--
/' TI'\lli.
, 111\\1:11,,,,11111' .. ' ", ;:'If 1:1, II \'I,,·f1lil!HfV ;:rilll:1tinn lIil C:lqniii\l~ "lll:! "'i;,"'Ir:tIV'l! r'!;~,nill'l
,In lUPf:,~nn 1l!':IHmr\ fkil:r ll'~~ 'ltilOlJ« PdlWHY :;r.hnnll,hilflr':n III [\Iijlr,j-, .. \11
It Ct~nftllt 1\ ~H;I[' (r!>.d'flt.':' 1!I';tIPCi.inn i'lU!l:VillprJ!toll i\\I~:;d~ i,l IHlP;:, iii'\!
"Ill r 11. r," H~"ir~~lr.ia;,lhl\lir~l<qql/ilh~dne •. ! ~.hr.rritJFIi'Y :,r:!JIl'lII.p.II:-.1C',
I'l:dl' ;·'Ir.i~1~~illrlif'_~I'nm/'Jlr.dnr. (If th:' rriln~PI;t:It·\oll.I'\/<:\:
!ltWIi' 'linn.: tfll"1 q:1f:!nr Tiaininq I'~
i\l\M" ".11 \if'lil'
MWII.I\ n'l\:n,lIWi,\,i' Hi lr:I:~Id IlrmrinfJ Inl/ol, Ivpe of :~chorll ;1IIr1 f"PIHI:~r nIl
,~!n~ 1111. f'n,III'I;li 1:"rr.I>I' C\iOil:l! n; IIH:'l\ill~l linpairr'i r\d(llr1~{;(~ni;; II!)
I\~rl\!, '. ~ 111;:11'11111011 !'Gfjl,H1it'll 81111 M(ln~lnOhl"'!n; f:flj1nr:iti':~~.~Ibt~'nll1l:'ln1 'If
l\ dminl'.;trfltor::' Ilo!:isifln-mrlidno tfffH:tivr:II!~:;s ill I t:i iii1l'Y Im;lj1Iltino' III
'(,"dl·\rfn~t!'fIlI'liq(;ri·l .... . ljP
r',,:··
'\ ..~..I':;..menl ~s ;;\llmtJftr;<lni Conlpollfmt 01 illf'!I~lflrlli"q tHlfllrHlllljn!jl'rol:ps
11m 11\1h,U: (I :hilll~1r"illl of Ifinw . ... R:i
I ,~ri,~ of ~;illql::·~f!y.rnrl i,;{l·ELltu:alion:'! ~cilonlillfl \lfl .~r!lclf!llis' 1:t!qniti'fCl
!"':hi(J1I'-HllnIl1 illlll;Pftr~ir.rl Sr.iencP. . 7f~
Jl(n ,11I;1\1, "fI" ::",'l"H·U",",II"> Il1sfiq.;tjv'} flljethodnlrllJ\' ;111£1vVPlr.rr-HI·dfJ1fIIl\lI'!1i{\(1CI1 tl~:Siri\;8uin;; in L~P\I!I-'I!!
1:1. IIl\1n n~nA. '1.1. I' rqp'.;i;jQh 01 11181:,111C~hI8 M8111,lily n:)I:lrtle{: r:hilrlmll . ...... Uti_
'-f"f.''; of the USB nf \fi~leo rflpr~ instrw:filJn on ~-:fllrlPi1l;-: ;\chigllp.1nQIlI in
!:qtdi~it t811!juayp ... . ..... gl.~
I:Di'il\~~ in fl\igoriClIl ~nlGnd !lomes: The pl;)cp. of l!ldividl181 OiifRrnw;m:, EnvirPI leilla1
I "f.il'r~ Bnrl Siiuqtional ';har~neristir.s.. .1'1
-3 :fljr.<; AHcr;tiny !\VIJ?i~neSS 0; En1Jirul~ql::111.(\! lnfnnuaunn and f~1t1l1~:H~rnel1 I I
,b; ~lh'lsi::~:n1'rircr.'11enf of i=?llmle IlIh::]uii8Ili;; ot Saiectmilor.al Govermn: .,
\I'~;'~ oi Ilnuo 0t~l'l, f,li~eriu ... . 13D
T.W. vOI.nvr; 'H,O \/l\lHlIE Ni~I!:tmil '\~~"ISSm~rli Si.l~teglBsfor Promotinq Higher Order fhin!<ing
Mil) ,I.fl. ~i1HE"F. ~!'i!13 III Public Ser:omiary ;)chnols.. I ~~.L)
IFE(l~Jll\ ISHIGO 1\P,i\iIIlIl~, :'!111bservalional Silldy of CIASSIOOn101 Scieocp. Sll:tinnt .... i31
IBIHiE Ti\mflll.III\!li .II.HI~I r ~~cher:; in Port uarcourt. NiOP.fio ...
