DEBRE BERHAN UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
THE STATUS AND CHALLENGES OF IMPLEMENTING CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT
IN ECD-CE CENTERS: THE CASE OF EAST WOLLEGA ZONE NEKMTE TOWN
SELECTED ECD-CE CENTERS/KGS

A THESIS PROPOSAL SUBMITED TO COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND

HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

INPARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER

ART IN ECD-CE
BY
Almaz GetacheW

ADVISOR: - Samson F. (PHD)

Augst, 2019

Debre Berhan, Ethiopia

 Acrynom

Assessment: Is an on going process aimed at understanding and improving student learning.

Continuous assessment: Is an informal and formal methods of assessing learners to identify the
learning difficulties (if any) possesses by using different methods like informal observation,
checklist, presentations, quizzes, projects, homework, class work, etc.

Status: The level at which ECCEcenter teachers in the study practice CA.

Implementation of CA: Is what the ECCE center teachers actually practice while assessing
students’ learning progress in the classroom and out of classroom in the school compound.

ECCE: Early childhood care and education.

CA: continuous assessment.

CRC: Cluster resource center.

MOE: Minister of education.

Grass root level: At the beginning of something.

CBA: curriculum-based assessment instruments.

SCA: Summative Continuous Assessment.

FCA: Formative Continuous Assessment

Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 4
1.1 Background of the Study ................................................................................................... 4
1.2 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................ 9
1.3. Objectives of the study ................................................................................................... 10
1.4 Significance of the Study................................................................................................. 11
1.5 Delimitation of the Study ................................................................................................ 11
1.6 Limitation of the Study .................................................................................................. 12
1.7 Organization of the Study ................................................................................................... 12
3.1 Research Design. ............................................................................................................. 13
3.2. Source of data. ................................................................................................................ 13
3.3 Samples and Sampling Techniques ................................................................................. 13
Table 1. the summary of population and sample size........................................................... 15
3.4 Instrument of data collection. .......................................................................................... 15
3.4.1 Questionnaire ................................................................................................................ 15
3.4.2. Interview. ..................................................................................................................... 16
3.5. Procedure of data collection. .......................................................................................... 16
3.6. Validity and Reliability checks....................................................................................... 17
3.7. Methods of data Analysis. .............................................................................................. 17
3.8. Ethical Consideration. .................................................................................................... 17
3.9. Operational Definition of Variables. .............................................................................. 18
3.9.1. Dependent variables. ................................................................................................... 18
CHAPTER FOUR ..................................................................................................................... 20
WORK PLANAND ESTIMATED BUDGET .......................................................................... 20
4.1. Work plan ....................................................................................................................... 20
4.2. Estimated budget s .......................................................................................................... 21
Table 4: Estimated Budgets ................................................................................................... 21
References ............................................................................................................................. 22
 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Assessment is a general term that includes the full range of procedures used to gain information
about students’ learning and the information of value judgment concerning learning
progress (Linn & Gronland, 2005). According to them, assessment is systematic processes
that plays a significant role in effective teaching and begins with the identification of
learning goals that have been attained.

Airasian (1991) has also defined assessment as a process of collecting, interpreting and
synthesizing information in decision making. Accordingly, assessment includes information
gathering in students’ instruction and climate by teachers so as to interpret and synthesize the
information to help teachers understand their students, plan and monitor instruction, and
establish suitable classroom atmosphere. This implies that assessment is not only quantifying test
results of students, but also requires the use of a number of techniques to gather
information about students so as to take reliable and accurate decision.

Assessment is often used as a synonym for testing not an appealing notion when construed as a
young child sitting in silence with a paper and pencil. Early childhood has historically used
informal assessments in the form of naturalistic observations and anecdotal records. Current
recommendations from the field and professional literature indicate the need for assessment
systems that use ongoing, multiple methods for gathering information (Shepard, Kagan, &
Wurtz, 1998) and( NAEYC & NAECS/SDE, 2003).

According to Michael and Paul (1994), assessment is a continuous process which is an integral
aspect of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on the specific purposes for which assessments
are conducted.

