Magoha, Gloria2019-11-072020-01-082019-11-072020-01-082015Magoha, G. (2015) College assessment practices and skill development for attempting grade IIIA teachers’ certificate examination (GATCE), Master Dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaamhttp://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/4274Available in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF LB2822.75.M33)The study was designed to investigate how college assessment practices enhance student teacher’s skills development for attempting grade A teachers’ certificate examination. The study investigated; the policy, circulars or directives that guide assessment practices in teacher training colleges in Tanzania; assessment tools that tutors use for college based assessment practices and also analyzed devised college assessment tasks and other documents to find out the pattern of developed skills and their contribution on learner’s acquisition of necessary skills. The study was qualitative, employing a case study design; and used several data collection instruments including interviews, focus group discussion, observation and documentary review guides. The study was conducted in Coastal region in Mkuranga district and particularly Vikindu Teachers College involving a sample of forty six participants including: Academic deans, subject tutors, and student teachers as key informants of the study. Content analysis was used to analyze data from the study. Findings revealed the following; there were no introduction of new assessment policy in teacher education after the introduction of competence based curriculum instead the national Education Training Policy (ETP, 1995) continued to be used as a guiding policy in conducting assessment in teacher education. Commonly used assessment tools were traditional tools which included tests, examinations, project works in the final year, class works, practicals and assignments (both group and individual). Devised college assessments mainly measured lower levels of learning domain among student teachers this was found to impair acquisition of necessary skills which were expected to help them to do their final examinations (GATCE).The skills included both pedagogical and academic skills. BPT as one of the college assessment practices was found to contribute much in developing desired skills in terms of knowledge, attitudes and skills among student teachers during GATCE. Several challenges were faced by tutors while fulfilling their roles as assessors in college context including lack of in-service trainings on modern assessment tools. It is recommended that MoEVT should regard the need of formulating specific assessment policy in teacher education. Tutors should be encouraged to use more alternative assessments such as portfolios, practical works, project, interview, and observation while assessing student teachers’ learning. Further studies should be conducted to investigate the extent to which tutors use alternative assessment tools as means of measuring student learning in grade A teacher education in Tanzania. Also study on the training needs of tutors in College Assessments by examining their level of knowledge and the difficulties encountered in the development and administration of different assessment tools should be conducted.enEducational evaluationTeacher effectivenessAcademic achievementTeachersRating ofStudent teachersThesis