Cooperative learning-embedded assessment: Implications for students’ assessment literacy and self-directedness in learning A Lubbe orcid.org/0000-0001-5687-1030 Thesis accepted for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Natural Science Education at the North-West University Promotor: Prof Elsa Mentz Co-promoter: Prof Kobus Lombard (1959-2018) Graduation: July 2020 Student number: 12080454 DECLARATION I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this thesis is my own original work and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it at any university for a degree. Signature November 2019 Date Copyright © 2019 North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) All rights reserved i DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to all the important people in my life. My husband, Henning, thank you for all your support and love. I love you and appreciate all that you’ve sacrificed over the past four years. When I count my blessings, I count you twice! I love you with all my heart! My brother, Willem, I love you! Your support, all the way from China, helped me more than you’ll ever know! Ek lief jou vreeslik baie Ouboet! My Dad, Pa Willem, I love you and I am grateful for second chances and new beginnings. My two daughters (because there is no such thing as a stepdaughter!), Mossie and Kyls, you are very special to me and I love you to bits! Prof. Elsa, I wish I had words to tell you how much I appreciate you! Thank you for believing in me and for your guidance and support! Tannie Drienie, thank you for always being there for me! Your encouragement and support are priceless! I am blessed with a special friend like you! I lastly, would like to dedicate this thesis to the late Prof. Kobus Lombard. I still had so much to learn from you! We all miss you dearly! Rest in peace, Prof. Kobus. “Beautiful memories silent kept of one that we loved and will never forget.” (foreverinmyheart.com) ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I firstly wish to thank my God, the God of Heaven and Earth, the God with whom nothing is impossible! His unconditional love and undeserved grace enabled me to carry out this investigation. To Him all praise is due! I also wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to the following individuals: Prof. Elsa Mentz, for her wisdom, guidance and support. Prof. Suria Ellis, for her expert advice regarding the quantitative phase of this investigation. Ms Jackie Viljoen, for the language editing of this thesis. Ms Connie Park, for the technical editing of this thesis. Mr Francois Minnie, for his cooperation on Campus A. The participants of this investigation without whom this investigation would not have been possible. My family and friends, for their support. All my NWU colleagues, for their support. iii ABSTRACT Studies reporting on the influence of assessment practices, fostering assessment literacy and self-directed learning skills, are limited. The aim of this investigation was to determine the influence of the implementation of cooperative learning-embedded assessment on the assessment literacy and self-directed learning readiness of first-year Life Sciences students. In order to achieve the research aim, a mixed-method approach was followed. During the quantitative phase of the investigation, the Self-Rating Scale of Self-Directed Learning and the Student Assessment Literacy Questionnaire were analysed. In the qualitative phase of this investigation, the Cooperative Learning-Embedded Assessment Questionnaire was administered to the first-year Life Sciences students in the experimental group. Semi-structured individual interviews were also conducted with randomly selected first-year Life Sciences students in the experimental group. The questions in the questionnaire and in the interviews were compiled to determine the students’ perception of the cooperative learning-embedded assessment intervention. Furthermore, the questions of the questionnaire and interviews aimed to establish how the students’ perception of cooperative learning-embedded assessment contributed to their assessment literacy and self- directed learning. The relationship between the students’ assessment literacy and their self-directedness in learning was also established. The results of this investigation contribute to the body of knowledge on assessment that is situated within cooperative learning with the development of cooperative learning-embedded assessment. Furthermore, a contribution is made to the body of knowledge on assessment literacy of students, as it provides insight into how participating students experienced cooperative learning-embedded assessment. The implementation of cooperative learning- embedded assessment contributes to students’ assessment literacy in terms of understanding the university’s purpose with