PTJBLIS[.fED B" THE 1l1:;Trc·tlTE OF EDUCKfIOli, "U"-lnr€p.5ITY 0;= lBADf.l·, ,\I '-~HALF 0;:;
PARTICIPATIl' IG \FEST P.FRlCf. TJilI''ERSITIES Al'>lDl.;U.1l~,TEnIE::: I)F sr ic.TIOrl
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
West African
journal of Education
,
(WAJE)
(For enhanced quality of research and discourse on Education)
Vol. xxv 2005 ISSN: 0043-2997
website: http/ /www.instituteofeducui.f,.'om
1. . The West Afrlcan Journal of Education (WAJE) pioneered academic/
professional publishing in the sub-region in the late 1950s. It has also
nurtured and mentored a good number ?f academic journals that have
helped to broaden the scope of educational research and information
exchange over the years. WAJE, in its revived current form, has the goal
of becoming the most widely cited education journal in the sub-region, in
view of current efforts that are being made to enhance the quality of
reports and-other discourses published in it.
2. The new WAJE has the tripartite mission of:
(a) promoting a culture-of excellence in educational research
(b) encouraging the exchange of profound and innovative ideas sapable
of generating creative practices in educational research and practice.
(c)disseroinating information on educational development that are not
.usually easily available to academics and practitioners.
3. The J9w:nalwill, accordingly encourage the publication of the following
categories of papers:
(a) Research papers that move away from orthodoxy and which really
. break new grounds in terms of methodology and findings,
(b) Essays and issues papers that contribute to re-orienting received ideas,.
values, and practices.
(c) . Documents emanating from national and international conferences,
as well as from large-scale research projects that project emerging'
"1 trends-and thinking in educational develppment.
"4. WATEis published. twice a year - one general' number and as much as
possible, one special issue; the latter 18uevored to areas or .
contemporary relevance to the needs of academics and practitioners.
i
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
EDITORIAL BOARD
Professor YW Yoloye, Chairman
Dr. E. Adenike Emeke, Editor-In-Chief
Dr. LM. Isiugo-Abanihe - Editor
Dr. Folajogun V Falaye - Associate Editor
Dr. J.A. Adegbile - Business Manager
Dr. Adams OU. Onuka, Coordinating Associate Editor and Secretary
Dr. Emma Dawha, University of Maiduguri - Member
Dr. Henry Olu Owolabi, University of Ilorin - Member
Dr. Iyi J. Uwadiae, WAEC (Research Division) - Member
Mrs. Henrietta Yarquah, Research Division, WAEC International Office,
Accra - Member
EDITORIAL ADVISERS
Prof. L.O Aina, University of Botwana
Prof. Abdul Mansaray, University of Seria Leone
Prof. MawutoAvoke, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
Prof. Joseph Aboagye, University of Cape Coast, ..Ghana
Prof J.F Wiredu, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra Campus
Dr. Patrick Yalokwu, National University of Lesotho.
tt
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
NOTES TO CONTRIBUTORS
Contributors to thy Journal are to respect its avowed principle of
QUALITY in all its ramifications and ensure that: .
(a) RESEARCH PAPERS are technically and faultlessly designed, executed
and reported, with a clear contribution to knowledge.
(b) ESSAYSAND ISSUES PAPERS are analytically sound, presenting solidly
original ideas that can positively influence change in educational thought,
research and practice.
(c) The manuscript, which should include title, abstract, text, tables, figures,
.wherenecess~ty, should be typewritten on A4 size paper, with double-
.spacing and should not exceed 15 pages.
(d) The abstract should not be more than 250 words.
(e) Authors should use the latest Publication manual of the American
Psychological Association (APA) format ..
(f) Papers which should be written on only one side should be submitted in
triplitate with a diskette copy.
(g) Papers are peer-reviewed; each paper attracts an assessment fee of
N1000.00 or $15.00 .
.(h) Neither the editor nor the editorial board shall be liable for article(s) lost
in transit.
(i) .The editor and the editorial board will not enter into correspondence with
authors over rejected articles.
G) Those whose articles are accepted for publication will be so informed as
regards other ,commitments.
(k) Papers could be submitted at any time for publication in any subsequent
Issue. '.' .
Manuscripts should be submitted in triplicate along with a virus-free diskette
to any of the following:
III
,"
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
CONTRIBUTORS
1. Dr. Ayeni, A.O., Lecturer, Department of Educational Management,
University of Ibadan.
2. Dr. Odinko, Monica N, Research Fellow, The Moray House School of
Education, St, John's Land, Holy Rood Road, University of Edingburg,
Scotland.
3. Dr. Iroegbu, Victoria (NIts), C/o Department of Teacher Education,
University of Ibadan, Ibadan.
4. Dr. E.A. Okwilagwe, Research Fellow, Institute of Education, University
of Ibadan, Ibadan.
