Recommendations in relation to the use of quality formative assessment

learning functions of assessment practices at universities. Thus, the significance of using quality formative assessment is underlined, because it brings improvement to student learning and achievement. In the present study, the post-test achievement score mean for the students in the intervention group where quality formative assessment was used on lessons of “General Psychology” course was statistically significantly higher than the post-test achievement score mean for the comparison group students in which quality formative assessment was not used on the lessons of the course. Moreover, the students in the intervention group perceived and reported an enhanced self- regulation on their learning that was resulted from the use of quality formative assessment.

Furthermore, the perceptions by the educators and the students are determinant for the effective use of quality formative assessment. As the study result showed, the educators as well as the students reported positive perceptions towards the instructional advantages for the use of quality formative assessment though they also noted the presence of several impeding factors for its effective use in the present context. For example, the educators raised the new course modularisation approach, shortage of course coverage time, and large number of students per class and the educators’ lack of skills to use quality formative assessment as the major barriers working against the effective implementation of quality formative assessment. On the other side, the students raised shortage of time and too much workload as obstacles to the effective practice of quality formative assessment.

5.4 RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the findings and the conclusions reached on the study, recommendations to the use of quality formative assessment to improve student learning on university courses and for further research in the area are presented in this sub-section of the chapter.

5.4.1 Recommendations in relation to the use of quality formative assessment

The findings of this study confirmed the salient contributions on the use of quality formative assessment for learning improvement and self-regulation on learning. The use of quality formative assessment brings about significant achievement gains on student learning. It also help students to self- regulate their learning and assessment activities. Therefore, the following recommendations are forwarded in relation to the use of quality formative assessment in the teaching of university courses:

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 Department heads, course team leaders, quality assurance officers, educators and students at universities should collaborate and work towards the promotion of the use of quality formative assessment on lessons of university courses because quality formative assessment would have salient contributions to improve the self-regulation of learning, students’ learning and assessment skills, and learning achievement.

 The evidence provided on the use of quality formative assessment to effect significant gains on student learning could be well considered both for the design of assessment courses offered to beginning university educators and on continuous professional development (CPD) trainings for experienced university educators.

 The top management at the universities, particularly vice president for academics offices of the respective universities need to facilitate continuous training schemes for university educators on new techniques of instruction which involve the use of quality formative assessment to influence and change the long-existing direct instruction and summative form of assessment gradually to make university education more authentic and simulate the requirements of workplace knowledge and skills, as a result of which the quality and relevance of university courses will be enhanced.

 University educators and course team leaders should design learning environments which integrate the use of quality formative assessment to make learning and assessment activities encourage the active involvement of the student on the ongoing improvement of instructional techniques.

 Academic Development and Resource Centres (ADRCs) and the Higher Diploma Programs (HDPs) at the universities should plan continuous staff professional training programmes in the design of learning environments. The skills training should focus on using quality formative assessment to the enhancement of learning, and to make instruction more interactive. The training should incorporate topics pertinent to the theories of learning and assessment as well as on the issues that can be useful to strengthen the existing positive perceptions of the the educators towards the use of quality formative assessment. There is also a need to overcome the reluctant behavior on the part of the educators towards the

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implementation of quality formative assessment in instruction because educators at universities could play the key role in the improvement of instruction and student learning. The ADRCs which are responsible for in-service staff training and skill development should continuously organize hands on trainings to prepare the university educators with the techniques of collecting information on students’ learning for improvement purposes. Particularly, short-term staff development programs in the areas of instructional skills should give due emphasis on the specific skills to using quality formative assessment namely formative feedback, self-assessment and peer assessment in the teaching of a university course.

 Additionally, academic departments at the universities should follow mentorship schemes in the design and development of innovative instructional techniques involving quality formative assessment. This can help to have a platform in which instructional skills are shared among the educators with the aim of improving the instructional process for courses.

 Furthermore, educators should practice instructions which involve the use of quality formative assessment aiming at developing the students’ learning skills, learning to learn (L2L) because this will help to prepare the students for work place competencies and lifelong learning. To realise this, increasing the active role of the students in the instructional activities need to be emphasised.

 On the other hand, courses and programmes which incorporate the use of quality formative assessment should be planned and implemented in a way to prepare the students to become more responsible, reflective, and autonomous in their learning and assessment activities. Parallel to this, quality assurance personnel at the college level together with the mentors for the team learning groups should strengthen the already initiated collaborative learning practice (five students in a team) to contribute for improved learning and assessment practices in the teaching of university courses.

 Most importantly, in the curriculum design and review process, universities should give great emphasis and incorporate quality formative assessment as one compulsory approach of assessment in course curriculum implementation. Likewise, assessment policies and

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standards with respect to higher education courses, which are designed by the Higher Education Relevance and Quality Agency (HERQA) and by the respective universities should include assessment moderation (both internal and external) where evidence on the use of quality formative assessment activities are documented and plans for the improvement of practices are specifically addressed on courses and modules.

 In addition to what has been recommended already, quality audit protocols and practices for higher education courses, both by the respective universities and external quality councils (such as HERQA) should enforce the presentation of evidence on how the course educators at the universities implement quality formative assessment in the delivery of courses. Correspondingly, the educators teaching and assessment performance evaluation forms, which are filled out by the students and the department heads at the end of each course delivery should include sufficient items which can measure whether the course educator has properly implemented quality formative assessment on the teaching of courses.