Meta-analysis of dynamic assessment research in South Africa

Abstract

The need for tertiary education screening in South Africa has highlighted the role dynamic assessment has to play in this regard, and as no cumulative statistical conclusions can be drawn from single case studies, it was considered timely to do so. In order to address this gap in the field, a meta-analysis was conducted on studies that focused on the efficacy of dynamic assessment interventions within various settings. Fewer research studies dealing with dynamic assessment have been conducted in South Africa as compared to overseas research in the same area. The study served a two-fold purpose: first, to assess the significance of the synthesized effect size from a number of individual studies whose original intention was an investigation of the significance of dynamic assessment interventions; second, to compare two meta-analytic software programs that are freely available online. Small to average effect sizes of 0.3354 and 0.3481 were generated respectively by both programs, with the typical effect size ranging from 0.2–0.8. The method and results of this meta-analysis are discussed along with the limitations inherent in both the programs and we conclude with recommendations for further meta-analytic studies in South Africa within the field of dynamic assessment.