Description: Grade 3 learners responses to tests to assess their literacy level - pre-test.

This data set contains 11 variables and 2853 cases. Abstract: The project involved the development of assessment software referred to as TARMIIfp to help foundation phase teachers in South Africa improve their teaching. The study asked the question 'to what extent do teachers' use the software to improve their learners literacy development? The research design involved selecting 20 experimental and 20 control schools within a district in four provinces (Limpopo, Free State, North West and Mpumalanga) in South Africa. Each of the experimental schools was given a computer installed with the software. Data were collected on learners literacy achievement levels at the beginning and at the end of the 2014 academic year from a random sample of 20 learners from each of the three foundation phase grades (grades1, 2 and 3 in the selected schools). The study also collected additional data during the post-test assessment on school poverty quintile, gender of learners and in grade 3, variables describing the socioeconomic background of learners.

Educational measurements

Face-to-face interview

Self-completion

Primary schools in a selected school district from the following provinces: North West, Free State, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

All learners in grades 1 to 3.

One teacher per grade in the sampled schools.

The study involved experimental and control groups. Within each of the four participating districts, 20 experimental schools and 20 control schools were selected. Within each of the selected schools three teachers from grade 1, 2 and 3 were selected by the school to participate in the study. Within each of the three grades (grades 1, 2 and 3) in a school, a random sample of 20 learners participated in the pre and post test on literacy.

The following was the response rate for the Grade 3 pre-test evaluation:

Expected sample of learners = 3200

Realised sample of learners = 2853

Response rate = 89 percent