ASSESSMENT OF PRACTICAL SKILLS IN SENIOR SECONDARY CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (SSCE) PHYSICS IN NIGERIA

Abstract The assessment of Physics subject at Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE)) by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) is in three parts: Theory, Objective and Practical. This paper attempts to analyse the scope of SSCE in Physics practical questions from 2001 to 2008 in order to ascertain: (i) if there exist a significant relationship between science process skills advocated for the teaching and learning of science and those assessed by WAEC, (ii) if there are some skills that are under or over tested in the SSCE, and (iii) the implications on students performance. The analysis revealed that some skills were over-tested at the expense of others. Therefore, the suggestions included wider coverage and equal representations of science process skills in the examination question.

Key Words: Assessment, Testing, Practical Skills, in Physics. Introduction: Physics a science subject in school is different from other non-Science subjects in school curriculum in the sense that its lessons take place in laboratories where both students and teachers carry out experiments and practical demonstration. This approach of learning and teaching of Physics makes it a practical subject. Practical work is encouraged in science subjects (Physics inclusive) because it facilitates the learning and understanding of Science concepts; and in developing competence in the skills and procedures of scientific inquiry. Millar (1999:44) opined that practical work in science subjects should provide students with opportunities to make observations; select observations relevant to their investigations for further study;

seek and identify patterns and relate these to patterns perceived earlier; suggest and evaluate explanations of the patterns; design and carryout experiments, including appropriate forms of

measurement, to test suggested explanations for the pattern of observation. The listed process skills need to be tested in practical examination to determine how well the candidates understand the nature of scientific investigation. Also, the process skills when tested in practical examination will reveal candidates ability to handle simple apparatuses in experiments to determine answers to practical questions. This exercise is paramount in the teaching and learning of all Science subjects as science is all about doing through the usage of the senses (Agbo and Mankilik,1999). Physics instruction is designed to bring about change in the behaviour of the learners. It is desirable that the level of change of behaviour needs to be assessed periodically. The degree of progress made by the learners help determine to what extend spelt out learning objectives are achieved. The systematic or step-by-step process of determining the extend of learning outcome in the learners is considered evaluation. Evaluation in whatever form attempt to provide education stakeholders (e.g. teachers, head teachers, parents, government, education planners) a piece of information and decision making (Atadoga and Onaolapo, 2008). In classroom practices, teachers

evaluations are both tests and examinations , practical tests or examinations inclusive. For assessment to be effective and valid, it must be able to assess the aims of the course, provide sufficient evidence to enable professional Judgement of the learner, support the teaching and learning strategies and for integral part of the scheme (Agbo and Mankilik, 1999).

West African Examination Council (WAEC) is an examination body that administers summative evaluation to candidates at the end of their Senior Secondary (SS) Education. The examination is known as Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE). This examination is an example of formal examination. This is so because they are administered on advanced notice and a time-able is drawn on it. The course tutors are different from those that set questions items: Those that set the question items are different from those that draw the marking schemes and mark them. Secondary School Physics is aimed at developing in learners understanding of basic scientific phenomena and application of scientific ideas to every day life. The objectives of Physics curriculum at Secondary School level are to: (i) (ii) provide basic literacy of physics for functional living in the society, acquire basic concepts and principles of physics as a preparation for further studies. (iii) acquire essential scientific skills and attitudes as a preparation for the technological applications of physics and (iv) stimulate and enhance creativity (FME 1985)

Inorder to achieve these objectives, guided discovery method was recommended for both teaching and learning of the subject. The structure of Physics curriculum is spiral in nature, which reflects conceptional approach. This arrangement is to enhance better understanding and easy learning of the subjects. The entire curriculum is built on two major concepts: Motion and Energy. These are further broken down into five subconcepts or categories. These five sections include: (a) Space, time and motion,

(b) (c) (d) (e)

Conservation principles, Waves, Fields and Quanta.

