Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to investigate the content validity of teacher-made Core
Mathematics tests in senior high schools in the Eastern region of Ghana. The study
purposed to identify the profile dimensions the items in the Core Mathematics tests
address. Also, the study sought to find out the test construction skills and practices
teachers exhibit in teaching and learning of Core Mathematics. For the purpose of this
study, three research questions were formulated to guide the study. A descriptive
survey design was used to examine the characteristics of the teacher-made tests. The
population of the study was drawn from senior high schools in the Eastern region and
sample was drawn from St. Peter’s Senior High School, St. Rose’s Senior High
School, St. Martin’s Senior High School and Akim Swedru Senior High School. A
sample of 40 teachers who taught Mathematics was drawn by a simple random
technique and 509 teacher-made Core Mathematics test items were used. Convenient,
purposive and simple random sampling technique was employed in the study. The
instruments used were a 19-item Likert scale questionnaire and Core Mathematics test
items constructed by teachers of Mathematics to assess year 2 students of the sampled
senior high schools. The results of the different data sources; the 19-item Likert scale
questionnaire and the expert rated Core Mathematics tests were used to answer the
research questions. The main findings from the study are captured as follows, in line
with the research questions. The test items tested higher cognition (application of
knowledge) more than lower cognition (knowledge and understanding). 78.4% of
items tested for application of knowledge whilst 21.6% of the test items tested for
knowledge and understanding. The expert ratings recorded the means of 3.35, 3.55
and 3.47 with a grand mean of 3.46 indicating that the content of teacher-made Core
Mathematics test is valid. The test practices and skills teachers exhibit are; teachers
consider the cognitive abilities of students, teachers put into consideration test
planning and techniques for the test and teachers consider the content of the test. It
was however recommended that giving teachers training in test construction
contribute to teachers constructing content valid tests. Hence, adequate training
should be provided very often to enhance test construction skills.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Mathematics Education, Faculty of Sciences,
submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master in Philosophy
(Mathematics)
in the University of Education, Winneba
JANUARY, 2021