ASSESSING CHEMISTRY TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE OF OBJECTIVE TEST CONSTRUCTION IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN LANGTANG NORTH LGA, NIGERIA
Keywords:
Chemistry teachers, objective test construction, academic qualification, teaching experience, senior secondary schools, Langtang North LGAAbstract
This study assessed Chemistry teachers’ knowledge of objective test construction in senior secondary schools in Langtang North Local Government Area (LGA), Plateau State, Nigeria. The study was guided by four research questions and two null hypotheses. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, with a sample of 60 Chemistry teachers drawn from a population of 120 using a stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using a validated and reliable instrument titled Teachers’ Knowledge of Objective Test Construction Questionnaire (TKOTCQ) (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.81). Descriptive statistics (mean and percentages) were used to answer the research questions, while One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that Chemistry teachers possess a generally high level of knowledge of objective test construction procedures (cluster mean = 3.10 on a 4-point Likert scale), although weaknesses were observed in technical areas such as item analysis and distractor development. Academic qualification significantly influenced teachers’ knowledge of test construction (cluster mean = 3.46 on a 4-point Likert scale), with postgraduate-qualified teachers demonstrating the highest competence. This was confirmed by the ANOVA result (F(2,57) = 14.37, p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the first null hypothesis. Similarly, teaching experience was found to have a significant effect on teachers’ ability to construct objective test items (cluster mean = 3.43 on a 4-point Likert scale), with more experienced teachers performing better. The ANOVA result (F(2,57) = 11.83, p < 0.05) led to the rejection of the second null hypothesis. The study concludes that while Chemistry teachers in Langtang North LGA demonstrate substantial knowledge of objective test construction, both academic qualification and teaching experience significantly enhance this competence. It recommends targeted professional development programmes focusing on psychometric skills such as item analysis and distractor development to address the persistent gaps identified in this study.References
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