Influence Of Continuous Assessment (c.a) On Students’ Performance In Electromagnetism Physics

By Author: Aina, Jacob Kola
Total Articles: 1
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Introduction
Continuous assessment (C.A) is considered to be a systematic determination of the extent of students’ progress or lack of it in school subjects including attitude and values from first day of students in school to the last day (Abadina, 2001). Continuous assessment is very important in all educational level in Nigeria. Ogar (2007) opined that through continuous assessment, progress of each student can be measured and monitored and appropriate counselling method can be put in place as the case may demand. The National Policy on Education laid strong emphasis on the use of continuous assessment practice at the various levels of Nigeria educational system. Assessment is very important in teaching and learning process; through assessment feedback could be provided to both students and teachers (Dennis, 1988). We have both formative and summative assessment. Formative assessment is done during the course as the teaching and learning is in progress; this is called continuous assessment. The summative is done when the course is ended, this assessment is conducted at the end of the term or semester as the case ...
... may be. The two are important in physics assessment according to Aladenusi (2010) assessment is a central element in the overall quality of teaching and learning.
Osokoya (2003) viewed continuous assessment as the method of finding out what the students have gained from learning activities. Assessment is an important element in physics teaching, Houston in Aina (2010) opines that teacher must regularly assess the effectiveness of the learning experiences which they have organized to enable the students achieve the earlier stated objectives. Abbas (2009) said ordinary continuous assessment is an ongoing test device which is comprehensive and include the three domains of learning. Continuous assessment must include project, internet assignment, use of community resources and many more; continuous assessments must not only be single assignment as it is being done by some teachers.
Physics as a basic science is divided into many field of studies, one of this is electromagnetism. Electromagnetism is done from year 1 to 3 by physics students in colleges of education; it is a branch of science where forces and fields associated with electrically charged particle are studied. The summary of electromagnetism course content as prescribed by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE, 2008) is as follows:
concept of charge, Coulomb’s law, electric fields and electric potential, comparing gravitational fields and potentials, charge distribution over conductors, storage of charge, Van de Graaf generator, magnetostatics, current electricity, concept of electrolysis, cells, capacitance, Direct current (D,C), circuit analysis (Kirchhoff’s laws, Thevenin’s and Norton,s equivalent circuits), principle and applications of electromagnetic inductions, D.C instruments, Ampere’s law, Biot-Savart’s law and their applications, electric generator the dynamo and transformer, growth and decay of current, A.C theory and its applications, A.C and electrical work, magnetic properties and their applications and measurements , pp 113-121
It was observed by Aiyelabegan (2003), Akanbi (2003) and Kola (2007) that, in the recent time students’ performance in physics has not been encouraging supported by the record made available from physics Department College of education (T) Lafiagi, electromagnetism is one of the courses where students usually failed (Exam & Record, 2011). Despite the vital role continuous assessment played in the teaching and learning of physics to improve students’ performance, yet students still performed poorly in the course. The question that comes to mind is that, is there any relationship between continuous assessment and students’ performance in electromagnetism physics? Investigation of influence of continuous assessment on the examination scores of students and also influence on overall students’ performance in electromagnetism physics become very necessary.
Materials and method
Research hypotheses
H01: There is no significant relationship between continuous assessment and examination scores of student’s in electromagnetism physics.
H02: There is no significant relationship between continuous assessment and the students’ final grade in electromagnetism physics.
Research questions
1. Do students’ scores in continuous assessment had any influence on scores in electromagnetism physics examination?
2. Do students’ scores in continuous assessment had any influence on their final grade in electromagnetism physics?
The study employed descriptive survey method of research where student’s scores in electromagnetism physics are collected for analysis. The populations of the study were all physics students in kwara state, Nigeria. The sampled populations were all physics students in college of education (T) Lafiagi. Ninety-two physics students participated in the study.
The research instruments used are End of Semester Electromagnetism Examination (ESEE), Take Home Electromagnetism Assignment (THEA) and Electromagnetism Class Test (ECT). The researcher used end of semester examination scores and average of all the continuous assessments given to these students for one semester.
Statistical analysis used was frequency count, percentages and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient.
Continuous assessment for this study is made of one class test and one take home assignment all added together to make 40marks. The examination scores used was the end of semester examination conducted in electromagnetism; the total score was 60 marks.
Results
Hypothesis 1: There is no significant relationship between continuous assessment and examination score of student’s in electromagnetism physics
Table 1: Correlation between students’ scores in C.A and Examination in electromagnetism
C.A EXAM.
C.A
N 1
92 .736
92
EXAM
N .736
92 1
92