5. Dr. F.V Falaye, Research Fellow, Institute of Education, University of
Ibadan, Ibadan
6. Dr. Adams q.u. Onuka, Research Fellow, Institute of Education,
University of Ibadan, Ibadan.
7. Dr. J Abiola Ademokoya, Senior Lecturer, Department of Special
Education, Univeristy of Ibadan,
8. Dr. A.M. Oyewumi, Lecturer, Department of' Special Education,
University of Ibadan, Ibadan
9. Dr. Erwat, E.A., Lecturer, Department of Management Sciences, Lead
City 'University, Ibadan, Nigeria.
10. Henrietta A. Yarquah (Mrs), Research Department, The West African
Examinations Council, Accra, Ghana.
11. Dr. Benson Adesina Adegoke, Research Fellow, Institute of Education,
University of Ibadan, Ibadan.
12. Dr. Ikujuni, JA. Senior Lecturer, Department of Special Education,
University of Ibadan.
13. Dr. Eni-Olorunda, JT., Lecturer, Department of Special Education,
University of Ibadan. '
14. Dr. Dada, O.~., Lecturer, Department of Special Education, University
of Ibadan," ',' "
15. Dr. Ibode Osa Felix, Research Fellow, Institute of Education, University
of Ibadan, Ibadan.
16. Dr. Tajudeen Akanji, Lecturer, Department of Adult Education,
University of Ibadan, Ibadan. ,
17. Peace N. Ibeagha, Associate Professor, Psychology Department, Faculty
of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.
18. Alimba N. Chinyere, C/o Federal University of Technology, Yola, Nigeria. f
19. Ijatuyi, O.A, Doctoral Student at the Department of Library, Archival
.•.• s: C~• ...;iH~a.U.V i .,)L ••.u• .iC·, .•.<4'~"""~j VL Luu(..aG.vli, 0illverslI)' OI macan.
20. Prof T. W. Yoloye, Institute of Education, University of Ibadan.
21. Valerie Aimaku is from Ras Alkhaimah in the United Arab Emirates
22. Dr. Adeleke is a Lecturer in the Institute of Education
tV
NIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
CONTENTS
1. Training and Employment of Technical College Graduates
in Oyo State
- AYENI·A.O , 1
2. Effects of Pre-Primary Education on Cognitive and
effective Learning Outcomes among Primary School
Children in Nigeria
- ODINKO, MONICA Nand IROEGBU, VICTORIA 10
3. Teachers' Instruction and Evaluation Needs in Imparting
Basic Social Studies Knowledge at the Primary School Level:
Implicationsfor Teacher Training
- E.A. OKWILAGWE and F.v. FALAYE i ••• 23
4. A Review of Fund Allocation to the Nigeria Federal
University System (1992-2002)
- ADAMS O. U. ONUKA 35
5. Effects of Hearing Level, Type of School and Gender on
Career Choice-of Hearing Impaired Adolescents
- J. ABIOLA ADEMOKOYA and A.M. OYEWUMI.. 49
6. Information Acquisition and Management Capacities as
Determinants of Administrators' Decision-making Effectiveness
in Tertiary Institutions in South-Western Nigeria
- ERWAT, E.A , 60
7. Assessment as an Important Component of the Teaching and
Learning Process: The WAEC (Ghana) Point of View
.; HENRIETTA A. YARQUAH 68
8. Effects of Single-Sex and Co-Educational Schooling on Students'
Cognitive Achievement in Integrated Science
- BENSON ADESINA ADEGOKE 76
9. Distinctive Methodology and Watered-down Approach as
Strategies in Language Acquisition of the Educable Mentally
Retarded Children
- IKUJUNI, JA. ; ENI-OLORUNDA, J.T.and DADA, O.c. 84
10. Effects of the Use of Video Tape Instruction on Students
Achievement in English Language
"-;1.. ••
- mODE OSA F.t~i.JX ~ · 94f.·
in Nigeria
- TAJUDEEN AKANJI.~ ; , ; l05
u
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
12. Copingin Nigerian Remand Homes: The place of Individual
Differences, Envitonmental Factors and Situational
Characteristics·
- PEACE N. IBB,AGHA ; .
113 -
13. Managing Group Conflicts in the Educational System
- ALIMBA, N. CHINYERE 127
14. Facto.rs Affecting Awareness of Environmental Information
and Management of the PhysicalEnvironment of Female
Inhabitants of Selected Local Government Areas of
Ondo State, Nigeria
- IJATUYI, q. A ,•..........:. ; 138
15. Assessment Strategies for Promoting Higher Order Thinking Skillsin
Public Secondary Schools. _
- T.W YOLOYE; UGO VALERIEAlMAKHU
and ].O.ADELEI<E 149
16. An Observational Study of Classroom of Science Student - Teacher in
Port Harcourt, Nigeria
- IFEOMA ISIUGO ABANIHE, IBIENE
TANDI LONG JOHN , 161
vi
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
Ijatt!Yz~OA 149
Assessment Strategies forPromoting
Higher Order Thinking Skills in Public
Secondary Schools •..
