Perceived Instructional and Assessment Practices as Related to Academic Achievement of Mathematics Students in Jimma University, 2004 E. C.

Abstract

Science and technology are currently becoming a very dominant means of development worldwide in which mathematics is its fundamental tool. This study tried to investigate the learning situations of mathematics students in Jimma University (JU) in 2011/12 G. C. academic year based on a cross-sectional survey using all the three batches of 255 students as respondents. The finding shows that lecturing is still the dominant teaching method teachers frequently using and students enjoying most in the current mathematics classes of JU. Tutorial sessions of mathematics classes are wrongly used for lecturing and assessments which was meant for active exercises and feedback exchanges. On the other hand, continuous assessment is found habitual in most learning situations in the department. In general in this study, it is recommended to design ways of conducting intervention to improve the teaching learning situations at department level since it is the concern of everybody there.

Key-words: learning situation, academic achievement, active learning, tutorial session, continuous assessment.