From table 1, correlation between continuous assessments and examination score is .736, a perfect and strong relationship. Testing for hypothesis 1 at alpha level of 0.05 gives 0.174; calculated (r) is greater than table (r) i.e. rcal ˃rtab. hypothesis 1 is hereby rejected.
Hypothesis 2: There is no significant relationship between continuous assessment and the final grade of students’ in electromagnetism physics

Table 2: Correlation between students’ scores in CA and final score in electromagnetism
CA Final score
CA
N
Final score
N 1
92
.948
92 .948
92
1
92

From table 2 correlations between students’ scores in continuous assessment and final grade in electromagnetism physics is .948, a strong and perfect relationship. Testing hypothesis 2 at alpha level of 0.05 gives 0.174, since calculated (r) is greater than table (r) hypothesis 2 is hereby rejected i.e. rcal ˃rtab
Research questions:
1. Do students’ scores in continuous assessment had any influence on scores in electromagnetism physics examination?
2. Do students’ scores in continuous assessment had any influence on their final grade in electromagnetism physics?

Table 3: Performance in Continuous Assessment, Exam and final grade in electromagnetism
No Passed % No Failed %
CA
Exam.
Final grade 61 66.3
02 2.2
62 67.4 31 33.7
90 97.8
30 32.6

66.3% of the students passed continuous assessment while only 2.2% of the students passed in examination and 67.4% had pass grade in electromagnetism as indicated in table 3 above.

Discussion
Hypothesis 1 which states that there is no significant relationship between continuous assessment and examination score of student’s in electromagnetism physics was rejected. This implies that there is significant relationship between students’ score in continuous assessment and examination score in electromagnetism physics. Hypothesis 2 which states that there is no significant relationship between continuous assessment and the overall students’ performance in electromagnetism physics was also rejected. From this, it could be inferred that there is significant relationship between students’ score in continuous assessment and final grade in electromagnetism physics. The results of the two hypotheses is in line with the earlier submission of Dennis (1988) that continuous assessment played the role of feedback to both students and teachers in teaching and learning process. Continuous assessment being significantly related to both students’ scores in examination and final grade in electromagnetism physics also confirmed the assertion of Osokoya (2003) that continuous assessment is used to find out what the students have gained from learning activities.
Table 3 indicated that continuous assessment had influenced both on examination scores and final grade of students in electromagnetism physics; only 2.2% of the students initially passed the examination but with 66.3% passes in continuous assessment, the final grade of the students was 67.4%.
Conclusion
From the outcome of this research, it is therefore concluded that continuous assessment is very important in teaching and learning of electromagnetism physics in colleges of education because it influenced students’ performance. In view of this ;the following recommendations are suggested:
Continuous assessment should be made compulsory for all students in teaching and learning in all fields of physics. This continuous assessment should not be a single assignment or class test it should be many assignments that cover the three domains of learning.
Compilation of students’ final grade should not be based on only examination scores but should be addition of examination scores and the scores of students’ in continuous assessment.
Physics teachers should ensure that all students have more than four records of continuous assessment in each courses in a semester and average of three should be taken for the final computation of students’ grade.
Teacher should allow students to have access to their scores in continuous assessment; this will help the students to know their weakness and strength in the course and make adequate preparation needed for examination.
Acknowledgement
First and foremost, we acknowledged the authors whose works we have cited in this study. Finally, the effort of our colleague in language department who helped to correct grammar, spellings and other things related to English language.
References
Abadina, O.A. 2001. Instruments and strategies for continuous assessment. The Nigerian Principal. 74-85.
Abbas, A.G, 2009. Problems of continuous assessment. Journal of Teachers Education 8(1&2): 9-17
Aladenusi, O, 2010. Role of assessment in regenerating teacher education in democratized Nigeria. South-West Journal of Teacher Education,3,263-282.
Aiyelabegan, A.T, 2003. Effect of physics practical on students’ academic performance in senior school certificate physics Examination in kwara state. Lafiagi Journal of Science Education 5 (1& 2): 84-89.
Akanbi, A.O, 2003. An Investigation into Students’ Performance in Senior Secondary School Physics. Journal of Teacher education trends 1(1): 58-64.
Dennis, E,1988. Continuous assessment in the University. Journal of Education Students’ Association,5:30-33
Kola, A.J, 2007. Uses of Instructional Materials for Teaching and Learning Physics in Edu and Patigi Local Government Areas, Nigeria. International Journal of Research in Education. 4(1&2): 74-79
National Commission for Colleges of Education minimum standard (3rd Ed) Kaduna, Nigeria
Ogar, G. 2007. Effects of large enrolment on continuous assessment in a language class. Internatiional Journal of Research in Education 4 (1&2): 201-206.
Osokoya, I.O, 2003. 6-3-3-4 Education in Nigeria: History, strategies, issues and problem. Ibadan, Nigeria: Laurel educational publishers.