Exploring teachers'experiences in using cognitive diagnostic assessment in primary schools in Lesotho
| dc.contributor.author | Mokhethi, Moipone | |
| dc.contributor.supervisor | Ayanwale, Musa Adekunle | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-06-05T11:14:12Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-06-05T11:14:12Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.description.abstract | n the current global education landscape, there is an urgent need for assessment approaches that transcend summative grading to foster deep and personalised learning. In Lesotho, assessment practices remain predominantly traditional, relying heavily on recall-based tests that provide limited insight into learners’ conceptual understanding or individual needs. This has hindered teachers’ capacity to tailor instruction effectively and improve learning outcomes. Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment (CDA) presents a viable alternative, enabling teachers to pinpoint specific strengths, weaknesses, and misconceptions, thereby facilitating targeted instructional interventions. However, there is limited research on the experiences, perceptions, and challenges faced by teachers in integrating CDA into classroom practice within Lesotho’s context. Guided by Social Cognitive Theory, this qualitative study explored how practising teachers implement CDA, their perceptions of its effectiveness in enhancing classroom assessment, and the challenges encountered alongside adaptive strategies. Eight teachers from peri-urban and urban schools in Botha-Bothe and Maseru districts participated. With two participants from each of four schools. Purposive sampling was used to select these teachers. Data were collected over three months using semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document reviews. Thematic analysis, supported by Atlas.ti (version 24.1.0), was employed to identify emergent themes on teachers’ experiences with CDA. Research trustworthiness was ensured through triangulation, member checking, prolonged engagement, and reflexivity. Findings indicate that CDA has clearly deepened teachers’ understanding of individual learner profiles, enabling more responsive, learner-centred, and evidence-based instructional planning. Teachers reported that CDA aligns with the national curriculum, strengthens formative assessment, and enhances learner engagement and performance. Additionally, CDA facilitated the identification of conceptual gaps, improved remediation strategies, and promoted active learning through flexible grouping. However, integration of CDA faced some challenges, including inadequate training, limited resources, overcrowded classrooms, high learner diversity, and heavy vi workloads. Teachers adopted adaptive strategies such as low-tech tools, collaborative resource- sharing, embedding CDA in lesson plans, and flexible grouping to mitigate challenges. The study concludes that CDA is a transformative approach with the potential to enhance teaching effectiveness and learner achievement in Lesotho’s basic education system. For sustained impact, institutional support is critical, particularly through professional development, resource provision, and policy-level integration of CDA into curriculum guidelines. This study contributes to discourse on contextually relevant assessment reform in developing countries and calls upon the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC), and school leaders to prioritise CDA capacity-building, embed its principles in teaching practice, and create enabling environments for its implementation. Such measures can advance the education system towards more equitable, personalised, and impactful learning experiences. The study recommends that, MOET and NCDC should Strengthen CDA Training and Professional Development. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | National Manpower Development Secretariat | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14155/2302 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | National University of Lesotho | |
| dc.title | Exploring teachers'experiences in using cognitive diagnostic assessment in primary schools in Lesotho |