Effect of assessment for learning method on students’ academic achievement in carpentry and joinery in technical colleges

The problem of the study. The conventional assessment methods used in evaluating the academic achievement of students have been saddled with deficiencies. Research methods. This study examined the effect of assessment for learning method on students’ academic achievement in carpentry and joinery works in technical colleges in Edo and Delta States, Nigeria using quasi-experimental research design. The population for this study comprised of 430 students and the sample size was 68 vocational II carpentry and joinery students from two intact classes randomly drawn from the 12 technical colleges in Edo and Delta States. The instrument used for data collection was Carpentry and Joinery Works Achievement Test (CJWAT) developed by the researcher from NBTE curriculum. The instrument was tested by three experts. The reliability of CJWAT was calculated using Kuder Richardson formulae 21 (KR-21) and a reliability coefficient of .78 was achieved. Mean and standard deviation were used to address study questions whereas one-way and two-way Covariance Analysis (ANCOVA) were used to evaluate hypotheses at a .05 level of significance. Results. The study's findings revealed that the learning method assessment (9.43) had a higher achievement score than the traditional method of assessment (5.25), indicating that the learning method assessment had a greater impact on student achievement in carpentry and carpentry than the traditional method of assessment. One-way ANCOVA result, F(1,77) = 56.75, p = .000 indicates a significant difference between the two assessment methods with regards to students’ achievement in carpentry and joinery trade. Female students (9.34) find the Assessment for Learning Method to be marginally more effective than male students (9.30). On the other hand, the Two-way ANCOVA result, F(1,75) = 1.83, p = .180 shows no significant difference between the academic achievement scores in carpentry and joinery trade of the students’ based on gender. It is therefore concluded that there is a significant difference between the mean achievement scores of students assessed with Assessment for Learning method and those assesses with the conventional assessment method in favour of assessment for learning method and no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of male and female students assessed with assessment for learning method at post-test. Conclusion. It was proposed, among other items, that the government and all stakeholders organize and fund seminars, conferences and workshops for technical teachers on a regular basis to attend and learn how to adopt assessment for learning method in educational institutions through the application of rubrics and portfolios.