Marking and giving Feedback on Pupils’ Class Assignments in Tanzanian Primary Schools: Implications for Pupils’ Learning
Journal Title: Journal of Education and Literature - Year 2015, Vol 3, Issue 4
Abstract
This study examines how teachers mark and comment on pupils’ classwork in Tanzanian rural primary schools. It: examines the primary school teacher certificate and diploma curriculum to identify how these equip student teachers with the skills required to mark and comment on pupils’ classroom exercises competently; explores how teachers mark pupils’ class work; examines comments/feedback provided on pupils’ class work; and determines the implications of teachers’ feedback for pupil learning. The approach employed was a qualitative visual methodology using a basic/generic qualitative design. Camera, interview and document review were used as the major data collection tools. A sample of 20 pupils, 200 classroom exercises on various subjects in 20 primary schools, two academic masters and two tutors from two public teachers’ colleges informed the study. Observation data collected through camera were analysed using visual content analysis while those collected through interviews and documents were analyzed using thematic and content analysis respectively. The findings indicate that the student teachers had not received any training while at teacher training college on how to mark and comment on pupils’ work and so, once employed, they performed this important activity largely by relying on their past experience as pupils. Other findings indicate good and poor practices related to marking and providing feedback. The poor practices include the teachers’ tendency to tick incorrect answers, offer positive comments on poor quality work, provide negative, abusive, unclear and written comments to pupils who were unable to read, provide comments in English which remained unclear to the pupils. The poor practices provide inaccurate information regarding pupil progress, discourage pupils from learning and attending school, and create a threatening classroom environment. This study recommends the inclusion of module on marking and commenting on pupils’ work during teacher training.
Authors and Affiliations
Aneth A. Komba
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP28480
- DOI -
- Views 218
- Downloads 6
Knowledge Management in the 21st Century: a Librarian’s Perspective
This paper looks at knowledge, knowledge management, stages of knowledge management, knowledge management tools as well as strategies of efficient knowledge management use.The information age has made knowledge the key...
Effect of Income and Provission of Physical Facilities on Students Performance in Kenya: A Case of Nakuru County
Like any other business, schools require input of resources in order to deliver their mandate. Unlike other business the provision of education has other factors that are likely to interfere with the delivery and imple...
Yardsticks and Light Years: Teaching Extreme Measures
Philosophy in one its roles joins common experience and science in labeling, measuring, connecting, and evaluating. In anything concerning natural history since the 1920s its references have had to acknowledge extremes...
Development of a Scale to Identify Teaching Practices among PreUniversity Teachers
Teaching Practices followed by teachers have been studied repeatedly by many researchers as an important factor that determines the quality of teaching and learning process as well as student achievement. It is vital t...
Use of Internal Communication Tools among AG&P Employees
The complexity of the workplace and the highly competitive environment put greater pressure to both the management and employees; thus there is a need to put more significance and focus on the company’s internal commun...