Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics

SULTAN KUDARAT STATE UNIVERSITY
Assessment and
Evaluation in Mathematics
Ernie C. Cerado, PhD

compiler
i Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

ii Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

Preface
In response to the call of the time, due largely to COVID-19
pandemic and the implementation of the revised Bachelor of
Secondary Education (BSED) major in Mathematics
curriculum, this learning material is accordingly prepared.
Being the first to teach the course, the author-compiler finds
difficulty in drafting the syllabus and developing the learning
material while mainly relying on the limited resources in the
University libraries. Since the subject on assessment and
evaluation in mathematics is neither discussed nor widely
written in the country, foreign materials such as e-books, e-
journals, and other documents particularly those of the
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and
Association of Mathematics Educators (AME) are thus
preferred as primary references. It is apparent that these
professional organizations have rich collection of materials
about assessment in mathematics. At present, there is a
dearth of literature in the Philippines strictly dedicated to
mathematics assessment despite the presence of some
active professional groups on this theme and related issues.
Unfortunately, their focus is on general measurement and
evaluation.
In the international scene, however, policy decisions, school

practices, and research about assessment have been
enduring for years producing a large quantity of knowledge
that both teachers and pre-service teachers can aptly tap to
enhance their classroom practices. Even so, many questions
remain unanswered, not because of lack of attention; but,
rather it is the complexity of human learning and teaching and
the ever changing society that brings unpredictable impacts
on school systems.
In any event, it is expected that this instructional material,

where most lessons are derived from the AME‘s ―Assessment
in the Mathematics Classroom,‖ will help our pre-service
Mathematics teachers enrich their knowledge, understanding
and skills on assessment of learning.
ERNIE C. CERADO
iii Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface iii
Chapter 1 Evaluation and Assessment: Concepts and

Principles 1
Meaning of Assessment 2
Meaning of Evaluation 3
Distinctions between Assessment and Evaluation 4
In-Class Assessment Exercises 7
Functions of Educational Evaluation 10
Principles of Assessment 12
Principles for Assessing Mathematics Learning 13
Chapter 2 Multi-Dimensional Approach to Understanding to
Assess Students‘ Mathematical Knowledge 19
Why Consider a Multi-Dimensional Approach to
Understanding? 21
SPUR Approach 22
Implications of Using SPUR Approach 31
Chapter 3 Assessing Problem Solving in the Mathematics
Curriculum 35
Problem Solving and Mathematics Curriculum 36
Mathematical Problem-Solving Model 38
Mathematics Practical - A New Paradigm 40
Mathematics Practical Worksheet 41
Scoring Rubric 43
Students‘ Responses and Assessment 45
Chapter 4 Assessing Conceptual Understanding in
Mathematics with Concept Mapping 72
Concept Map and Concept Mapping 73
Types of Concept Mapping Tasks 76
Training on Concept Mapping 80
Classroom Applications of Concept Map 81
Assessment of Student-Constructed Concept
Maps 86
Chapter 5 Implementing Alternative Assessment in the
Mathematics Classroom 96
Using Alternative Assessment in Mathematics
Classroom 97
Alternative Assessment 99
Assessment Practices in Mathematics Classroom 99
Suggested Alternative Assessment Practices 102
Chapter 6 Using Journal Writing to Empower Learning 113
Journal Writing and Assessment in Mathematics 113
Journal Writing: A Literature Review 114
Two Types of Journal Writing in the Mathematics
Classroom 116
Rubrics for Grading Journals 126
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Potential Pitfalls of Journal Writing in the

Classroom 129
Chapter 7 Open-Ended Tasks and Assessments 133
Developing and Assessing Open-Ended Tasks
and Problems in Mathematics 134
Open-Ended Mathematics Problems 134
Strategies to Convert Closed Problems or
Questions 136
Using Open-ended Math problems in the
Classroom 139
Pros and Cons of Open-Ended Math Problems 140
Chapter 8 Common Errors in Mathematics Assessment
Items 145
Common Errors in Writing Assessment Items in
Mathematics 145
Mathematical Tasks 146
Errors in Mathematics Assessment Items 148
Discussion 161
Chapter 9 Affective Assessment in the Mathematics
Classroom 166
Making Use of Affective Assessment as
Supplementary Tool in Evaluating Mathematics
Learning 166
Affective Development 167
Some Reasons for Assessing Affective Outcomes 168
Affect: Disposition, Beliefs, Attitudes, Interests,
Values and What Else? 171
Nature of Affective Assessment 172
Techniques of Assessing Affect 175
Chapter 10 Self-Assessment, and the Reflective Teaching
and Learning in Mathematics 183
Self-Assessment Strategy in Mathematics
Classrooms 183
What is Self-Assessment? 184
Methods of Self-Assessment in Mathematics 187
Exploratory Study in Self-Assessment 192
Chapter 11 Large-scale and Classroom Assessment in
Mathematics Education 199
Interactions of Large-scale and Classroom
Assessment 200
What is large-scale assessment? 201
Common Large-Scale Assessments 201
Reform in Assessments 205
Impact of Large-Scale Assessment on Classroom
Assessment 205
Significance of Large-Scale Assessment 206
Positive Interaction Between Large-Scale
Assessment and Classrooms 212
Use of Assessment Results 214
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vi Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

