Perception of Teacher Trainees Regarding the Implementation of Continuous Assessment in National Colleges of Education in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Assessment is considered the process of making judgments about a student's performance on a particular task. It consists of a wide range of methods for evaluating student’s performances and attainments including formal testing and examinations, practical and authentic assessments, and classroom-based assessments conduct by teachers. This study examined the perceptions of teacher trainees on the implementation of continuous assessments in National Colleges of Education in Sri Lanka. The selected population of the study was the batch of teacher trainees in the selected National College of Education and the sample for the study was 200 teacher trainees randomly selected from five National Colleges of Education. A questionnaire and interviews were applied to gather data from selected teacher trainees. Quantitative data were analyzed and described using frequency and percentage descriptive statistical tools, and interviews were analyzed qualitatively. The findings of the study have revealed that there is an effective perception of continuous assessment as they have an awareness that continuous assessment develops the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of the teacher trainees. It was recommended that the Academic section of the National College of Education should systematically regulate focusing on whether lecturers implement proper training on continuous assessment methods for teacher trainees in each subject and that sources such as books, magazines, and researches should be provided to study the information needed to write assignments, and the library should be open on weekends as there is no sufficient time on weekdays to use it.