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Mapetere et al

Greener Journal of  Educational Research Vol. 2 (4), pp. 100 -104, November 2012

ISSN: 2276-7789

Research Paper

Manuscript Number: 102512153

Teachers’ Perceptions of the Assessment Structure of the O’level History Syllabus [2167] in Zimbabwe: A Case Study of Zaka District.

¹Mapetere Kudakwashe, *Makaye Jeriphanos

and ²Muguti Tasara

Great Zimbabwe University

Email: ¹mapeterek@ gmail. com and ²tasara4@ gmail. com

*Corresponding Author’s Email: jmakaye2000 @yahoo. com

Abstract:

This study examined teachers’ perceptions of the assessment structure on the 0’level History Syllabus 2167 examination in Zimbabwe. A descriptive survey approach in which 30 History teachers from 15 Zaka District secondary schools responded to a questionnaire was used. Quantitative and qualitative paradigms of data presentation were both useful in this project. Findings from the study revealed that assessment and teaching History are two sides of the same coin but dropping the Source Based Question to an option was considered to be throwing away the baby with bath water. Most teachers are no longer teaching Source Based Questions and critical higher order skills are no longer developed in History students. The essay question with its tri -segmented structure gives prominence to factual regurgitation. This study led to the conclusion that the removal of the Source Based Question from the compulsory status has prevented History students from developing genuine higher order skills in Zimbabwe. It is recommended therefore that syllabus 2166 be revisited with an aim of merging it with syllabus 2167 in order to resuscitate the development of higher order skills of analysis ,inference and evaluation among History students.

Key Words: Perceptions, “Knowledge that”, “Knowledge how”, New History.

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Journal Name : citation_journal : Greener Journal of  Educational Research 

Publication Status/Date : usp_status_date : November 2012