Investigating ICT-literacy assessment tools: developing and validating a new assessment instrument for trainee teachers in Malaysia
Creators: name: MAT JIZAT, JESSNOR ELMY
Publisher: name: RMIT University
Year: 2024

description: The central concern of this study is to develop an ICT-literacy task-based assessment instrument that may be used to evaluate trainee teachers’ level of ICT-literacy. The current literature acknowledges the need for a measurement instrument that evaluates ICT-literacy levels. This type of measurement instrument is used as an entry-level testing tool for university and job placements. However, existing ICT-literacy assessment instruments are either too expensive to be implemented or too rigid with their expected answers; moreover, they are not tailored to a teacher’s individual needs. The existing instruments either use self-efficacy techniques or step-by-step task/instructions whereby they do not allow flexibility and creativity in completing the task.<br><br>Rather, using a task-based assessment method allows the participants the freedom to complete the task in any way they wish as long as the task requirement is fulfilled. Meaning that if the task asks for an appropriate learning aid to be created which includes an image and a video, the participant is free to use whatever computer applications they feel comfortable with to edit the pictures, create videos and other digital learning aids. As long as the task requirement is fulfilled, the task is considered complete. Task-based assessment also allows the participants to show what they know, instead of just telling what they think they know. It is considered the best method for this new ICT-literacy assessment instrument as it shows the participant’s actual ICT ability.<br><br>This study was conducted in three phases: Phase-1 preliminary review; phase-2 expert judgement on ICT-literacy indicators; and Phase-3 instrument validation and testing. In Phase-1, a review of the literature was conducted that involved drawing on the existing literature on ICT-literacy standards; existing ICT-literacy assessment instruments and the Malaysian Smart School (MSS) requirements. Twelve ICT-literacy indicators were identified in this first research phase. In Phase-2, the identified ICT-literacy indicators were evaluated by a specially chosen panel of experts (PoE). Two Delphi interactions were then conducted where the first was to evaluate the ICT indicators, and the second was to validate the draft ICT-literacy instrument. In Phase-3, the draft ICT-literacy instrument was validated and tested through two pilot tests, and finally the instrument was tested on a larger number of participants for its final instrument trial.<br><br>The validation and testing process showed that the ICT-literacy TBA instrument is valid and reliable when tested on its intended participants, and the instrument is ready. The instrument provides information with regard to each participant’s area of weakness in ICT.<br><br>This instrument can become an important tool for schools and teacher training institutions as it identifies teachers/trainee teachers’ strengths and weaknesses in ICT knowledge and skills. This knowledge may be used by the school/teacher training institutions to tailor their curricula to support their ICT strength and weaknesses, to ensure that their teachers/trainee teachers possess the necessary ICT knowledge and skills.