EFFECT OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL MODERATION ON THE QUALITY OF EXAMINATIONS IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA

DOMENITER NAOMI KATHULA, SR. DR. JACINTA M. ADHIAMBO, DR. SHEM M. MWALW’A, DR. JOHN C. WAWERU

Abstract


This study sought to examine the effect of internal and external moderation of examination on the quality of examinations in public universities in Kenya. The study also examined the influence of university standards and guidelines on the relationship between internal and external moderation of setting examinations and quality of examinations. The study used the concurrent triangulation research design of mixed method which combines phenomenological research design for qualitative data and cross-sectional survey research design for quantitative data. Both probability and non-probability sampling techniques were used to select the sample for the study. A total of 242 respondents were involved in the study. Data collection instruments included questionnaires, interview guides and document analysis. Qualitative data were organized into themes to make meaningful conclusions of the study. The study found a statistically significant relationship between internal and external moderation and quality of examinations. It was found out that internal and external moderation lacked the seriousness it deserved. University standards and guidelines was found to influence the relationship between internal and external moderation on setting examinations and quality of examinations.

Keywords: Internal and External Moderation, Examination Setting, Examination Quality


Full Text:

PDF

References


Adedoyin, O. (2013). Public examinations and its influence on the Botswana educational system: Views of undergraduate education students at the University of Botswana. Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 1(2).

ALTC. (2012a). Assessment Moderation Toolkit. Melbourne, Australia: The Australian Learning and Teaching Council. Retrieved from http://resource.unisa.edu.au/course/view.php?id=285&topic=1.

ALTC. (2012b).Good practices in moderation of assessment in transnational education. Melbourne, Australia: The Australian Learning and Teaching Council. Retrieved from http://resource.unisa.edu.au/course/view.php?id=285&topic=1.

Bloxham, S. (2009). Marking and moderation in the UK: False assumptions and wasted resources. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 34(2), 209-220.

Bloxham, S., & Boyd, P. (2007). Developing effective assessment in higher education: A Practical Guide. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Bunyi, G.W. (2013).The quest for quality education: The case of curriculum innovations in Kenya. European Journal of Training and Development, 37(7), 678-691.

Chalchisa, D. (2014). Practices of assessing graduate students’ learning outcomes in selected Ethiopian higher education institutions. Journal of International Cooperation in Education, 16(2), 157-180.

Cheserek, G.J. (2011).Quality management in curriculum development and delivery in African universities: A case study of Moi University, Kenya.

Cheserek, G.J. (2011). Quality management at the faculty of environmental studies at Chepkoilel university college, Kenya.

Commission for University Education. (2013). Education sector report: Realizing vision 2030 goals through effective and efficient public spending. Nairobi: Kenya.

Edelen, M. O., & Reeve, B. B. (2007). “Applying Item Response Theory (IRT) Modeling to Questionnaire Development, Evaluation, and Refinement,” Quality of Life Research, 16, 5–18.

Eucharia. (2012). Quality management in the examination processing and external evaluation of university programmes. Strategic Plan (2005 - 2015). Nairobi: Kenyatta University.

Evans, C. (2013). Making Sense of Assessment Feedback in Higher Education. Review of Educational Research. P.30.

Goos, M., & Hughes, C. (2010). An investigation of the confidence levels of course/subject coordinators in undertaking aspects of their assessment responsibilities. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 35(3), 315-324.

Gudo, C. O., Oanda, I.O. & Olel, M. (2011). Role of institutional managers in quality assurance: Reflections on Kenyas’ university education. Australian Journal of Business and Management Research 1 (2), 113

Gudo, C.O., & Olel, M.A. (2011). Students’ admission policies for quality assurance: Towards quality education in Kenyan universities. International Journal of Business and Social Science 2(8), 177 – 183.

Hambleton, R. K., Swaminathan, H. & Rogers, H.J. (1991). Fundamentals of item response theory. Newbury Park, CA: Sage publishers.

Hays, R. D., Morales, L. S., & Reise, S. P. (2000). “Item Response Theory and Health Outcomes.

Hughes, C. (2008). Moderation. Discussion paper.University of Queensland. Brisbane, Australia. www.tedi.uq.edu.au/downloads/assessment/Moderationdiscussion-paper.doc.

Kamanu, J. (2014). The role of universities in knowledge production. Policy briefs, science and development network. http://www.scidev.net/dossiers/index.cfm?fuseaction=printarticle&dossier=13&policy=5

Khan, M.M. (2011): Student’s Perspective of Service Quality in Higher Learning Institutions; An evidence Based Approach. International Journal of Business and Social Science, Vol. 2 No. 11.

Kimotho, J.N. (2011). Analysis of Integration of Computer Literacy in Faculty of Education: A Study of a Public University and Private University Undergraduate School Based Students in Nairobi County. Unpublished Master’s Thesis. Catholic University of Eastern Africa.

Kuzich, S., Groves, R., O’Hare, S., & Pelliccione, L. (2010). Building team capacity: Sustaining quality in assessment and moderation practices in a fully online Unit. Paper presented at the ATN Assessment Conference 2010, University of Technology Sydney. Retrieved from http://www.iml.uts.edu.au/pdfs/Kuzich.pdf

Mathooko, F.M. (2013). Response strategies adopted by public universities in Kenya to environmental and managerial challenges. (Masters project) University of Nairobi.

Mbirithi, D.M. (2013). Management challenges facing Kenya’s public universities and implications for the quality of education. (Doctoral thesis) Kenyatta University.