PROF. T.W. YOLOYE
Institute if Education, University if Ibadan, Nigeria
MRS. UGO VALERIE AIMAKHU
P.O. Box 975, Ras Al Khaimah, UnitedArab Emirates
and
DR. J.O. ADELEKE
Institute if Education, Universi!)! if Ibadan, Nigeria.
Abstract
In an increasingly complex and specialized society, it is imperative that
individuals think criticallYand creativelY.This kind 0/ thinking is required
to achieve ther outcomes as stated in the Nigerian National Poliry on
Education. This stucfy aimed at finding out how teachers in Nigerian
public secondary schools use assessment topromote higher order thinking in
learners. The stucfy also criticallY examined the assessment strategies and
tools used f::y secondary school teachers and the questioning methods thry
adopt I their classrooms. The stucfy looked into how teachersplanned and
organized tasks that promote critical thinking. Attempts were made to
establish relationship amonggender, education qualification and teaching
, .
experience 0/ teachers in their ability to use assessment to promote higher
order thinking in their classroom interaction. The stutjy investigatedsecondary
rrhl1;"1/ fpI'Trhn"l""'" h"'ff'"..,lorirrb 1"+ ".,("ro/J("r"-t/Yfn",,1- f'Ol-""""f"rr./''''' 1-1,.,,...,+ -I-.. •••...••.A.~• •••••I-" l.:rrl"" ...
order thinking in learners. Three hundred teachers randomlY selectedfrom
twen!)!public secondary schools within the eleven localgovernment areas in
Ibadan metropolis were involved. The sample comprised if 154male teachers
and 146 female teachers. One instrument; Assessment Practice
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
150 WestAfrican Journalof Education
Questionnaire was developed and used by the researchers to derive
irformaiio« from teachers in secondary schools.The results showed that
teachers have limited knowledge about alternative assessment strategies
that promote higher order thinking. The assessment strategies employed
by teachers ar,e. mainfy traditional assessment strategies. It seemed, that.
higher order thinking like application, analysis and evaluation were
rarefy used
Introduction
Some of the earliest (most detailed) efforts humans made to record classroom
interactionswere focused on communicating,analyzingand detachinghowwe think.
Effectively, the history of thinking began in Athens Circa 430 BC when
Socrates, opposed by the intellectual but arrogant Sophists, introduced amethod
of inquiry through which examined ideas with probing question designed to
challenge their epistemological foundations. What was revealed was that most
of what we knew - or rather believed we knew-had no basis andwas not more
reliable than hearsay, speculation and assumption. Unfortunately, not much has
changed in the 2,500 years since Socrates' death. Long after the Greeks, Critical
Thinking remained on the minds of western philosophers. Scholastic renaissance
and enlightenment , thinkers, such as Thomas Aquinas, Francis Bacon and.
Immanuel Kant dedicated themselves to the pursuit of true and defensive
knowledge.
By cutting through the assumption that choke intellectual progress, these
men followed the tradition pioneered by Socrates. They devoted themselves to
methodically reconsidering common beliefs and explanations, sifting them
through the lens of reason in order to distinguish between those that were well
I
established in logic and those which lacked an evidentiary foundation. Among
the results 'of this progressive structured inquiry were democracy, capitalism,
and the rise of the middle class. Despite its prestigious beginnings and long
history in the West Critical Thinking (C1) is mostly something of relic today.
While eighty-nine percent of teacher - preparation instructors in California
claim that CT is a primary focus of their instruction, only nine-percent say that
they clearly teach critical thinking (Paul, 1993). Students seem to be learning
from their instructors throu$h CT. Some ten percent of secondary school
teachers teach their own students Critical Thinking .
..•..11'-.: .,:)llll~lC: .La.\ ..•~ l~ UJ..G&.L l..u.C ......i..•..l.Ul...a.L ..•.4..LlL.l.1U.I..16 'iJ.. ...uc;.~ ...;l..•j.,t'l .•u..,..) • .u~La. .•d..•.•..':-'u..,)v ..•.i...i..i16
by Socrates were clarity, logic and consistency, which remain important in the
theory. However, these elements of Critical Thinking are not making their way
into the classrooms; they are rarely incorporated into school curriculum. Later,
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
T. W. Yol'!Ye,Ugo Valerie Aimakbu and J. O. Adeieke 151
Sajobi (1985) stated that an education system is incomplete without
assessment. Assessment encompasses the general process of collecting,
synthesizing and interpreting information. In an attempt to provide solution to
problems· militating against effective teaching and assessments in Nigerian
schools Okpala and Onocha (2001) had stressed the need to improve in-service
training and staff development opportunities for teachers. This should be done
in order to avoid the situation where the knowledge and skillslevels of practicing
teachers willgrow increasingly out of date and inadequate to meet the current
demands for effectiveness.