Quality assessment is a very essential element in the provision of quality education. This
is because assessment provides a foundation for making sound evaluative judgments about
students’ learning progress in particular and about the effectiveness of the whole
education system in general (McMillan, 2004;USAID/BEP, 2006b). Assessment is also
used to measure the performance of our students and the progress they make.
We also need it to diagnose the problems they have and provide our learners with useful
feedback as pointed out by Michael and Paul (1994).

The terms assessment and early childhood rarely appear together in everyday reading and
conversation, so a guide on assessment in early childhood requires some explanation at the
outset. Most people agree that early childhood includes the dynamic period from infancy until
eight years of age, characterized by rapid and complex growth in physical, cognitive, and social
domains. Assessment, by comparison, seems to be a rigid concept that conjures up visions of
formalized testing inappropriate for young children.

Traditionally, assessment of young children was an expert practice limited to health and
education specialists identifying special needs or gathering research data. Unfortunately, this
approach has pretty much limited assessment to verifying and describing existing problems in
early development instead of supporting optimal learning for all young children.

Nitko (1983) stated that,a teacher should continuously assess and evaluate the progress of
students incorporating the information and the judgments in to the instructional processes.
Therefore, educational assessment provides the necessary feedback we require in order to
maximize the outcomes of educational efforts. The assessment of learners’ learning provides
objective evidences necessary in decision making process in education.

As correctly pointed by Cone and Foster (1991), good measurement resulting in accurate data is
the foundation of sound decision making. There is a little doubt among educational practitioners
about the special values of assessment as a basic condition for effective learning. Of course, this
is undeniable; because unless the teacher has such a systematic and comprehensive assessment
procedure, he/she could not have any assurance that his/her objectives and the objectives
of students are in accord.

Therefore, the assessment process can aid in clarifying objectives for both the teacher and the
students because such assessment reinforces successful learning and reveals learning weakness
in need of correction (Nitko, 2004). The prescription is that classroom assessment should not be
a terminal activity that comes at the end; rather it should be continuous process that demands the
rigorous effort of the teacher and students.
Definition of Continuous Assessment

Assessment of students is a way of finding out what learners know, understand and can do. There
are a lot of terms that can be used to describe continuous assessment. In some countries,
people see continuous assessment as a teacher grading. Some times it is referred as a running
record, or curriculum based assessment. In all cases, teachers are given the responsibility to find
out what students in their classes know and are able to do. When this is done in a variety of
ways over time and used to improve instruction, then it is considered to be CA (Joy et al.,
2003).

Continuous assessment is a classroom strategy implemented by teachers to ascertain the

knowledge, understanding, and skills attained by students (USAID, 2003). It is also explained
that teachers administer assessments in a variety of ways over time to allow them to observe
multiple tasks and to collect information about what students know, understand, and can do.
These assessments are curriculum based tasks previously taught in class. Continuous assessment
occurs frequently during the school year and is part of regular teacher-students interactions.
Students receive feedback from teachers based on their performance that allows them to
focus on topics they have mastered. Teachers learn which students need review and
remediation and which students are ready to move on to work which is more complex. Thus, the
results of assessments help to ensure that all students make learning progress throughout the
school cycle thereby increasing their academic achievement.

Another definition of continuous assessment as given by Reece and Walker (2003) is that
it is a classroom strategy implemented by teachers to ascertain knowledge, understanding,
skills and attitude attained by students and the process of obtaining information about how
much the student knows. This suggests that continuous assessment is a process and is much
more than an examination of student achievement. It is a powerful diagnostic tool that enables
students to understand areas in which they have difficulty and to concentrate their efforts in those
areas. Continuous assessment as an alternative to traditional testing of pupils’ achievement
offers methodology for assessing students’ performance and improving the success of pupils
(USAID, 2003; Bolyard, 2003), as cited in Dessalegn (2004, p. 1).
Also continuous asseement can be defined as making observation periodically to find out what a
student knows, understand, and do (Dessalegn, 2004).