McDonald, D. (2016). Assessment moderation as a quality management process in non self-accrediting higher education institutions in Australia.

Menon, G. (2014). Maintaining Quality of Education in Management Institutes–Reforms Required. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 133, 122-129.

Miruka, K. (2011, October 26). “KCSE supervisor suspended for flouting exam regulations” The Standard Newspaper, p.9.

Mokamba, J.A. (2015). Influence of quality management system on the relationship between internal factors and performance of Kenyan public universities. (Doctoral dissertation) Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

Mokamba, J., Oloko, M., & Letting, N. (2014). Influence of quality management systems on the relationship between infrastructure systems and performance of Kenyan public universities. Prim. J. Bus. Admin. Manage. 4(8): 1563-1574.

Moore, K. D. (2014). Effective instructional strategies: From theory to practice. Sage Publications.

Morris, A.M. (2016).The implementation of an accountability and assessment system: A case study of organizational change in higher education (Doctoral dissertation).The University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Mukhwana, E.S., Oure, S., Too, J., & Some, D.K. (2016). State of post graduate research and training in Kenya. Commission for University Education. Discussion paper 02, June 2016.

Mulongo, G. (2013). Inequality in accessing higher education in Kenya; Implications for economic development and well-being. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, Vol.3, No 16.

Munene, I.I. (2013). “University is ISO 9000:2008 Certified”: Neoliberal Echoes, knowledge production and quality assurance in Kenyan State Universities. JHEA/RESA Vol. 11, Nos 1&2, 161–182.

Munene, I.I. (2016). African higher education: Institutional response to globalization. Online. Retrieved on 11/7/2018

Muoki. K. (2011). Surveyed perceptions of graduates’ skills and skills required in industry. Nairobi: Government printer.

Mwalw’a, M.S. (2013). Comparative evaluation of the implementation of the school-based teacher education programme in Africa Nazarene University and Egerton University, Kenya. (Doctoral dissertation) Catholic University of Eastern Africa.

Njeiah, J. (2012).Cooperation, but limited control and little ownership. Capacity building and quality improvements in Kenyan education. Papers from the ADEA biennial meeting, Dakar, Senegal (pp. 175-204). Paris: Association for the development of education in Africa.

Nolen, S. B., Haladyna, T. M., & Haas, N. S. (2002). Uses and abuses of achievement test scores. Educational measurement: Issues and practices, 11, 9-15.

Nweze, T. (2009). Management of examination: Ethical issues. Edo Journal of Counseling 2(1) May 2009

Nyangau, J. Z. (2014). Higher education as an instrument of economic growth in Kenya. FIRE: Forum for International Research in Education, Vol (1). Retrieved from http://preserve.lehigh.edu/fire/vol1/iss1/3

Obwogi, J. (2011). Factors that affect quality of teaching staff in universities in Kenya. Doctor of Philosophy in Human Resource Management in the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

Ogunji, J. A. (2011). Examination management and examination malpractice: The Nexus, Journal of International Education Research – Fourth Quarter 2011 7(4).

Omwega, E.I., Gakuu, C.M., Oboko, R.O., Kidombo, H.J., Mbwesa, J.K., Waiganjo, P.W., & Libotton, A. (2016). Quality indicator framework for assessing distance education e-learning programs in Kenya: A technological and educational functional parameters approach.

Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (2nd ed). Newbury Park, CA: Sage publications.

Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. (3rd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage publications.

Republic of Kenya. (2012). The draft Kenya national examination council bill. Nairobi: Government Printer.

Sifuna, D.N. (2010). ‘Some reflections on the expansion and quality of higher education in public universities in Kenya’, Research in Post-Compulsory Education 15(4): 415–425.

Umalusi. (2017). Council for quality assurance in general and further education and training. QAA directive.

Waithaka, S. (2015). Exam setting, marking and moderation. An unpublished paper presented during 2nd Annual combating education irregularities and examination fraud East Africa Summit 22nd – 24th July 2015, Nairobi, Kenya.

World Bank. (2011). The changing wealth of Nations. Washington, The World Bank group https://openknowledge.worldbank.org.

Yin, R. K. (2003). Case study research: Design and methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v5i3.828

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

PAST ISSUES:
20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014
Vol 11, No 2 [2024]Vol 10, No 4 [2023]Vol 9, No 4 [2022]Vol 8, No 4 [2021]Vol 7, No 4 [2020]Vol 6, No 4 [2019]Vol 5, No 4 [2018]Vol 4, No 4 [2017]Vol 3, No 4 [2016]Vol 2, No 2 [2015]Vol 1, No 2 [2014]
 Vol 11, No 1 [2024] Vol 10, No 3 [2023] Vol 9, No 3 [2022]Vol 8, No 3 [2021]Vol 7, No 3 [2020]Vol 6, No 3 [2019]Vol 5, No 3 [2019]Vol 4, No 3 [2017]Vol 3, No 3 [2016]Vol 2, No 1 [2015]Vol 1, No 1 [2014]
  Vol 10, No 2 [2023] Vol 9, No 2 [2022]Vol 8, No 2 [2021]Vol 7, No 2 [2020]Vol 6, No 2 [2019]Vol 5, No 2 [2018]Vol 4, No 2 [2017]Vol 3, No 2 [2016]  
  Vol 10, No 1 [2023] Vol 9, No 1 [2022]  Vol 8, No 1 [2021]Vol 7, No 1 [2020]Vol 6, No 1 [2019]Vol 5, No 1 [2018]Vol 4, No 1 [2017]Vol 3, No 1 [2016]   


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.