Central to the success of any effort at improving secondary school teachers'
ability to use assessment through in-service training and staff development,
there isneed.for a baseline assessment of the competencies of practicing teachers
in our public secondary school in the use of assessment in the development of
higher order thinking skills. Assessment provides essential information on
students' learning needs, monitoring of students' progress, and for helping
students to structure their learning (Stiggens, 2000). Teachers, thus, need to use
assessment to improve achievement standards in our schools, by utilizing quality
assessment methods in their classroom interactions. Teachers in the Nigerian
schools need to be knowledgeable about authentic assessments. that promote
higher order thinking skills. Education system in Nigeria needs to assist our
teachers in the schools in gaining in-depth understanding of assessment methods
that promote higher thinking skills.
The National policy on education in Nigeria was revised in 2004. In this
National Policy on education, assessment isseen as a continuous planned process
of gathering information about performance of learners, measured against
specific learning objectives. If one examines the junior secondary and senior
secondary schools' assessment standard in subject areas, it is clear that most of
them not do necessarilypromote higher order thinking. For example,
instructional verbs frequently used in the assessment part of the curriculum
indicating what learners should know and be able to understand, use, read,
wt4te and interact with.
Nigeria must move toward a technology-based economy of competition
where employers demand for workers who can think flexibly and analytically,
integrate information from a variety of sources and perspectives on complex
problems. Additionally, making sound personal and civil decisions require the
, .~:. , .'-. '!I ,. ., •
i 1. ~-~- - •.L---I ~ ~.; !.. -- .'r.: • ~.~ -;' • .:...~-·o - - ~-~ - - -_. .(
promotion of essential tools for performing successfullyina complex and rapidly
changing world.
Despite widespread expressions of concern about developing critical
thinkers, studies have shown that most schools are neither challenging students
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
152 We.rtAfrican Journalof Education
to think critically about academic subject such as Mathematics, language and
science nor helping them develop the reasoning abilities needed to deal
successfully with the complexities of modern life. The education system
continues to graduate student who do not reason well. The studies by Perkins,
& Bushey (1991) and Kuhn (1992) have documented the faulty everyday
reasoning and poor argumentation skill used by most people. Even tertiary
education appears to have a limited effect on graduates' critical thinking
abilities, including making reasonable interpretation of texts and formulating
unbiased and well-reasoned arguments.
The key to improved critical thinking levels in our schools lies in teachers'
ability to provide high quality assessment. That is teachers must use authentic
assessment tasks to improve on students' achievement. The fact is that if we
want to help student develop the skill needed in everyday reasoning tasks,
evaluators and policy makers must show interest in classroom assessment
practices, which are essential for effective learning.Transformation of education
system around the world can be ascribed to various factors. The most prominent
factors are global economy, changing demands of the workplace and
technological inventions (Dreyer, 2000). The competitive environment has
brought challenges with it in the area~of education and training. Teachers need
to be able to assist learners achieve competencies such as thinking critically and
creatively, being able to work with constantly changing data, working
cooperatively with other on projects, tolerating differences or ambiguity and
persistence when there is a lot of pressure.
The critical thinking of Plato followed the pattern of Socrates' practice.
Aristotle and the Greek skeptics emphasized that things are often very different
from what they appear to be that only the trained mind can see through the way
things look to us on the surface, too the way they really are beneath the surface.
From this ancient Greek tradition emerged the need for anyone who aspired to
understand the deeper realities, to think systematically, well reasoned, and
responsive to objections can see reach beyond the surface. In the medieval
ages, the tradition of systematic critical thinking was embodied in the writing
and teachings of such thinking as Thomas Aquinas·(Summa Theological). To
ensure his thinking met the test of critical thought theywere alwayssystematically
stated, considered, and ensured they all criticisms of his idea. This he did at the
stage of developing them. Aquinas heightened our awareness not only of the
• 1 r:
~ - .
cultivated and "cross-examined." Aquinas' thinking illustrates that those who
think critically do not always reject established beliefs that lack reasonable
foundations. In renaissance of 15th and 16th Centuries, a flood of scholars in
Europe began to think critically about religion, art, society, human nature, law,
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
TW Yol~e, UgoValerieAimakbu andJ. 0. .Adeleee 153
and freedom. They proceeded with the assumption that most of the domains
of human life were in need of searching analysis and critique.' Among these
scholars wereColet, Erasmus, and more in England. Th~y are following up on
the insight of the ancients. ,
Francis Bacon, in England, was explicitly that the mind couldn't be safely left
to its natures tendencies. In his book: 'The Advancement of Learning', he argued
for the importance of studying the world empirically. He emphasized the
information-gathering processes in critical thinking he also called attention to
the fact that most people, left to their own devices, develop bad habits of
thought (which he called "idols") that lead them to believe what is false or
misleading. He called attention to Idols of the tribe", (the ways we misuse
words). "Idols of the Theatre", (our tendency to become trapped in conventional
system of thought) and "Idols of the schools", (the problems in thinkingwhen
based on blind rules and poor instruction). His book could be considered as
one of the earliest text in critical thinking, for his agenda was very much the
traditional agenda of critical thinking. The issue of criticalthinking in assessment
and evaluation became more elaborate with Bloom's Taxonomy. Benjamin Blood
created this taxonomy for categorizing level of abstraction of question that
commonly occur in~ducation settings, The taxonomy provides a useful structure
which categorizes test questions, since teacher will characteristicallyask questions
within particular levels, and if you can determine the levels of question that
will appear in your exams, you will be able to study using appropriate strategies.
