Teacher Assessment Resources for Monitoring and Improving Instruction in the Foundation Phase TARMII_fp

The program aimed to build school capacity in teaching and assessment practices through the development of innovative models. The project, known as TARMIIfp, involved the extension of the TARMII software to the foundation phase (Grades 1, 2, and 3) to help teachers develop formative assessment instruments and reports to diagnose learning successes and failures. The TARMIIfp project focused on the development of fully functional computer software with literacy Home Language assessment items for foundation phase teachers. The software was designed to assess the impact of the use of the TARMIIfp software on teacher classroom assessment practices and on learner achievement in literacy. The project's main deliverables for the first year included the development of the TARMIIfp software, the development of literacy assessment test items, the input of test items into the computer software, and training of teachers on assessment and basic ICT skills. The TARMIIfp software was completed in the first year of the project, with all software modules developed. The software includes a data collection facility that allows the HSRC to monitor teacher usage and identify teachers that need support. The software also has functions that allow trained teachers to generate assessment activities for their learners, assess and generate reports on learner performance, create their own assessment activities, and communicate their views on existing activities within the software. Field testing of the TARMIIfp software was conducted at a workshop for District Officials held at the HSRC in Pretoria on April 11, 2013. The functionality of the software was tested by 21 District officials from Free State, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga, North-West, who provided feedback on the system's functionality and content. The input of assessment items into the TARMIIfp software was also initiated during April 2013, with six contract workers from Amaqhawe Consulting uploading existing English, Tshivenda, IsiXhosa, Sepedi, Setswana, and Sesotho assessment activities items onto the system. The development of literacy assessment items and versioning was a key component of the project. The HSRC developed a thousand English literacy items per grade, with the process of mapping existing items and developing new English assessment activities occurring simultaneously. The writers and developers of assessment items/activities had to map and produce new assessment activities in the four Language Components: Listening and Speaking, Reading, Phonics, and Writing, as specified in the CAPS document. Training of District Officials and teachers was conducted in the Free State, Limpopo, and North-West provinces during the fourth quarter. The training sessions were facilitated by McMillan Teacher campus and the eLearning District Officials, with the HSRC developing a training manual that was handed to teachers as a resource. The results of the basic ICT baseline showed that 93% of teachers in Limpopo and 69% of North-West teachers did not have general windows skills and other technical skills, with 90% of teachers in Limpopo and 74% of North-West teachers having never used Excel. Advocacy meetings at different levels of the Districts participating in the project occurred during the first three quarters of the year, with various meetings taking place in the fourth quarter. The project's achievements included the completion of all software modules, the development of literacy assessment items, and the training of District Officials and teachers. However, challenges and constraints were also identified, including the need for further support for teachers in using the TARMIIfp software and the need for more resources to facilitate the project's activities.