Evaluation Based Teaching As A Confidence Builder in Good Teaching Practice

Description

Every one requires confidence in order to perform any task. Similarly, students require confidence in their studies so as to pass examinations for the courses they undertake. I treat confidence as a psychological feeling that gives students courage to face challenges in a learning environment with positive expectations. In fact, adequate confidence is most needed for attaining good results from practical assignments and for achieving best results in final examinations. Evaluation based teaching was considered as one of the practices that are good for confidence building. The practice can be applied in competency based curricula, to yield good examination results and eliminate examination cheating. It allows typical summative evaluation to be carried out in stages throughout the semester while the syllabus is being covered. I personally encourage those participating in harmonization of higher education programs for African universities, to embrace this practice for the common good. The evaluation based teaching practice was applied to a course unit named Fundamentals in Engineering Geology. The course unit is offered to degree students pursuing Bachelor of Science in Applied Geology during their first semester of third year in my institution. It is a core unit that provides an understanding of geological set up of construction sites so as to permit design of infrastructural structures.The topic on geological maps was well represented with questions on geological cross sections that require drawing skills, covered for five semesters consecutively. End of semester examination question papers are open to public for use after the examinations have been done and are always available, although extra similar material can be issued while the semester is on.