Performance Level Of Teachers In Test Development Skills Imperative For Improving School- Based Cognitive Assessment.

This study was carried out to determine the performance level of junior secondary school teachers in Ebonyi State in test development skills. The population of the study was made up of 363 Junior Secondary school teachers. Three research questions were developed and answered while one null hypothesis was formulated and tested. A 23 structured item questionnaire was developed which was validated by three experts. The instrument was administered to the respondents through the help of three research assistants. The Cronbach alpha method was used to test the internal consistency of the questionnaire items and obtained a co-efficient of 0. 92. Mean statistics was used to answer the research questions while the null hypothesis was tested using t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the study reveals that the performance level of the teachers in 7 principle and process skills was of little and very little extent while their performance level in 6 specification skills shows very little extent. The study also revealed 10 constraints to effective performance of both male and female teachers in the skill required for good test development. It was therefore recommended that Tertiary institutions which train out teachers should create more time and practical exercises for in-service and pre- service teachers Government should provide test development modules or materials and then organize and sponsor test development workshops and seminars for teachers for improved school based cognitive test assessment.