Title:
EXTENT PHYSICS SUBJECT CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT PREDICT STUDENTS’ PHYSICS FORM FOUR NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS RESULTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KILIMANJARO REGION TANZANIA

Authors:
Nicholous Innocent,Dr. Victorin Salema and Dr. Gadi Koda, Tanzania

Abstract:
This study examined the extent to which physics subject continuous assessment predicts students’ form four national examinations results. The study was guided by one research question and one hypothesis. The study was also guided by validity Test theory developed by Kelley (1927). The study employed convergent design under mixed research methods. The sample of this study included 35 secondary schools, 35 heads of schools, 35 academic masters/mistresses, 70 physics teachers, 05 District secondary education officers and 05 District school quality assurer officers. Stratified simple random technique was used to select physics teachers and students. The heads of schools, district secondary education officers, academic masters/mistresses and district school quality assurers officers were directly included making a total of 185 respondents from a total population of 1418. Research instruments included questionnaires, interview guide and document analysis schedule. For quantitative data analysis the researcher used both descriptive and inferential statistics. For qualitative data analysis the researcher used thematic analysis for analyzing qualitative data. Data for descriptive statistics were analyzed using frequencies, percentages and mean scores. With regard to inferential statistics, regression analysis was used to test hypothesis at significance level of 0.05. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically whereby data were familiarized, organized, coded, reduced and presented in verbatim. The findings indicated that physics subject continuous assessment predicts to low extent physics form four national examination results. The study concluded that physics subject continuous assessment contribute to a low extent in predicting students’ physics form four national examination results. The study recommended that physics teachers together with school administrators in secondary schools should ensure that the whole process of conducting continuous assessment in schools has high extent in predicting students’ performance in physics subject form four national examinations results.