Assessment criteria with teaching methodology courses: the case of english and mathematics - a comparative study

• Author: M. A. P. Purcaru/A. Nechifor
• Position: Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania/Faculty of Letters, Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 47-56

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 7 (56) No. 2 - 2014

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA WITH TEACHING

METHODOLOGY COURSES: THE CASE OF

ENGLISH AND MATHEMATICS - A

COMPARATIVE STUDY

M. A. P. PURCARU1 A. NECHIFOR2

Abstract: The present research has as a main aim the identification of

certain necessary conditions for the students to be interested in learning and

obtaining good results in either Mathematics Teaching Methodology or

English Language Teaching Methodology, with focus on nominating the

pedagogical factors involved in the assessment process of the students in

these two subjects. The research was conducted on 80 students, aged 20-21

years, in their 2nd year of studies at “Transilvania” University of Brasov,

enrolled in the Teaching Methodology class. The assessment process with the

courses consisted of several methods and techniques of evaluation: written,

oral, portfolio, paper submission, role play, self-evaluation, or using

interactive group methods. The conclusions drawn, after analysing the

questionnaires, the school documents, as well as the answers provided by the

students on the occasion of the interview we had with them show that both

their interest for the subjects and their learning performances rose in direct

proportion to the appropriate and varied systemati c assessment applied to

each learning unit.

Key words: Mathematics, English, teaching methodology, asse ssment

criteria, interest, learning performances.

1 Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Transilvania University of Braşov, Romania.

2 Faculty of Letters, Transilvania University of Braşov,

1. Introduction

The curricular reforms of the past decade

have led to the redefinition of the status of

many disciplines in terms of the approach

centred on skills. According to the

National Centre for Assessment and

Evaluation, "Competence is the key

concept that crosses all levels of education

and all disciplines" [3] and that is why its

assessment needs to be an appropriate one.

The changes regarding this approach

centred on competencies have also

influenced the process of teaching-

learning-assessing both Mathematics and

the English Language, subsequently their

methodologies suffered a lot of updating in

this respect, as well.

Evaluation is a component of the

teaching activity which, in Figari’s

opinion, has pedagogical functions, such as

fixing the teaching process, regulating

students' learning and influencing their

personalities [6].