THE USE OF FINAL TEST AND PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT IN MEASURING THE LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT OF EIGHT GRADE STUDENTS AT SMPN 1 SUSOH

Abstract

This study investigates the distinctions and interrelationships between Final Test and Portfolio Assessment in evaluating the academic achievement of eighth-grade students at SMP Negeri 1 Susoh. A quantitative, comparative-correlational design was employed, with a sample of 61 students selected through total sampling. Secondary data, consisting of Final Test and Portfolio Assessment scores from official school records, were analyzed. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test, the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test, and Spearman’s correlation, utilizing IBM SPSS Statistics version 26. The results indicate a significant difference between Final Test and Portfolio Assessment scores (p < 0.05), with Final Test scores generally higher than Portfolio Assessment scores. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was found between the two assessment types, with a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.565 (p < 0.05), suggesting that students with higher Final Test scores also tended to achieve higher Portfolio Assessment scores. These findings demonstrate that, although the two assessment methods yield different results, they are complementary in providing a comprehensive evaluation of students’ learning achievements. Therefore, integrating Final Test and Portfolio Assessment offers a more holistic approach to assessing student learning outcomes. The study's limitations include a relatively small sample size, focus on a single school, and reliance on secondary data, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.