On the other hand, continuous assessment is the conduct of frequent assessment for purposes of
deciding how well students are achieving the learning out comes and what you and they might do
to improve their learning. Continous assessment in this context means obtaining information
about students frequently (i. e. often) instead of obtaining information only rarely (USAID,
2008). According to this idea the term Continous assessment come to existence as a reaction to
an older educational practice of examining students only at the end of educational cycle. Under
this older practice, students do not receive adequate feedback along the way about their learning
and do not know how well they were progressing until the educational cycle was finished and it
was too late. To correct the short comings of this older practice, educators now advocate
assessment that is more frequent assessment is called Continous assessment. We now realize
that Continous assessment is a classroom strategy and which is a frequent assessment of
students; you should realize that frequent assessment alone does not improve teaching
and learning. You must use the assessment results specifically for improving teaching and
learning.

You must use the assessment results to give a student feedback that tells them how to improve,
not simply give them a work or identify the questions they missed on a test. If you discover from
an assessment that the class didn’t understand some of the material, you will need to use this
information to modify your teaching (USAID, 2008).

Finally, Anisiobi (2000) stated that Continous assessment is a method of finding out what the
learners have gained from learning activities in terms of knowledge, thinking and reasoning,
character development and industry. Continous assessment is needed because it is an
assessment approach, which involves the use of variety of assessment. It is an approache
that assess various components of learning not only thinking processes but including
behaviors, personality and manual dexterity. As Continous assessment takes place over a period
of time, such approach would be more comprehensive representing the learner on his or her
entity. Therefore, Continous assessment can be understood as a process which extends over a
period of time and involves a gradual build up of cumulative judgment about students’
performance.
According to Hassen (1998) , a teacher who trying to conduct Continous assessment is looking
for signs that show the development of thinking processes and the process of varying
ability towards the aim of instruction.

First invented by Professor Helen Wodehouse in 1921(by then a professor in Bristol University)
GUC (1997), Continous assessment is apparently getting a momentum. It is believed to be more
valid, reliable and motivating than the traditional terminal based examination. These days,
advanced nation such as Australia, England, Spain and developing nations such as Nigeria,
Malawi, South Africa and others have incorporated Continous assessment to their educational
system (Little & Wolf, 1996; Njabili, 1999).

Similarly, the Ethiopian Education and Training Policy gives due emphasis on the uses of
Continous assessment as an effective means of instructional processes (MOE, 2002, TGE, 1994).
These documents argued that the committed practice of Continous assessment improves
students’ learning and among other things could alleviate the problem of grade repetition
in early level. However, research and personal observations of the researcher indicate that
the implementation of Continous assessment at the grass root levels of our education system
is below the standard. Research findings by Birhanu (2004) on Teachers’ Assessment of
Students’ Performance with Emphasis on Continous assessment at early stage level and Muluken
(2006), on Perception and Practices of Continous assessment in the first cycle primary schools
indicated that:

-The value that the Education and Training Policy (ETP) of the country has placed on Continous
assessment to provide quality education,

- There is a knowledge gap about teachers’ actual classroom practice of Continous assessment,
and

- No advanced research has been conducted yet regarding the status and factors affecting
the implementation of Continous assessment in early schools of the area under investigation.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Nowadays, increasing attention is being given in education to the quality of classroom
assessment, because more than any of its aspects assessment plays a central role in determining
the quality of education (Airasian, 1991).

To this effect, classroom assessment is both the means to ascertain the effectiveness of
curriculum and is an indirect indicator of the teaching learning process (Girma, 2001).

Some countries of the world have passed laws and includes provisions that make teachers
accountable for the learning and development of students (Gronland,1981;Njabili,1999).

Traditionally, in Ethiopia Continous assessment is understood as testing and measuring of the

outcomes of learning. According to Mkhonta (2003), Continous assessment is an essential
component of the instructional process which enables the teacher to better use the
“Assessment Feedback Correction” learning cycle that is missing from the time limited
examinations. Therefore, to make benefit out of Continous assessment, the role of a teacher is
indispensible. Teachers’ understanding of the concept, and applying it in classroom
situation, determines the extent to which teaching and learning process is improved through
Continous assessment (Livingstone, 2001).