Table 1:Competence and Skill Demonstration.
COMPETENCE SKILLS DEMONSTRATED
Knowledge • Observation arid recall of information
• Knowledge of dates, events, place
• Knowledge of major ideas
• Mastery of subject matter,
~Question Cues: Lists, define, tell,
describe, identify, show, label, where, etc..,
Comprehension • U~derstanding information
• Grasp meaning
• Translate knowledge into new corttext
- ...., ""
• Order, group; infer causes
• Predict consequences
• Question Cues- Summarizes, estimate,
differentiate, discuss, extend.
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
154 WestAfrican Journal rif Education
Application • Use information
• Use methods, concepts, theories in new context
• Solve problem using required skill or knowledge'
• Question Cues:
• Apply, demonstrate, calculate, complete, illustrate,
show, solve, examine, modify, relate, classify,
experiment, discover.
Analysis • Seeing pattern
• • Organization of parts
• Recognition of hidden meanings
• Identification of components
• Question Cues
• Analyze, separate, order, explain, connect,
I arrang~, divide, compare, select, explain, infer.
Synthesis • Use old ideas to create new ones
• Generalize from fro given facts
• Predict, draw conclusion
• Relate knowledge from several areas
• Question Cues:
• Combine, integrate, modify, rearrange, substitute,
plan, create
""
Evaluation • Compare and discriminate between ideas
• Assess value of theories, presentations
~Make choices based on reasoned argument
• Verify value of evidence
• Recognize subjectivity
• Question Cues:
• Assess, decide, tank, grade, test, measure,
I recommend, convince, select, judge, explain,
discriminate, support, conclude; compare, summarize.
"-
SOUTce: Benjamin S. Bloom} (Taxonomy of education/ objectiies. Published by Aljyn and
Bacon, Boston, MA. Copyright © 1984 by Pearson Education;
••
Bloom's Taxonomy has more than one type of learning:
J... '-.JV61llClVc:. menta. skilis (knowiedge)
2. Affective: growth in feelings or emotional areGlS (Attitude)
3. Psychomotor, manual or physical
This taxonomy of learning behaviours can thought of as "the goals of the
training process." That is, after the training session, the learner should have
NIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
T.W. Yolqye, ,Uga Valerie Aimakbu and j. O. Adeleke 155
acquired new skills, knowledge, and/or attitudes. This compilation divides
the three domains into subdivisions, starting from the simplest behaviour to
the most complex. The divisions outlined are not absolutes and three are
other systems or hierarchies that h.rve been devised in the education and training
world. However, Blooms taxon, ',IY is easily understood and is probably the
most widely applied today.
The following variables: Assessment, Teaching qualification,Teaching subject,
Gender which occurs at two levels: male and female, teaching experience at
five levels: 0-4 yearsl and 20 above. Teaching qualification at five: First degree/
HND, Master degree, Ph.D and others. Dependent variable: Higher order
thinking skillswere used in this study.
Research Hypothesis
Hypothesis I: There is no significant relationship between Higher Order
Thinking assessment strategy used and gender, teaching experience and
educational qualification of the respondents.
Hypothesis 2: There is no significant relationship between Higher Order.
Thinking assessment tool and gender, teaching experience and educational
qualification of public Secondary School Teachers.
Hypothesis 3: There is no significant relationship between Higher Order
Thinking questioning methods and gender, teaching experience and educational
qualification of the sampled teaches.
Population
The target population comprised of school teachers in public schools in the
eleven local government areas within the Ibadan metropolis.
Sample
Ten Local Government Areas were randomly selected out of the eleven Local
Government Areas in Ibadan land. Two secondary schools in each of the ten
selected Local Government Areas were randomly selected. Thus, the twenty
schools were used in the study as the sample for the study..Random sampling
was adopted to select three hundred teachers at 15 per school.
~
!~:~~"II_"''o--~-+;, +~C"
One instrument: Assessment Practice Questionnaire (APQ) was used to elicit
necessary responses from the respondents. The first part of the insrrument
was designed to elicit demographic information such as sex, teaching experience,
teaching qualification and teaching subject. The second part of the' instrument .
