Relevance of questions on Grade IX English literature examinations, June 1968, for the province of Newfoundland to professed objectives

Spencer, Doreen (1970) Relevance of questions on Grade IX English literature examinations, June 1968, for the province of Newfoundland to professed objectives. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The study examined the relevance of questions on the Grade IX English Literature Examinations, June 1968, for the Province of Newfoundland to professed objectives. Data were collected by means of an opinionnaire, based on the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives edited by B.S. Bloom and D.R. Krathwohl, distributed to teachers of Grade IX English Literature in selected schools in Newfoundland; to the members of the Curriculum Division, Department of Education; to the members of the English Council of the Newfoundland Teacher’s Association; and to the setters of the examinations in Grade IX English Literature, June 1968. A stratified random sample of English teachers was used. -- The degree of agreement between objectives tested on the examinations and those objectives professed by teachers, by members of the Curriculum Division, Department of Education, by members of the English Council, and by the setters of the examinations was investigated. The University-preparatory and General-program examinations were compared. The statistical procedures used to test the hypothesis included Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance. -- The findings indicated that there was no agreement on objectives among the participating groups and also that the objectives of no single group agreed with those objectives texted on the examinations under consideration. -- Analysis of the findings supports several conclusions the most important of which are the following: (1) There seems to be no communication among teachers, the English Council, the Curriculum Division, and the setters of the examinations concerning the goals to be attained in the teaching of English Literature. (2) Much of evaluation should reach beyond the testing of the mere possession of knowledge to the testing of whether the knowledge can be used effectively. (3) The broad, global objectives for the teaching of English Literature need to be made operational. -- The major recommendations arising from the study included: (1) All teachers and people involved in the preparation of an English Curriculum and/or Examination should have some training in the writing of instructional objectives. (2) Setters of examinations should be more carefully chosen. (3) The Faculty of Education of Memorial University should be asked to initiate a course specifically designed to help teachers operationalize their objectives.

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