Test Construction Skills of Public Elementary Science Teachers and Science Academic Performance of Pupils in the City Schools Division of Cabuyao: Basis for Developing an Assessment Program in Science

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The essence of being a teacher is to successfully transmit learning among the students, and that the learner exhibits the realization of the learning outcome. Assessment is the only way to determine if learning had really taken place. This study determined the test construction skills of public elementary science teachers in formulating multiple-choice test items that assessed the academic performance of pupils in Science during the First Quarterly Exam for the SY 2018-2019.

METHODS

The study utilized survey design in evaluating the test construction skills of teachers using a survey questionnaire that includes the skills in constructing a table of specifications, writing the stem, options, and formatting. The participants in the study are 13 Grades 3 to 6 Science test writers, evaluators, and validators in the City Schools Division of Cabuyao.

RESULS

The results of the study revealed that respondents have highly acceptable test construction skills (x= 4.33) in terms of formulating TOS (x=4.50), stem (x= 4.29), option (x= 4.21), and format (x=4.31). Although their skills were highly acceptable, the analysis for the quality of the test items constructed revealed that it did not attain a well-built proportion of test items where the index of discriminating power is only 35% very good, 20% good,13% satisfactory and 32% poor. More so, difficulty index was found to be 71.60% easy, 18.90% average and 9.40% difficult and an over-all item analysis that only 55.00% items were suitable for the test. Moreover, the academic performance of the pupils (MPS=55.55%, average) is comparable to the proportion of the suitable items in the test.

DISCUSSIONS

Based on the findings of the study, the Multiple Choice Test Construction Skills of elementary Science teachers in the Division of Cabuyao is perceived to be highly acceptable. However, the quality of the test as indicated by the item analysis is not ideal in providing real assessment and evaluation of students’ performance. More so, the test quality might have an effect on the students’ performance as indicated. The education bureau should provide intensive training workshops in test constructions primarily in standardization and validation. Furthermore, information on developing and utilizing other assessment practices will widen teachers’ knowledge. As a consequence, students who were practiced in answering standardized and well-validated test might perform better in other nationwide examinations such as the National Achievement Test.