Negative Wash-Back of Formative Assessment to Learning in Saudi Higher Education Context

This article reports the wash-back of formative assessment on what students learn, how they learn and the depth of their learning in Saudi higher education context. Previous research indicates that assessment methods affect different aspects of learning either positively or negatively depending on the nature of assessment tasks. Observations indicate a clear association between Saudi students’ learning and how their learning is assessed; so this research was needed to determine how exactly the correlation looked like—positive or negative. The data in this study were collected from Saudi undergraduates by employing a student survey and semi-structured interviews. The survey included Likert scale items of agreement regarding research assignments, quizzes and midterm examinations administered to 250 English-major students. To validate the survey results, sixteen students from different levels with GPA 3 and above were interviewed. The results showed that formative assessment narrowed down the scope of learning materials. The students mostly adopted surface level learning strategies to prepare for formative assessment tasks. Higher order thinking skills were not tested in any of the formative assessment methods. Therefore, it is suggested that assessments tasks should be subjected to thorough validation and moderation. Sound assessment practices should be put in place and practiced judiciously. To achieve these objectives, sustained institutional and departmental professional backing is a prerequisite.

A Study of Training Needs of Primary School Head Teachers in Disaster Management in District Poonch

The purpose of this research is to investigate the training need of primary school head teachers in disaster management in district Poonch. District Poonch is a placed a very high disaster region. Literature reviews have indicated that there has not been any research done about the training need of primary school in the disaster areas. Therefore, this research is an original one by obtaining the response primary head school teachers about the training need towards the natural disasters survey method and quantitative approach was used to conduct the research. Nature of research is explanatory and descriptive.The sample of the research comprises 155 primary schools in district Poonch. As 119 subjects responded the questionnaires. AJK State is faced with a variety of disasters with varying magnitudes most of which are heavy rainfall, earthquake on a scale of 1 to 5 and heavy gunfire in the Line of Control (LoC). It also established that essential disaster awareness information, material such as school emergency service, first aid training and psychological problem manuals were not available in most schools. The study further exposed that no efforts had been done by school administrations to enhance disaster preparedness and protection as none of the school had put in place early warning system. The study recommends that every primary, secondary school needs to have a plan for training for teachers and students to be better prepared in responding to disaster. Head school teachers and students to be better positioned after training to handle disaster. A similar study is carried out in all schools of AJK given that disaster can possibly occur in any school within AJK.