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
156 WestAfrican Journaloj Education
was made up of twenty-five Likert type items that elicit information on
assessment of Higher Order Thinking Skills.The items were developed after
intensively going through literature.
Reliability and yalidity of the Research Instruments
To establish the reliability and validity of the instruments, it was pre-tested on
50 respondents. The instrument was administered to a representative sample
of randomly selected secondary school teachers outside the area covered by
the real study in Ibadan. It was administered in six public secondary schools.
The reliability coefficient of the instrument was computed using coefficient
alpha analysis from SPSS package (which is a reflection of the internal
consistency and construct validity of'instruments) which is 0.8131. This shows
that the instrument is valid and reliable.
~
Procedure for Data Collection
The researchers personally went round the selected schools to administer
the instrument to the respondents. It took the researchers five weeks to
administer arid collect the instruments from the respondents.
Results
Hypothesis 1: There is no significant difference between Higher Order
Thinking assessment strategy used and gender, teaching experience and
educational qualification of the respondents.
Table 2: Difference between Assessment Strategy Used and Gender,
Teaching Experience and Educational Qualification of the Respondents.
robs Df P-value Decision
Gender 6.557% 3 .087 Not Significant
Experience 23.034 12 .027 Significant
Qualification 12.227 6 .016 Significant
The data collected was analyzed with the ~d of Chi-square (.xl). The null
l.,~"""'rd·1-.,,,,~;,, t-P" .•.",,.:J '1+ () f)t:; ·lp"l'TPl ,...,f .;;~;j:j"''1..,t •.;."t-orl +1-.,,,++1-,0,.0 ;c- ..,,...,";"""';h"'~"'''
!. -
relationship between Higher Order Thinking assessment strategy and gender,
teaching experience and educational qualification of the teachers in Ibadan
" Secondary Schools. The .xl observed value(s) obtained are 6.557, 23.034, and
12.227degree of freedom is 3, 12 and 6 respectively. Both teaching experience
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
T.W. Yo0'e, Ugo Valerie Aimakbu and}. O. Adeleke 157
and educational qualification are significant, since their probability values
I
less than 0.05 (P<0.05) while gender does not reflect any significant difference
since its probability value is greater than 0.05.
Hypothesis 2: There is no significant difference between Higher Order
Thinking assessment tool and gender, teaching experience and educational
qualification of public Secondary School Teachers ..
Table 3: Ditrerence between Assessment Tool ~nd Gender, Teaching
Experience and Educational Qualification of Public Secondary School
Teachers.
robs Df P-value Decision
Gender 2.688 3 .442 Not Significant
Experience 9.890 12 .626 Not Significant
Qualificatio 9.333 6 .156 Not Significant
The data was analyzed using Chi-Square (x.2) and the null hypothesis tested
at 0.05level of significance stated that there is no significantrelationship between
Higher Order Thinking assessment tools used and gender, teaching experience
and educational qualification of the teacher in Ibadan Seconedary Schools. The
x.2 observed value(s) are 2.668, 9.990 and 9.333 degree of freedom is 3, 12 and
6 respectively. None of the variables is significantly different, since their
probability values are greater than 0.05 each, so we fail to reject the null
hypothesis.
Hypothesis 3: There is no significant difference between Higher Order
Thinking questioning methods and gender, teaching experience and educational
qualification of the sampled.
I
Table 3: Difference between Questioning Methods and Gender,
Teaching Experience and Educational Qualification
,
Gender 1.750 3 .626 Not Significant
Experience 7.799 12 .801 Not Significant
Qualification 105.256 6 .000 Significant
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
158 WestAfrican Journalof Education
The result of the.data collected was analyzed with Chi-Square (x.2). Null.
hypothesis tested at 0.05 level of significance stated that there is no significant
relationship between Higher Order Thinking questioning methods and gender,
teaching experience and educational qualification of the teachers in Ibadan
Secondary Schools. The x.2 observed value(s)are 1.750,7.799 and 105.256 degree
of freedom is 3, 12 and (1 respectively. It is only educational qualification that is
significant, since only u- i1robabilityvalue is less than 0.05 (P<0.05) while others
are not significant since their probability values are greater than 0.05 each.
Discussion
In linking the qualification of teachers to their use of varied assessment tools,
it was discovered that only few teachers with B.Sc/HND stated that they were
very much involved in using some other Higher Order Thinking assessment
tools apart from paper and pencil test while few of teachers with M.Sc
qualification use varied Higher Order Thinking assessment tools. Insignificant
few of teaches with other qualifications use varied Higher Order Thinking
assessment tools too. The minority of the teachers sampled use Higher Order
Thinking assessment tools in their classrooms, this confirming the finding of
(Onuka and Oludipe, 2004) that most teachers do use varied w assessment
tools/strategy.
