Junior Cycle English Teachers’ perspectives on recent assessment reform: Issues for validity and reliability

Abstract

This thesis seeks to ascertain post-primary English teachers experiences of delivering recent reforms in the Junior Cycle (covering the first three years of post-primary education) English course. Notably, the thesis is concerned with teachers’ assessment literacy skills in relation to the newly introduced classroom-based assessments (CBAs) and subject learning and assessment review meetings (SLARs). Of particular interest is teachers' perceptions and understanding of the key assessment terms validity and reliability. The thesis is mixed methods in nature, predominantly qualitative with three data collection methods: a background survey (quantitative, N = 146), semi-structured interviews (N = 8) and a focus group (qualitative, N = 4). Research is being carried out through the constructivist-interpretivist epistemological paradigm. The research will contribute to the growing body of literature around recent curriculum and assessment reforms in Ireland, instigated by the Framework for the Junior Cycle (2015), and will be of interest to not only teachers and policymakers but also society as a whole.