assessment, their minimum effort orientation towards assessable tasks, understanding local assessment protocols and assessment standards, as well as being able to use assessment to judge their own work and the work of their peers. The implementation of cooperative learning-embedded assessment also contributes towards the development of the following self-directed learning skills, which are crucial for becoming self- directed in one’s learning: diagnosing learning needs, identifying strengths and weaknesses, iv seeing peers as resources, being motivated to learn, selecting appropriate learning strategies, and monitoring learning progress. Key words: cooperative learning-embedded assessment, assessment literacy, self-directed learning, cooperative learning, assessment, first-year students. v OPSOMMING Daar bestaan beperkte navorsing oor die invloed van assesseringspraktyke op die bevordering van assesseringsgeletterdheid en selfgerigte leervaardighede. Die doel van hierdie ondersoek was om die invloed van die implementering van koöperatiewe leer-ingebedde assessering op die assesseringsgeletterdheid en selfgerigte leergereedheid van eerstejaarstudente in Lewenswetenskappe te bepaal. Ten einde die navorsingsdoel te bereik, is ’n gemengdemetode-benadering gevolg. Gedurende die kwantitatiewe fase van die ondersoek is die selfbeoordelingsskaal van selfgerigte leer en die vraelys vir leerderassessering vir studente geanaliseer. In die kwalitatiewe fase van hierdie ondersoek is die koöperatiewe leer-ingebedde assesserings-vraelys op die eksperimentele groep eerstejaarstudente in Lewenswetenskappe toegepas. Semi-gestruktureerde individuele onderhoude is ook gevoer met willekeurig geselekteerde eerstejaarstudente in Lewenswetenskappe uit die eksperimentele groep. Die vrae in die vraelys en in die onderhoude was saamgestel om die studente se persepsie van die koöperatiewe leer-ingebedde assessering intervensie te bepaal. Verder was die vrae in die vraelys en onderhoude gerig op die bepaling van hoe die studente se persepsie van koöperatiewe leer-ingebedde assessering bygedra het tot hulle assesserings-geletterdheid en selfgerigte leer. Die verband tussen die studente se assesseringsgeletterdheid en hulle selfgerigte leer is ook vasgestel. Die resultate van hierdie ondersoek dra by tot die kennis van assessering wat binne koöperatiewe leer geleë is, met die ontwikkeling van koöperatiewe leer-ingebedde assessering. Verder word 'n bydrae gelewer tot die kennis oor assesseringsgeletterdheid van studente,aangesien dit insig bied in hoe deelnemende studente koöperatiewe leer-ingebedde assessering ervaar het. Die implementering van koöperatiewe leer-ingebedde assessering dra by tot die assesseringsgeletterdheid van studente ten opsigte van die begrip van die doel van die universiteit met assessering, studente se minimum pogingsgerigtheid ten opsigte van assesseerbare take, die begrip van plaaslike assesseringsprotokolle en assesseringstandaarde, sowel as die vermoë om assessering te gebruik om hulle eie werk en dié van hulle eweknieë te beoordeel. Die implementering van koöperatiewe leer-ingebedde assessering dra ook by tot die ontwikkeling van die volgende selfgerigte leervaardighede, wat van kardinale belang is ten einde selfgerig te raak ten opsigte van eie leer: die diagnosering vi van leerbehoeftes, identifisering van sterkpunte en swakhede, die sien van eweknieë as hulpbronne, motivering om te leer, keuse van toepaslike leerstrategieë, en die monitering van leervordering. Sleutelwoorde: koöperatiewe leer-ingebedde assessering, assesseringsgeletterdheid, selfgerigte leer, koöperatiewe leer, assessering, eerstejaarstudente. vii LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS AaL assessment as learning AE assessment expectation AfL assessment for learning AJ assessment judgement AL assessment for learning ALit assessment literacy AoL assessment of learning AU assessment understanding CFA confirmatory factor analysis CL cooperative learning CL-EA cooperative learning-embedded assessment CL-EAQ cooperative learning-embedded questionnaire CAQDAS computer and qualitative data analysis software EduREC Faculty of Education Research Ethics Committee eFundi learning management system of the university where the investigation was conducted Gr groundedness or G-count HE higher education ICT Information and Communication Technologies KMO Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin measure of sampling adequacy LIFE 112 Life Sciences module presented in the first semester of the first year LIFE 122 Life Sciences module presented in the second semester of the first year LMS learning management system LOA learning-oriented assessment MEO minimum effort orientation NWU North-West University viii OCLI Oddi Continuing Learning Inventory PAF principle axis factoring P-A-R post-assessment