THE EFFECTS OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT CLASSROOM TECHNIQUES (FACTS) ON SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENT IN MATHEMATICS

By E. U Nwabufoh & F. O. Idehen

Abstract: The study investigated the effects of Formative Assessment Classroom Techniques (FACTs) on senior secondary school students' achievement in mathematics, and whether the effect varied with gender, school ownership and ability level. Five research questions and five null hypotheses, tested at the .05 level, guided the study. A quasi-experimental non-equivalent (pre-test, post-test) control-group design was used. The population was 3,464 SS1 students in the 16 public and private senior secondary schools of Onitsha North Local Government Area, Anambra State; four schools (two public, two private) contributed 50 students each, giving a sample of 200. Experimental classes were taught mensuration for four weeks using FACTs and control classes with the conventional method. Data were collected with a 30-item Mathematics Achievement Test (test–retest reliability = .82) and analysed with t-tests and analysis of variance. Students taught with FACTs achieved significantly higher than those taught conventionally (M = 20.52 vs. 16.01; t(198) = 11.26, p < .001; d = 1.59). Within the FACTs group, achievement did not differ significantly by gender (p = .110) or school ownership (p = .110); post-test scores did not differ significantly among ability levels (p = .358); and the interaction effect was not significant (p = .628). Because only four intact classes were involved, gender and ownership are confounded with school and the findings are preliminary. Recommendations include the use of FACTs by mathematics teachers, seminars and workshops on FACTs, training of student teachers in FACTs, and inclusion of FACTs in curriculum development.
Keywords: formative assessment classroom techniques, mathematics achievement, gender, school ownership, ability level