The purpose of this study was to explore Grade Nine Technology teachers’ understanding and practice of assessment in Technology in the district of Estcourt. However, many issues related to understanding and implementation of assessment by teachers still require addressing. As Earl (2003) points out teachers’ skills and knowledge and understanding of assessment practices are the primary focus and need to be developed since assessment is the only tool that teachers use to see if the learners understood the subject content that they were taught. Future research in Technology should focus on how teachers’ assessment skills and knowledge and their understanding of assessment – particularly, performance based assessment is implemented in Technology classrooms as teachers are expected to equip learners with innovative and creative skills. Further research could also include the impact of knowledge and use of English language by Technology teachers based on the responses of some of the participants to questions. Scott and Teale (2010) suggest that factors such as class size and teacher qualifications may play an important role in what learners learn and consequently on what the teachers assess. However, in this study participants used performance assessment to assess learners’ projects. Participants gave learners projects that
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were done by groups of learners. Therefore, the class size is not an issue to be considered if teachers have to improve assessment strategies which will in turn improve learners’
performance in Technology. Nevertheless, teachers should be encouraged to assess learners individually within those groups during the design and making process. The project portfolio has a series of tasks and teachers can prescribe a completion date for each task to which learners need to adhere. Those tasks should be broken down so that teachers could provide necessary support and guidance. Furthermore, teachers attend workshops where different clusters meet together for development in the presence of subject advisors. Consequently, workshops as professional development can play a crucial role in enhancing teachers’
practices (Jones & Moreland, 2005). Teachers also learn from each other when they do activities during workshops.
In addition, the variety of forms and types of assessment that teachers should implement in their technology classrooms makes it crucial for teachers to stay abreast of changes in assessment method. Considering teachers’ biographies in this study, it was noted that participants received no professional development at all. Pudi (2005) maintains that good Technology teachers must be well informed and be up to date with current issues. Teachers can achieve this by reading extensively to extend their pedagogical content knowledge in Technology, regularly engage in professional development, exhibit positive professional traits and enthusiasm for Technology (Scott & Teale, 2010). Mizell (2010) concludes that when teachers engage in quality professional development, they gain knowledge about how to implement assessment that will assist learners learn. Quality professional development will benefit the learners and allow the teacher to extend learners’ knowledge (Mizell, 2010). I agree with Mizell (2010) when he said that teachers who do not seek additional professional development do not improve their skills. Teachers need to be kept updated and assisted on a regular basis on how to implementing the various forms of assessment in their classrooms.
They need to implement performance assessment effectively, especially now that Mini-PAT accounts for more marks in Technology assessment than a test. Research should be done on the pre and post effects of the performance assessment implementation. Hopefully, Technology implementation of performance assessment in the classroom will increase as a result of the coaching efforts that will come from quality professional development.
Teachers’ knowledge not only of the content of the subject they teach but also on the way they assess needs to be constantly investigated. Teachers will be in a better position to offer
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assistance to learners when teaching Mini-PAT if they have knowledge and understanding of what and how to assess.
Moreland and Jones (as cited in Van Niekerk et al. 2010) state that due to the lack of knowledge teachers consider assessment in Technology to be difficult. Compton and Harwood (2003) confirmed that shortage of knowledge in Technology education was due to teachers’ deficient knowledge. Teachers experience problems in developing programmes in Technology that support learners’ learning and provide various assessments that will give learners the opportunity to excel (Compton & Harwood, 2003). However, Pudi (2005) claims that even though teachers are fairly knowledgeable, they should be ready to admit their knowledge deficiency that includes lack of knowledge in assessment practices. If experiments or designs in the Technology workshop fail, Technology teachers should use such an opportunity to improve on their effort and use alternative assessment methods and be open to solutions in order to improve learners’ achievements (Pudi, 2005). Nevertheless, in practice, teacher assessment is conceived in summative terms where the focus is in relation to the achievement of a target, reliability and objectivity. Research shows that some teachers are more effective than others; however, less is said about examining the characters or practices of more or less effective teachers (Kaba, 2005). Those teachers who are more effective in Technology ought to be encouraged to assist those who are less effective. Looney (2011) indicates that training of teachers can improve inter-alia reliability in performance assessments.
Black, Harrison, Hodgen, Marshall and Serret (2007) suggest that the right type of support is needed by teachers in order to improve their assessment strategies. This includes time spent doing projects in Technology as learners have to do projects under teacher supervision. This is done so that teacher knowledge and understanding of Technology subject matter as well as assistance to teachers in conducting performance assessment could be developed. According to William (2007), ‘blind marking’ during moderation meetings where teachers’ can compare, discuss and resolve judgments based on assessed learners’ sample work may be useful in attaining parity among schools. This could develop Technology teachers’
assessment practices and thus Technology teachers should be encouraged to attend cluster meetings. Consequently, through networks and guidance of teachers’ assessment judgment can be enhanced while a positive environment is being created for positive feedback (Black, Burkhardt, Daro, Jones, Lappan, Pead, & Stephenson, 2011).
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