Now a days, schools and Universities all over the world are turning their face to this form of
assessment for they have been convinced that it provides more accurate picture of the ability of
students than a single end of semester examination (Njabili, 1999, Teshome, 2001).

However, most teachers in Ethiopia are either biased or ignorant about the use of Continous
assessment and remain to their old experiences (MOE & ICDR, 2002).

The experience of the researcher (Sixteen years) in the study area as a teacher, school principal,
CRC supervisor, Woreda education office expert and Zone education expert, indicate that the
practice of ECCE teachers in conducting sound continuous assessment so as to ensure quality
education starting from the grass root level is not sufficient and it has not been investigated so
far. Besides, the researcher heard and saw that most teachers understood as if continuous
assessment and testing were similar and using accordingly.
The critical problems associated with Continous assessment in Dessie, pripremary ECCE
centers are also related with the above idea. For that reason, problems like absence of
sufficient awareness and teachers’ failure to have positive attitude towards Continous
assessment were the major problems that hinder the implementation of Continous assessment.
Beside this, teachers seem not committed to effectively implement Continous assessment in
the classrooms.

Having this research gap in mind, the researcher designed this study to assess the current status
and challenges of implementing continuous assessment in ECCE centers of Dessie town,
Nekemte town educational administration office, Oromia Region by raising the following basic
questions to guide the study.

1. How do ECCE teachers in the study area practice Continous assessment in teaching learning
process?

2. What are the challenges that the participants encountered in practices of Continous
assessment implementation?

3. To what extent do ECCE teachers understand the difference between Continous assessment
and testing?

4. To what extent Do ECCE teachers develop individual portfolio for all early children and
support accordingly?

1.3. Objectives of the study

The general objective of this study will be to examine the status and the challenges of
implementing Continous assessment in ECCEcenters of East Wollega zone, Nekemte Town
educationa administration so as to bring betterment.

More specifically, the specific objectives of this study are:

 To investigate the status of implementing Continous assessment in ECCE centers of East

Wollega Zone, Nekemte town.
 To examine the challenges of implementing Continous assessment in ECCE centers of
East Wollega Zone, Nekemte town.
  To investigate the extent of teachers’ knowledge regarding continuous assessment.
 To investigate to what extent do teachers in the ECCE centers develop basic portfolio for
each children.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study may serve as a feedback for the Zone and Woreda education office
workers ,CRC supervisors, school principals, ECCE center mentors about the status of
implementing continuous assessment in all levels of teaching learning process in general and
ECCE centers in particular. Similarly, the finding of the study may be significant in
identifying the problems encountered in the implementation process of Continous assessment
and as a result makes aware policy makers and practitioners to the problems teachers are facing
in implementing Continous assessment at a classroom level. Besides, the finding of this study
may help all stakeholders to improve their effort and basic knowledge so as to promote the
implement of continuous assessment to overcome the current issue, education quality. . Finally,
the finding of the study will also can serve as the starting point for other researchers who want to
conduct the research on the issue under study.

1.5 Delimitation of the Study

Although it may be helpful to study the problem at larger area coverage, because of time
and finance constraints and the researcher’s personal as well social problem, this study will be
delimited to make investigation on the status and challenges of implementing Continous
assessment at some selected private ECCE centers of East Wollega Zone, Nekmte town
namely,Gemta,Abdi Lemi,Burka Oromia,Africa Beza and Betel ECDCE Centers.

Specifically, the study will be limited to investigating the KG1-3 level at which the ECCE center
teachers in the study area practice Continous assessment, and identifying the challenges that call
for stakeholders’ attention in the academic year of 2011 E.C.
1.6 Limitation of the Study
Eventhough it is very difficult to mention all the constraints that will be encountered by the
researcher in the course of the study under consideration, it is obvious that research work cannot
be totally free from limitation.

Accordingly, the study will be intended to assess the status and challenges of implementing
continuous assessment in five selected private ECCE centers. Besides, some of the respondents
may not cooperative to complete the questionnaires on time. In addition to this, constraints of
time, lack of resources, and inadequate existence of the case studies in similar context and so on
are may be drawbacks of this study. As a result of this, the study will be limited only to five
ECCE centers of the academic year.

