assessment methods. Increase in objectivity, consistency and reduction in marking loads aid administrative efficiency (Özden, Ertürk, and Sanli, 2004).
Computer-based test is increasing its usage for reasons like entrance exams in education, military training exams, certification exams by professional groups and promotional exams in various stages of life. Lowry (2005) views a computer-based test as a way to increasingly provide a quick method of marking summative assessments for large groups of students.
Computer-based test came into Nigeria education system through ETC (electronic test company). The introduction of CBT enables educators and trainers to author, schedule and deliver tests and exams. Their centres’ are located at: University of Ilorin in Kwara State, Oba Akran Avenue Ikeja in Lagos, University of Lagos in Lagos, University of Agriculture in Makurdi, Federal University of Technology in Minna, University of Maidugiri in Borno, and University of Ibadan in Oyo State. Additional centres are currently under construction all over Nigeria with expectation to have up to 25,000 computers located in various centres throughout the country (Oladipo, 2009).The era of computer-based test came into existence because of the disadvantages of paper-based test. According to Leland (2012), paper-based test dates back to the development of the Army Alpha and Beta tests with the purpose of screening recruits for mental competence.
The face of examinations in Nigeria is gradually getting a new look due to the introduction of the computer based test (CBT) system. CBT system has been used by a number of Nigerian universities to conduct their POST UTME(Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination) for prospective students. It all started with University of Ilorin and Covenant University some years ago. The system is expected to heal the ills been faced by the traditional paper-pencil system which have been long associated with inconsistency, fraud, poor delivery, malpractice, insecurity, improper scoring candidates and so on. Students are also privileged to access their results after examination. This has made the CBT system more efficient in Nigerian universities (Nigeria Portal, 2009).
Perception is a process by which organisms interpret and organize sensation to produce a meaningful experience of the world. Perception can be described as one’s ultimate experience of the world (Microsoft Encarta, 2009). Successful integration of technology into education has been requiring stakeholders to have appropriate perceptions about test mode (Koksal, and Yaman, 2009). Perception is basically to attach personal meanings to internal and environmental inputs received through the senses and neural impulses (Schunk, 2000). Personal meanings attached to any input are determinative factors in processing of this input. Perception has been influenced by many factors such as customs, habits, education and motivation (Thinkquest, 2007). Technological developments have many effects on various aspects of education. Successful integration of technology into higher institution is an important aspect of education which can enhance the development of a nation. The perception of the stakeholders has effect on integration of the technological equipment (Cope and Ward, 2002).
Research on attitudes has a very long tradition in the social sciences, and techniques relating to assessment are becoming more sophisticated (Benninghaus 1976: Krebs and Schmidt 1993). Much effort has been made to refine questionnaires, scales and data analysis. Besides simply getting to know attitude patterns and components of a population, there is a rather implicit goal which lies behind these efforts (Neuman and Robinson 2004). The wish to explain behaviour by attitudes has always been one of the major desiderata in empirical research. Solving this problem also addresses an issue of justification for social sciences: if behaviour is influenced by attitudes, various ways to influence behaviour are open to academicians, sociologists, professionals in human and behavioural sciences.
Getting to know general attitude patterns towards the internet via a representative sample, one can obtain knowledge beyond demographic characteristics about factors which might hinder people from getting on-line. The measurement of attitudes is a considerably more difficult problem than measuring the influence of demographics on people’s internet and computer usage behaviour. Adjzen (1993) defined attitude as follows “Attitude is an individual’s disposition to react with a certain degree of favorableness or un-favorableness to an object, behavior, person, institution, and event or to any discriminable aspect of the individual’s world.†This definition points to a key element of attitudes: an evaluative dimension. Using scale to evaluate attitudes is common way to obtain information about respondent’s evaluations.
Furthermore, attitudes are multidimensional in the sense that they include three components: a cognitive and emotional and a behavioral component. The cognitive component includes perceptions and knowledge of the attitude object, typically represented via stereotypes. The emotional or affective component represents feelings towards the attitude object and the behavioral or cognitive component addresses questions of reacting towards the attitude object. Through accepting this definition of attitudes, one employs a multidimensional model of attitudes which can serve as a useful heuristic to structure analysis and data measurement.As is often the case with heuristics, in practice we find exceptions; for example the question whether attitudes are really best represented by a tripartite model or whether it would be preferable to construct a bipolar model (consisting of a cognitive and an affective component only). This question becomes even more important as the cognitive component is the most difficult to measure, when thinking about one-dimensional and precise operationalization. Adjzen (1993) suggests using behavioural intentions as an indicator for the cognitive component.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]ABSTRACT COMING SOON ... Continue reading---
APPENDIX A - [ Total Page(s): 2 ]APPENDIXUNIVERSITY OF ILORINFACULTY OF EDUCATIONINSTITUTE OF EDUCATIONQUESTIONNAIRE ON PRESERVICE ECONOMICS TEACHERS PERCEPTION AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE USE OF COMPUTER-BASED TEST FOR ASSESSMENT IN UNIVERSITY OF ILORINDear Respondent,The objective of this questionnaire is to elicit information on Pre-service economics teachers perception and attitude towards the use of computer-based test for assessment in university of Ilorin. The information provided will be treated as strictly confidential an ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER TWO - [ Total Page(s): 8 ]The use of computer-based examinations combines advantages with respect to content (integration of other media, favourable presentation of pictures, and possibility of other examination formats) with rapid data analysis. This promises higher efficiency with respect to implementation and evaluation (Hochlehnert, Brass, Moeltner and Juenger, 2011). Computer experience is a major factor in explaining the difference between students’ performance on computer-based tests (Lee, 1986). Boo (1997) ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER THREE - [ Total Page(s): 2 ]The research instrument wasvalidated by the researcher’s supervisor and
three lecturers from the Department of Social Science Education,
University of Ilorin, Nigeria. The face and contents validation of the
instrument was done to ensure that items in the questionnaire are
appropriate and suitable to assess exactly what it is meant for. The
reliability of the instrument was determined by administrating the
instrument on 10 randomly selected pre-service teachers from Social
S ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER FOUR - [ Total Page(s): 5 ]Summary of FindingThe following finding findings were derived from the study through research questions;1. Pre service Economics teachers’ perceived CBT to be usefulness for assessment in University of Ilorin.2. Pre service Economics teachers’ perceived CBT to be easy to use for assessment in University of Ilorin3. The attitude of Pre service Economics teachers’ towards the use of CBT for assessment in University of Ilorin is not positive. ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER FIVE - [ Total Page(s): 2 ]ConclusionIn light of this, the study discovered that though CBT is usefulness and easy to use but students still have a negative attitude towards it due to factors like anxiety and computer competency.RecommendationsBased on the findings and conclusions, the following recommendations were made:1. Nigerian universities should improve the efficiency of computer-based test to increase its credibility.2. Lecturer sand students should be encouraged on the use of computer- based test irre ... Continue reading---
