Die evaluering van Afrikaanse letterkunde in standerd tien, E-kursus, in die Transvaalse middelbare skole

Abstract

This dissertation is an attempt to determine to what extent pupils' knowledge of literature can be evaluated. In Chapter 2 the different aims of literature education are discussed because the testing methods are determined by the aims. The professed aims can be reduced to the two basic objectives, namely the personal and social forming of the individual.

A pedagogic objective should conform to certain specific criteria. Because the given current aims do not meet all the requirements, others are proposed under the following headings: 1. ultimate objective; 2. remote objectives; 3. immediate objectives. Chapter 3 deals with the different methods of testing which are used to determine to what extent the aims of literature teaching have been attained. Two basic methods are used, namely essay type- and shorter answer questions. The former includes three different types: marks based on a global impression, the analytical method and marking scales. The latter has two variations: short answer (contextual)- and objective questions. The difference between the two variations is that in the short answer tests the answers must be formulated by the examinee, while in the objective type the correct answer must be selected from a list of given answers. The latter type of test is used to test ready knowledge and is seldom used in South Africa. The T. S.S. C. - examinations includes both essay- and shorter answer questions. In Chapter 4 the merits of the different types of tests are assessed. The essay is a poor but valuable type of test. The shorter answer test is more exact but does not reflect an examinee's knowledge of literature. Both types of tests can be improved on. In accordance with these principles, tests in literature should comply with the following criteria: they must be reliable, valid, objective and economical;they must discriminate between inferior and superior students, adequately cover the syllabus, and reflect the prescribed educational objectives. Chapter 5 describes the implications of these criteria which can be summarized as follows:

1. aims must be formulated in detail, keeping in mind the immediate aims and their correlation with the remote and ultimate aims; 2. the subject contents must be divided into two categories: that which can be tested objectively and that which can best be tested subjectively; 3. the most important aims should be stressed in the testing programme; 4. the most appropriate testing device must be selected for each aim; 5. the teacher's personal judgement of the pupil should have its rightful place in the testing programme; 6. a choice of questions should be avoided; 7. a marking scheme is necessary for the essay type of questions.