1.7 Organization of the Study

The study will be organized into five chapters. The first chapter will deals with background of
the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, including basic questions to be
answered, significance of the study, delimitation of the study and operational definition of key
terms and concepts as well as limitation of the study. The second chapter will contains the
review of the related literature that provides a conceptual framework of the study. The
third chapter deals with the design and methodology will be employed to conduct the study.
The fourth chapter provides data presentation, analysis and interpretation. Finally, chapter five
will presents brief summary of the findings and conclusions followed by possible
recommendations.

References and appendices which included questionnaires and interview guide will be also part
of the document
.CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

This chapter explains how the research will be carried out. It includes research design, source of
data, population, sample size, sampling techniques, instrument of data collection, data gathering
procedure, validity and reliability checks of the instrument, methods of data analysis and ethical
consideration of the research.

3.1 Research Design.

A descriptive survey method will be used for this study.

According to Creswell (2011) descriptive studies are carried out to obtain information about the
preference, attitudes, practices, concerns or interests of some group of people.

As Denscombe, (2007) descriptive survey research design will be used inordr to describe the
information that obtained from relatively large number of respondents and to analyze trends.
Since the purpose of this study will be to identify the status and challenges of implementing
continuous assessment in ECDCE Centers of Nekemte Town Adiministrative Office of
Education, it is assumed that the problems will approach to using descriptive method. This
method is an appropriate research method to get a description of current status of a problem by
examining and describing the major problems facing ECDCE teachers on implementation of
continuous assessment in the administrative town.

3.2. Source of data.

For this study, the primary data will be collected from teachers, ECDCE center co-coordinators
(directors) and parents by researcher through questionnaires and interview.

3.3 Samples and Sampling Techniques

The target population or sampling frame is the actual list of sampling units from which the
sample size is selected (Creswell,2011). Accordingly, the target population of this study will be
selected from ECDCE center teachers, parents and school directors of ECDE centers of Nekemte
Town administrative office of education. In this administrative office of education, there are 29
KG centers of which 28 of them are private and 1 is public, 29 school principals 4050 KG
students, 373 KG teachers and about 203 PTA members representing the whole families.
Multistage sampling techniques will be used since the sampling techniques are vary at each
phase. Accordingly, 7 ECDCE center from 29 ECDCE centers, 7 school prinicipals from 29
ECCE center prinicipal, 41 PTA members from 203 PTAs and 76 teachers from 373 ECDCE
center teachers will beselected using simple random sampling (through lottery system) for it
provides equal chance for them to be selected as samples of the study. Generally, 7 ECDCE
centers, 7 school principals 76 ECDCE center teachers 41 PTA members will be taken as target
population for the study under consideration.

From 605 total population of the study, 124 sample population will be taken by using The
sample size is determined based on sampling size determination formula developed by
Yamane (1967) indicated below. The required sample size will be determined at 92%
confidence level. Where,

N- total population/ sampling frame of the study village

n -Sample size for the research

e –designates maximum variability or margin of error

𝑁
𝑛=
1 + 𝑁(𝑒)2

N= 605, n=? e= 0.08

Therefore, n= N/1+N(e)2

n=605/1+605(0.08)2

n= 124

Therefore, from 203 PTA 41 will be selected by by snowball sampling technique since parents
were out of schools ,it will be difficult to get unless their friends and students to recommend
them. The number 0f PTA from each school will be determined proportionally based on the
percent of the total parents’ in each school.

In addition, from 373 teachers 76 teachers’ representative will be identified using stratified
random sampling technique to give equal chance of involvement for teachers from different
subject background in the school.Finally, 7school principals will be selected by using purposive
sampling technique owing to their experience and current positions to provide appropriate
information regarding the issue under study.

Table 1. the summary of population and sample size.

No Types of respondents Population Sample size Sampling techniques
1 PTA Members 203 41 Snowball sampling
2 Teachers 373 76 Stratified Sampling
3 Principals 29 7 Purposive sampling
4 Other - -
5 Total 605 124

As indicated in the table one above41 PTA Members, 76 teachers and 7 school principals were
identified as sample population. Therefore, the total population of this study was 124

3.4 Instrument of data collection.

In order to obtain adequate information from the intended respondents, the researcher will use
the questionnaire, open ended questions and semi structured interview. The researcher expects
that the selected instruments will fit to the designed study appropriately.

