Guided Scoring: A Panacea for Effective Implementation of Continuous Assessment Programme and Enhancing Students’ Academic Achievements on Mathematics.

This study investigates the effect of guided scoring instructional strategy on performance of secondary school students in mathematics. Also the differences in the number of assessments administered and marked with the use of guided scoring and without its use were examined. The design of the study is quasi-experimental utilizing pre-test post –test non equivalent group. A sample of three hundred and thirty six senior secondary class one students were selected from three school types in Umuahia education zone of Abia State with experimental and control groups constituted in each school. Data obtained from pre-test and post –test were statistically analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). With gain scores of -1.99 and 20.26 (40.8%) for Control and Experimental groups respectively, the work indicates that Guided Scoring improved the problem solving skills of students and enhanced their performance in Mathematics. The F-ratio of 398.808 is shown to be significant at 1% level, further confirming that students exposed to guided scoring instructional strategy significantly out performed those who were not exposed to the strategy. Also the teacher administered and marked more continuous assessments with the use of guided scoring with a total score of 12 for control group and 20 for experimental group. The findings of this study will help lessen the burden of continuous assessment on teachers, increase the frequency of continuous assessment and thereby improve efficiency in teaching and learning of mathematics. This study will also help to expose students to the criteria by which they are judged and in the development of their judgment skills. The researcher recommends the adoption of guided scoring in secondary school systems and tertiary institutions as an efficient way of implementing the continuous assessment programme and enhancing the performance of students in Science, Technology and Mathematics. Keywords: Guided Scoring, Instructional Strategy, Implementation, Continuous Assessment, Enhancing, Academic Achievement, Mathematics