Periodic assessment of students' achievements as a factor of effectiveness of studies: the opinion of social pedagogy students

Abstract

The phenomenon of effectiveness of studies becomes a hot issue because of its close connection to the quality of studies. The assessment of students’ achievements is one of the factors influencing effectiveness of studies. Assessment is considered as a rather problematic part of study process. Theoretical analysis revealed the components of students’ achievements assessment positively influencing effectiveness of studies if used properly: frequency of assessment events, assessment methods, feedback information provided to students, students’ involvement into assessment process (self-evaluation). The questionnaire survey of 622 social pedagogy students was performed in 2008 in order to investigate students’ opinion about the influence of periodic assessment of their achievements to the effectiveness of studies. The opinion of social pedagogy students about the influence of the mentioned above components of the assessment to the effectiveness of studies was analyzed. The research results revealed that the opinion of Lithuanian undergraduate day-time social pedagogy students is adequate and confirms the theoretical insights about the positive influence of properly used students’ achievements components (such as assessment frequency, methods of assessment, feedback characteristics, students’ involvement into the assessment process) to the effectiveness of studies.