CHAPTER 1
ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION: CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES
Overview
In this chapter, the pre-service teachers will explore the different
definitions and characteristics of assessment and evaluation according to
some authorities. The functions of educational evaluation are likewise to be
presented. Moreover, the core principles of assessment are included for
discussion as they are relevant and necessary in this introductory part of the
course. Very importantly, the educational principles in the evaluation of
Mathematics assessment such as the content, learning, and equity shall be
examined and correlated to the observed practices of teachers.
Objective
Upon completion of these lessons, the students can demonstrate
understanding and appreciation of assessment and evaluation concepts with
their characteristics and underpinning principles.
Lesson 1: Assessment, Evaluation and its Principles
Pre-discussion
Assessment and evaluation are essential to student success in
mathematics. The purpose of assessment is diverse: Assessment provides
rich data to evaluate student learning, the effectiveness of teaching, and the
achievement of the prescribed curriculum outcomes. However, assessment
without evaluation is insufficient, as the collection and reporting of data alone
are not entirely useful unless the quality of the data is evaluated in relation to
the outcomes. With this end, teachers use written or non-written tests, rubrics,
criteria, marking keys, and other objective guides to evaluate the learning
performance of their students.
1 Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

What to Expect?
At the end of the lesson, the students can:
1. define what is assessment and evaluation;
2. distinguish the characteristics of assessment from evaluation;
3. identify the functions of educational evaluation;
4. discuss the principles of assessment; and
5. appreciate the educational principles in the evaluation of
Mathematics assessment, namely: content, learning, and equity.
Meaning of Assessment
To provide us proper guidance and framework in this major course, let
us start considering some definitions of assessment from varied authorities
and sources:
1. Assessment involves the use of empirical data on student learning to
refine programs and improve student learning. (Assessing Academic
Programs in Higher Education by Allen 2004)
2. Assessment is the process of gathering and discussing information from
multiple and diverse sources in order to develop a deep understanding of
what students know, understand, and can do with their knowledge as a
result of their educational experiences; the process culminates when
assessment results are used to improve subsequent learning. (Learner-
Centered Assessment on College Campuses: shifting the focus from
teaching to learning by Huba and Freed 2000)
3. Assessment is the systematic basis for making inferences about the
learning and development of students. It is the process of defining,
selecting, designing, collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and using
information to increase students' learning and development. (Assessing
Student Learning and Development: A Guide to the Principles, Goals, and
Methods of Determining College Outcomes by Erwin 1991)
4. Assessment is the systematic collection, review, and use of information
about educational programs undertaken for the purpose of improving
student learning and development (Palomba & Banta, 1999).

5. Assessment refers to the wide variety of methods or tools that educators

use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning
progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of students (Great School
Partnership, 2020).
6. David et al. (2020:3) defined assessment as the ―process of gathering
quantitative and/or qualitative data for the purpose of making decisions.‖
7. Assessment is defined as a process that is used to keep track of learners‘
progress in relation to learning standards and in the development of 21 st
century skills; to promote self-reflection and personal accountability among
students about their own learning; and to provide bases for the profiling of
student performance on the learning competencies and standards of the
curriculum (DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2015).
Assessment is one of the most critical dimensions of the education
process; it focuses not only on identifying how many of the predefined
education aims and goals have been achieved but also works as a feedback
mechanism that educators should use to enhance their teaching practices.
Although many definitions exist, assessment is generally considered as
the process of collecting information for specific purposes.
Meaning of Evaluation
Several respected authors have provided us the definition of
evaluation:
 Evaluation is the assignment of sym-bols to phenomenon, in order to
characterize the worth or value of a phenomenon, usually with reference to
some cultural or scientific standards (James M. Bradfield).
 The term evaluation is closely re-lated to measurement. It is in some
respect, inclusive in-cluding informal and intuitive judgement of pupil‘s
progress. Evaluation is describing something in term of selected attributes
and judging the degree of acceptability or suitability of that which has been
described (Thorndike and Hegan).
 Evaluation is a systematic process of collecting, analysing and interpreting
in-formation to determine the extent to which pupil‘s are achievement
instructional objectives (Norman E. Gronlund and Robert L. Linn).

