Educationa Studies

The effective use of assessment by teachers can have a significant impact on improving
learning. However, teachers require adequate support and appropriate resources to enhance
their classroom assessment practices. This article reports on the results of a study which
evaluated the effectiveness of Assessment Resource Banks (ARBs) for supporting teachers
in rural primary schools to improve their classroom assessment practices. These ARBs are
teacher booklets that comprise sets of Literacy and Numeracy tasks for use in assessing
learner performance against the national Assessment Standards. The ARBs were piloted in
450 rural schools across four provinces. Data for the evaluation was obtained from classroom
observations and interviews conducted in a sample of pilot schools and teacher and principal
surveys administered in all pilot schools. The results of the evaluation indicate that providing
teachers with relevant assessment resources can improve their classroom assessment practice.
Most teachers reported that they found the ARBs to be extremely useful for conducting
classroom assessments, and used them on a regular basis. In addition, the ARBs also provided
a valuable resource for the planning and presentation of lessons as well as for assigning class
work and homework exercises. The article concludes by highlighting future development and
research needs in the deployment of ARBs in South African schools.

This study explores foundation phase teachers’ assessment literacy, and their understanding and use of formative and summative assessment. Using questionnaires, observations and interviews, data were obtained from Grade 1, 2 and 3 teachers from a school each in quintile 2, 3 and 5. Teachers from all three schools demonstrated equally low levels of assessment literacy. While understanding of summative assessment was noticeably higher, all teachers demonstrated very poor understanding of formative assessment. Notwithstanding the small sample size, the study highlights the need for professional development programmes to focus on enhancing teachers’ assessment literacy. It also calls for additional research on a conceptualisation of assessment literacy that is relevant to South African teachers, and for determining the impact of concepts and practices advocated in the national assessment and curriculum policies on teachers’ use of assessment to address the learning needs of all learners across schools in the different quintile categories.

Abstract
This paper reports on the perceptions and experiences of primary school teachers of the challenges they faced and the prospects of using data from the Annual National Assessments (ANAs). While the majority stated that information from the ANAs can assist teachers to improve learning, responses on the use of the ANAs in the classroom were mixed, with most reporting that teachers did not know how to use ANA results to improve learning, and that no plans were in place at their schools for the use of ANA data. A significant proportion also indicated that they received little or no support from the school district on how to use ANA results. These findings were consistent across the school quintiles as well as the foundation and intermediate phases. Given the potential value of the ANAs, the paper highlights two initiatives aimed at enhancing the meaningful use of ANA results to improve learning and teaching in schools.

Monitoring Learning Achievement (MLA), a joint UNESCO-UNICEF international education assessment initiative, obtains information on the "effectiveness of basic education provision[s] in terms of actual learning achievement." The empirical evidence from the 1999 MLA project countries provides both a diagnosis and possible actions to be taken in terms of policy, curriculum, teaching, and learning. To assure comparability, procedures were taken to design and validate the common-core instruments and FOREWORD Empowering Africa and African educators towards Quality Education for All is no more a wish but a present living reality, which needs to be known and shared from within and outside Africa as a whole. This report is a march towards this end. The Joint International UNESCO-UNICEF Monitoring Learning Achievement (MLA) Project not only has a record of its own worldwide but also a particular one on the African continent. With Africa For Africa has turned the far-reaching dream of African expertise into action through their participation in the MLA Project. Capacity Building and Capacity Sharing are now preparing the road towards Africa's recognition of its sustainable human development and mobilisation possibilities. Imperative enough, this process allows expression of what African education should be in terms of its context, quality, content, coverage and effectiveness so as to reach all and the so-called "predicted unreachables", in particular. This report demonstrates that access to quality education for all is a fundamental human right that can be achieved if there is full commitment towards the learner as she/he is, from the teacher in what she/he can do in enhancing the teaching and learning process; from the family for what support they can provide; from the school if it reaches its targeted "clientele"; and from the decision-makers if there is real will and conviction. Providing mastery level of education to all African children is a necessity in all its meaning. The empirical evidence from the 1999 MLA project countries provides both a diagnosis and the possible actions to be taken in terms of policy, curriculum, teaching and learning. The criterion-reference approach used serves to examine what is learnt and taught, and under which conditions. Tedious but fruitful procedures were also used to design and to validate the common-core instruments and their results across markedly different countries and contexts assuring comparability. With Africa and For Africa, a movement towards quality education for all could not start without the strong support of African governments; African policy-makers, educators and front-line implementers; African learners their parents, teachers and school managers; bilateral and multilateral partners of Education for All (EFA), and the hardworking national, regional, and international MLA Project teams.