After these concepts have been taught/learnt by the learners, they need to be assessed to determine the learners rate of assimilation and performance. Review of past performances in Physics had been low (Olotu 1992, Ivowi 1993, Owolabi 1999, Atadoga 2001 and Otuka 2006) at Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE). The situation has not significantly changed till date. This view was further stressed by the Chief Examinations Report of 2007 where he outlined the deficiencies of candidates as follows: Disregard of instructions, Misinterpretation of questions requirements, Mixed up of tests, observation and inference, Improper choice of graph scales, Inability to distinguish graph axes. Inappropriate choice of value system international (S.I.) Units. Poor calculative abilities, Poor descriptive ability, Poor arrangement of works and poor language of expression.

All these attribute to low performance and low development of basic science skills as the common means of assessing success with the study of Science (including Physics) in academic setting is based on students acquisition of scientific concepts and

their appropriate applications.

More often than not, the purpose of practical work has

been verification of some laws or principles with actual materials. As students carry out laboratory practical works in Physics, certain Science process skills are assessed. Some of these Science processes assessed include selecting suitable and relevant experimental procedure, observing, hypothesizing, comparing and differentiating, measuring, using numbers, predicting, drawing conclusions, controlling variables, communicating inferring, interpreting data, classifying, using space/time

relationships. Therefore, the test of practicals at all levels are supposed to access the acquisition of the mentioned skill(s). To determine to what level these skills are assessed in Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), the following questions shall give focus to this study. (1) Is there any significant relationship between Science skills studied in schools and those assessed by West AfricanExamination Council (WAEC)? (2) Do the Science Skills assessed in the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) Practical Examination have equal weighting? (3) How do they affect students performance in Physics practical examinations? This study therefore attempts to evaluate the SSCEs practical examination papers for eight (8) successive years so as to determine the trend of the testing of various process skills in Physics. Statement of the Problem: The Chief Examiners report of 2005, 2006 and 2007 on candidates performance revealed low performance in Physics and other Science subjects. To improve on the performance, the Board (ie WAEC) had organised series of workshops, conferences and

seminars for her staff. Furthermore, the Board also sells out their past question papers and Chief Examiners reports in all subjects. Similarly, government and school authorities organise workshops, conferences and seminars on regular bases for their staff on learning and teaching strategies that can enhance students performance in class work, tests and examinations. Even parents and guardians on their part organise extra-moral classes and coaches for their children and wards. Despite all these efforts, there seems to be no significant improvement in students performance at SSCE. The questions are: (i) Who is/are to be blamed for the students or candidates low performance in Physics? (ii) (iii) Are all the skills learnt by the students tested by WAEC? How do the skills tested by the WAEC affect students performance?

Procedure: For the purpose of this study, eight years Physics practical questions from 2001 to 2008 were selected. The study looked at the WAEC Syllabus in Physics with emphasis on the Practical part visa-vi the objectives with the aim of determining which practical skills are over emphasised or underemphasised in the practical questions. Analysis: The analysis was based on the collation of the past question papers within the years under review. The questions were interpreted to determine if there exist any skill(s) that was or were overemphasised in the practical questions. Distribution frequency tally was used for each skill tested for the years under review.

Table 1. Distribution Frequency of Tested Science Process Skills in Physics Practical SSCE Examination From 2001 - 2008
YEAR Ex. Pro ob hyp Col/ rec Com &dif Mea Us no Pr e ide n dr. con Fd.Pa rel Con. va Comm Inf. Int da clas S/ time Quan

1
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

1
1

1
1

1 1 1

2 4 3 3 2 3 3 KEY Ex. Pro Ob Hyp Col/rec Com & dif Mea Us. No Pre Iden. dr.con fd. Pa.rel Con. va Comm. Inf. Int. da Clas

4 3
2

5 4 4 5 5

3 4 3 4 5 4 4 5

2
2

4 3 4 3
3

4 2
2 2

4
3

3
2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

10 10 9 9 9 10 9 10

2 4 2 3 2 2 3 2

1 1 1 1 1

12 11 13 10 12 11 12 12

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Selected experimental procedure Observing Hypothesizing Collecting and recording data Comparing & Differentiating Measuring Using numbers Predicting Identifying Drawing conclusion Finding patterns and relationship Controlling variables Communicating Inferring Interpreting data Classifying