It can thus be inferred from the findings that teacher with tertiary education
qualification use better approaches that promote the development of higher
order thinking skills than those with lower qualification majority of teachers
with B.Sc/HKD and M.Sc qualification stated that if was quite true of some
of the teachers to use thinking approaches such as inquiry approaches. A good
number of teachers withB.Sc/HND clearly stated that they use higher order
question while only' few of them stated that they seldom do.
Educational Implication
The findings of this study show that:
CD Both teaching experience and educational qualification have significant
differential effects on assessment strategies usage of Secondary School
teachers while gender does not.
(ii) Different assessment tools used by the Secondary School teachers are not .•
influenced by. theiJ gender, teaching experience and educational ~
'"1L!.•.u.. 1..1\•..c..h.li. ..;.J. ..~•
(iii) Educational qualification has significant influence on the questioning
method used by the Secondary School teachers but gender and teaching
experience do not.
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
T.W Yolqye,Uga Valerie Aimakbu and]. 0. Adeleke 159
A lot of teachers in public schools are not aware of thinking models that
can be used to promote the development of higher order skills. Therefore
alternative assessment strategies such as assessment observation technique
and checklist among others should be introduced.
Conclusion and Recommendations
The study examined the assessment methods tools adopted by teachers in our
public secondary schools. In the Nigerian public secondary school, students
are assessed mostly using paper and pencil test and end of term examinations.
The study also shows that the. content continuous assessment test and end of
term examination papers contained only few questions that promoted higher
order thinking in learners. Furthermore, the investigation also revealed extent
to which teacher set clear criteria when giving assessment tasks and the level of
planning and organization undertaken by teacher in public secondary schools
for learning experiences, which can still be improved upon given the low level
of their usage.
It was found that although assessment as stated in The Nigerian National
Policy on Education in possess very rich potentials to develop learners higher
order thinking skills,teacher, in our public secondary schools need to consistently
plan and organize learning activities, set clear criteria for learners when giving
assessment tasks arid small frequently use higher order question such as
application analysis and evaluation.
Based on the findings as highlighted above the following recommendations
are made: Teachers in public school should undergo regular training and
retraining programmes. Seminar and workshops and in-service programmes
would be also mounted for teachers iri assessmerttteachings and be also
sponsored to training programmes.
Teaches in our public secondary schools need to make higher order
questioning and technique balance both traditional and modern assessment
techniques as integral aspect of the teaching and assessment process in classroom
interaction in order to promote the development of higher order thinking
classroom environment in public secondary schools.
Lecturers in teacher training programmes and organizers of teacher
workshops and seminars need to incorporate assessment techniques for
deJeloping higher order thinking skills into their programmes. .
Teacher trammg prograrnmes in rugner instrtutions m Nigena snouier revisrt
their cours...,ceontent and include mandatory courses on assessment that focus
on alternative/modern assessment techniques aside from traditional assessment
methods.
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
160 . IL"'e.rAt fricanJou~'al if Educatio»
, References
Bloom B.S. (1999). Taxonomy of Educational O~jectives. Handbook I: The
Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay Co. Ine.
Dreyer, C. (2000). Assessment ill outcomes-bases education:A guide for teachers.
Journalfor languageT~tJching34 (3)-: 266-284 ..
Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004).' National Poliry on Education. Lagos.
Kuhn, D. .(1992). Thinking as argument. Harvard Education Review. 62 (2). 155~
178 .
. Okpala,N.P. and Onocha Co. (2001) (How Nigerz'anChildren Learn: A National
Survey 0f .rnstruction Processes, Learning Environments and Teacher
'. Competence in Primary and Secondary Schools" A Research Proposal
Submitted to World Bank. Country Office, Nigeria.
Onuka, A.O.o. and Oludipe, B.D. (2004). Feedback as a Remediation for poor
performance. In Education for Today. (4) (1) 43 48. .
Paul, RW. (1993). Critica{Thinking: what every person needs to survive in a
rapidly changing world. a. Willsen & A.J.A. Binker, Eds). Santa Rosa,
. I
Function for Critical Thinking. Paul R. % Elder, L. (1997) Critical
Thinking: Implication for instruction of Developmental Education.
Perkins, D.N. & Bushey, B.(1991). Everyday reasoningandthe root of intelligence.In
J.P. Voss, D.N. Perkins, &].W .Segal (Eds) informal reasoning and
education. Hillsdale.
Sajobi, A.O. (1985). An Evaluation of Continuous Assessment Practices in two local
governmentArea of Oyo State. An unpublished Thesis. University of Ibadan,
Ibidan. «
. Stiggens, R (2000) ..Learning teamsforassessment literary. Phi Delta Kappan.
Yoloye T.W (2004). That we mqy learn better: Inaugural Lecture, University of
Ibadan, Ibadan.
UNIVERSITY OF IBAD
N LIB
ARY