3.4.1 Questionnaire
Questionnaire is commonly used to address the largest number of respondents and helps the
respondents to express their ideas freely and easily with in less time in descriptive survey study
(Creswell,2011). The survey questionnaires will be largely modified and prepared from related
literatures (Epstein et.al.,2002). After preparing the questionnaire by the researcher with the aim
of measuring the status and challenges of continoues assessment in ECDCE, the questionnaires
will be given to expertise so that it can be commented and then the instruments will be improved
based on the comments given.Questionnaire will be administerd to ECCE center principals and
ECCE teachers.

The questionnaire will consist two sections. In part I respondents will be asked to responed to
demographic characteristics regarding sex, age, occupation , years of experience , level of
education and school. In part II , respondents will be asked to rate their ideas regarding status
and challenges of assessment in ECDCE based on five point Likert scale: never=1,
rarely=2,sometimes=3,often=4, and always=5 and yes or no or undetrmind. The Questionnaire
will be adminstred for teachers and school principals.

3.4.2. Interview.
The basic advantage of using interview is its flexibility for participants to express their feelings,
perception, problems and intentions related to an issue under study.Thus, semi- structured
interview guides will be used for PTA membwrs.

3.5. Procedure of data collection.

In order to answer the research questions going to be raised, the researcher will go through series
of data gathering procedures. The questionnaire items and interview guidelines will be initially
prepared in view of basic research questions of the study and review of related literature .Then,
the items will be validated and reshaped by the advisors and other scholars before the actual
intervention. Then after, the researcher will receive the official letters of authorization from
Debre Brehan University department of psychology and contact Nekemte Town Education
Administrative office. .After receiving the legal permission from the 0ffice, the research activity
will be continued. The purpose of the study under consideration and the value of data needed
will be clarified to concerned individuals. After reaching an agreement with those authorized
bodies, the researcher will go to each group of respondents and introduce the research’s objective
and purpose until reach agreements and makes trust with them. Before going to the data
collection through questionnaire, the researcher will assign a person so as to provide orientation
to facilitate the data gathering administration from each sample of the case under study.

Next to this, the data collection procedure will be undertaken with concerned participants with
respective of their consent. Then the final questionnaires will be administered to sample
principals and teachers within given schedule by close support of researcher’s representative and
under close supervision of the researcher. While data gathering process through questionnaire
will be accomplished with the independent action of respondents, the interview with PTA
members will be undertaken by the researcher with concerned body in line with their consent.
Finally, the data gathered through different instruments will be checked by the researcher himself
based on his checklist before leaving the site.
3.6. Validity and Reliability checks.
To maintain the validity, the instruments were prepared in accordance with the relevant literature
review of how the concept works with the objectives of the study.

Besides, the comments from experts will be used so as to make sure whether the instrument
looks valid. Also all instruments will be given to graduate students, educational experts and other
researchers for further comment. In addition, the reliability of the instrument will be maintained
through conducting a pilot test before it will be used for the actual data collection.

The purpose of pilot test is to alter the instrument if there will be any defect on it and secure the
reliability more in expecting to obtain the required results. Accordingly, for more reliability
check the prepared questionnaire which wiil be evaluated and commented by those available
experts and advisor also will be tested at Afica Beza KG center and Bethel KG center which will
be randomly selected out of the sample ECDCE centers. The questionnaires will be distributed to
60 teachers, 5 school principals and totally distributed to 65 respondents. The result of this
analysis will be tested by using internal consistency model (Cohen.et.al.,2007).

On the other hand, qualitative data will be organized, coded and narrated qualitatively concurrent
to quantitative data.

3.7. Methods of data Analysis.

After the collection of qualitative data, but prior to data entry, the researcher will carefully screen
all the data for accuracy. Data screening will be carried out prior to data analysis. The descriptive
statistics method of data analysis will be used for quantitative data that will be gathered through
questionnaire. The decision will base on the percenrage of respondents’ opinoion regarding the
questions given to them. On the other hand, qualitative data will be analyzed by narration and
description .Then, the analysis and interpretation will be made in relation to the basic questions
of the study, which leads to organizing the finding of the study.