S/time Quan. Discussion

= =

Using space/time relationship Quantifying

As it was mentioned earlier in this write up, the study was aimed at testing practical skills in Physics in the SSCE practical Physics for a period of eight years (2001 2008). Based on the analysis of the tested Process skills in SSCE practical Physics examination as shown in Table 1, it can be inferred that the skills did not have equal weighting and thus, some skills were over tested above others. Skills such as Communication and Quantifying were over tested (see Table 1) in all the years under review while on the other hand skills such as observation, collecting and recording data, comparing and differentiating, measuring and interpreting data were moderately tested. These were closely followed by using numbers. Also the analysis in Table 1 reveals that skills such as selecting experimental procedure, identifying and using space and time relationship were sparingly tested. The analysis in Table 1 equally shows that skills such as hypothesis, predicting, finding patterns and relationship, controlling variables, inferring, classifying and drawing conclusion were not tested at all. It is worth noting that physics ideas or concepts are mostly expressed in symbols, formulae and numerals. Therefore, mathematics is the language of physics (Otuka 2006 and Atadoga, 2008). This confirms the trend in Physics examinations where most

questions are accompanied with calculations or solving for certain values and deriving for certain equations or formulae. Might be, this is the reason that for one to read Physics or Physics related courses in higher institutions in Nigeria, one must have a credit pass at SSCE in Physics.

Implications: At the SSCE, students are taught general physics. Therefore, they are to be all rounder. The implications in the trend where not all the science process skills are tested in Practical Physics Examination are that the products of such examination would be deficient in some of the skills. Also, the products would excel in some skills.

Similarly, the products of such practical Physics Examination would not be able to fully develop all their potentials as there relate to creativity. Therefore, the products of such practical examination will not be fully balanced in higher institutions in the skills not adequately taught and learnt at SSCE would pose challenges to the students. Conclusion: Science process skills are basic tools for effective problem solving in areas of life. Therefore, for students to be able to solve problems efficiently and adequately, they should be equipped with science process skills at all levels of their education. The skills should be learnt and acquired to a reasonable and measurable level of performance.

References: Agbo,F. O. and Mankilik, M. (199). The Evaluation of the Testing of Practical skills in SSC Examination. 40th Annual Conference Proceedings of Science Teachers Association Nigeria (STAN), 37 40 Atadoga,M. M (2001). A Study of the Strategies used by Senior Secondary School students to solve in Physics and their Effects in Academic Achievement. AnUnpublished Ph.D Dissertation submitted to the Department of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Nigeria. Atadoga,M. M (2008). Guided Inquiring Approach and Questioning Techniques. In U.A. Udofia & D.M. Dauda (ed.) Approaches to the Teaching of Saving your Energy STAN Integrated Science Education series No 6, Abuja: NCCE Press pp 11 13. Federal University of Education (FME). (1985. National Curriculum for Senior Secondary Schools, 3 Science. Ibadan: Heinemann Educational Books (Nigeria) Limited. Ivowi, K.M.O. (1992). Developing Curriculum in Physics. In Ivowi U.M.O. Ed. Curriculum Development in Nigeria. Ibadan: San Bookman Publisher Millar, R. (1999). A means to an end: the role of Processed in Science Education. In B.Wodnough Ed. Practical Science. Milton Keynes Philadelphia: Open University Press Olotu, B. (1992). The main causes of students under achievement in Agricultural Science in Journal of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria 27 (2). Otuka, J.O.E., (2006). The Teacher As Key to national development and technological break through. Nigeria Journal of Science and Educational Research 1 (1), 1- 5. Owolabi, T. (1999). An Intrinsic Evaluation of Senior Secondary School Physics Curriculum. 40th Annual Conference Proceedings of Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN), 211 216 Chief Examiners Reports in Nigeria by the West African Examination Council (2005 2006 & 2007 in Physics).

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