Evaluation feedback as a predictor of students’ achievement in technical education

The major purpose of evaluation is to assess the strength and weaknesses of the learner. Therefore, for evaluation to be meaningful, students should benefit from it. This paper dwelt on the impact the methods of reporting evaluation feedback have on the students’ performance of cognitive learning tasks in block laying craft-practice in technical colleges in Delta and Edo States of Nigeria. It also investigated the attitude of students towards evaluation when the traditional and the comprehensive systems were adopted as a means of reporting students’ performance. The study revealed that the traditional method of providing evaluation outcomes by the use of the composite letter grade or mark enhances limited cognitive achievement by the students. Paradoxically, the study also revealed that the comprehensive i.e. the detailed feedback method enhances effective cognitive achievement than the traditional method. Furthermore, the study revealed that students who received comprehensive feedback have more positive attitude towards evaluation than those students whose feedback information were of the traditional letter grade or marks. The study therefore recommended that teachers of vocational/technical subjects should utilize the comprehensive feedback system so as to enhance their students’ academic gains.