3.8. Ethical Consideration.

As the study will aim to assess the status and challenges of learning assessment in early
childhood, all processes will be accomplished at the participants voluntarily consent without
harming and threatening their personal school wellbeing. Besides, the researcher will create a
healthy coordination with respondents expressing that their responses will be decisive for the
successful accomplishment of the study. All the communication with the respondents will be
undertaken in honest and open way considering the research ethical code such as anonymity (
not to use any names and address in the final report) and confidentiality ( not disclose directly
any information to the third party). The researcher will provide awareness to the respondents that
the information they will give through questionnaire and interview will be used only for the
research purpose. Furthermore, the researcher also will underline that their responses (opinion)
will not be used for any other purposes except for this academic research.

3.9. Operational Definition of Variables.

The fowwing concepts wiil be defined according to the context of the research work.

3.9.1. Dependent variables.

1. Status of continuous assessment: It is a categorical variable (high, middium, low) which
indicate the current position of the practice of continunous assessment in ECCE center.It
indicates the current actual process of collecting, interpretning, synthesizing information to make
sound decisionAirasian (1991).

2. Implementation of Continuous assessment.It is a categorical variable which indicate that

how far the act of conitinuouns assessment is being done (MOE & ICDR, 2002).

3.9.2. Independent variable

1. Sex. It dummy variable which indicates Male or female respondents who are going to be
involved in the study and positively affect the dependent variable.

2. Age : It is a categorical variable to be measured in interval scale in which the dependent

variable will be affected as it goes a head.

3. Educational status: It is a categorical variable which indicate the educational qualification of

the respondents which are directly related with the dependent variable.

4. Work experience: It is a dummay variable which indicates the duration how long the workers
have been working in this specific job category and directly related with the dependent variable.

5. Teachers’ training: It is dummay variable which indicate how far the teachers have
participated in a on a job traing and directly related with the dependent variables. Teachers’
understanding of the concept, and applying it in classroom situation, determines the extent
to which teaching and learning process is improved through Continous assessment (Livingstone,
2001)

6. Teachers’ commitment: It is a categorical variable which indicate how far the teachers are
committed towaeds the dependent variable. The implementation of continuous assessment
requires practionars deep knowledge and commitment (Livingstone, 2001).

7. Teachers’attitude: It is categorical variables which indicate how teachers pecieve continuous

assessment and which is directly related with the dependent variable. Most teachers in Ethiopia
are either biased or ignorant about the use of Continous assessment and remain to their old
experiences (MOE & ICDR, 2002).
 CHAPTER FOUR

WORK PLANAND ESTIMATED BUDGET

4.1. Work plan

No Tasks Duration /to be accomplished 2018/19

June Jul-sep Oc Nov De Jan Feb March Apr May June

t

1 Problem identification

2 Literature review

3 Proposal writing

4 Submission of proposal

5 Questionnaire Development

6 Data collection

7 Data coding and entry

8 Data analysis

9 Report writing

10 Submission report
 4.2. Estimated budget s

Table 1: Estimated Budgets

No Description Unit Quantity Price /unit Price total

1 Printer Toner number 1 3500 1*3500=3500

2 Transportation cost from home - - - 6000

to home to D/Berhan then back
home (3 times)

3 Note book Numbers 5 75 5*75=375

4 Duplication paper Pad 5 110 5*110=550

5 Pens pad 1 200 1*200=200

6 Pencils Number 8 2 8*2=16

7 Photo copy Page 700 1 700

8 Flash disk Number 3 200 3*200=600

9 Binder Number 2 100 2*100=200

10 Photo Camera Number 1 5000 1*5000=5000

11 Tape record Number 1 1500 1*1500=1500

12 Data collection free including Birr - - 10,000

transport and personal free

13 Total - - - 23016

14 Contingency value 15 % - - - 3452.4

15 The whole total 26468.4

References
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