DEVELOPMENT AND STANDARDIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT TEST FOR SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN TARABA STATE NIGERIA

¹Egunsola Abraham, ²Denga Luther and ³Pev Isaac

¹Department of Vocational Education, Modibbo Adama University of Technology Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria

²College of Education, Zing, Jalingo,Taraba State, Nigeria

³Department of Vocational Education, Modibbo Adama University of Technology Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria.

Email- zikpev@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

An Agricultural Science Standardized Achievement Test (ASSAT) was developed for Senior Secondary School class one (SS1) students in Taraba State, Nigeria. The test was developed to provide a valid and reliable instrument to be used for diagnosis, placement and guidance services in Taraba state senior secondary schools. A table of specification was drawn by the researchers based on the content of SS1 Agricultural Science Curriculum and used as a guide to generate 60 objective test items. The test items were face and content validated by experts and pilot tested on 48 students in two schools not included in the study. Split half reliability was determined using Spearman Brown Prophecy formula to determine the internal consistency of the test. The test had a reliability coefficient of 0.82. The researchers adopted an instrumentation research design. The final revision of the test items was made and a final copy containing 50 objective questions was administered to three hundred and eighty four students in sixteen schools, using disproportionate stratified random sampling technique. Four research questions were formulated and answered; one hypothesis was formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance using the Z – test analysis. Data collected were analyzed using the Maximum Likelihood estimation technique of the BILOG MG Computer programme based on one parameter model of item response theory. Norms for the test was based on measures of central tendency and percentile ranks. The result revealed areas of instruction in Agricultural Science curriculum needing greater emphasis It was recommended that the Taraba state ministry of education should integrate the use of the Test in senior secondary schools for placement of students who will offer Agricultural science. Also Agricultural science teachers should incorporate strategies that will reflect critical thinking among agricultural science students during delivery of topics that demand calculations.