 The process of ascertaining or judging the value or amount of something

by use of a standard of standard of appraisal includes judgement in terms
of internal evidence and external criteria. From the above definitions it can
be said that evaluations a much more comprehensive and inclusive term
than the meas-urement and test. A test is a set of question measurement
is assigning numbers to the results of test according to some specific rules
on the other hand evaluation adds value judgement (C.V. Good).
Distinctions between Assessment and Evaluation

Educators use two distinct processes to help students build lifelong
learning skills: assessment and evaluation. Assessment provides feedback on
knowledge, skills, attitudes, and work products for the purpose of elevating
future performances and learning outcomes. Evaluation determines the level
of quality of a performance or outcome and enables decision-making based
on the level of quality demonstrated. These two processes are
complementary and necessary in education. This module draws important
distinctions between assessment and evaluation, underscoring the need for
both processes to occur at separate places and times, and ideally through
different roles
Inconsistent Use of the Terms

In the last fifteen years, much has been written about assessment and
evaluation, but the terms have not always had distinct meanings. As
accrediting agencies have become increasingly interested in improvement, it
has become imperative to have a word that describes feedback for
improvement that is distinct from one that describes the determination of
quality. To add another layer of confusion from the literature, the word
―formative‖ (used as an adjective with assessment or evaluation) has typically
been used to describe an improvement process, while the word ―summative‖
has been used to describe a decision-making process (Brown, Race, & Smith,
1996). However, the word ―formative‖ means ―as it is being created,‖ while
―summative‖ means ―addition of all things.‖ A process to determine quality can
both be accomplished either as a performance is being created or after it is
completed, so other words should be used to distinguish the two processes.

In the literature of the last several years, assessment has usually been used
to indicate that at least some hint of improvement is expected in the
assessment process (Bordon & Owens, 2001; Palomba & Banta, 1999).
Similarly, evaluation is usually used to indicate that some sort of
judgment of quality will be made. The Faculty Guidebook is consistent in its
delineation of these two processes of improvement and judgment.
Assessment is the term used to look at how the level of quality of a
performance or outcome could be improved in the future; it includes strengths
that should be sustained as well as high priority areas for improvement. The
assessment process is not concerned with the level of quality; only with how
to improve the level of quality. Evaluation is the term used to describe the
determination of the level of quality. The evaluation process focuses only on
the actual level of quality with no interest in why that level was attained.
Assessment and evaluation both have their purposes, and, when used
correctly, both can add significant value to teaching/learning. However, there
can be detrimental effects when the people involved have not agreed whether
the process is evaluation or assessment, or when the Assessment
Methodology gets confused with the Evaluation Methodology.
Key Attributes
Although assessment and evaluation are used for different reasons,
they do have some similar steps. Both involve specifying criteria to observe in
a performance or outcome. Both require the collection of data and other
evidence by observing the performance or by looking at the outcome or
product. Both require a performer and a person who collects information
about the performance. Both processes also conclude with a report of the
findings which include all the similarities and at least as many differences. The
relationship between the people involved is different in the assessment and
evaluation processes. In both cases a person (either evaluator or assessor)
observes or collects evidence about a performance or outcome; another
person (either assessee or evaluatee) performs or develops an outcome. In
both cases a person (either the assessee or client) requests the process
(either evaluation or assessment). In assessment, the locus of control rests
with the performer; in evaluation, it rests with the observer. The report to the

performer (assessee or evaluatee) is also vastly different. In the assessment

process, the report includes information about why the performance was as
strong as it was, and describes what could be done to improve future
performances. In assessment, there is no mention of the actual quality of the
performance; only how to make the next performance stronger. There is no
language indicating the level of quality, such as ―good,‖ ―terrible,‖ ―terrific,‖ or
―horrible.‖ Conversely, in the evaluative report, only information regarding the
actual quality of the performance is given. This might be in the form of a grade
or a score or an evaluative comment, such as ―good work.‖ The purpose of
the evaluative report is to report the level of quality and possibly any
consequences based on the determined level of quality. It is not used to
suggest improvements in future performances. Table 1 clarifies the similarities
and differences between the two processes.
Table 1. Differences between Processes of Assessment and Evaluation
Assessment Evaluation
What is the purpose? to improve the quality of to determine the quality
future performances of the present
performance
Who requests it? Assesse Client
Who performs? Assesse Evaluate
Who observes the Assessor Evaluator
performance?
Who sets criteria? assessee and assessor client (with possible
consultation with the
evaluator)
Who uses the assessee (in future client (to make
information? performances) decisions)
When can feedback during or after a during or after a
occur? performance performance
On what is feedback observations; and level of quality based on
based? strongest and weakest a set standard
points
What is included in the what made the quality of the quality of the
report? the performance strong; performance, often
and how might one compared to set
improve future standards
performances
Who receives the report? Assesse Client
How is the report used? to improve performance to make judgments

Case Studies
This section addresses ways that evaluation and assessment can
become confused.
Case 1: The person observing a performance believes he or she is assessing,

but the performer perceives the feedback as evaluative because the
performer has not worked with the observer to set up criteria and
valuable feedback.
Dysfunctional Partners
One of the first steps in the Assessment Methodology is for the
assessor and assessee to determine the performance or outcome criteria for
which the assessee would like to gain feedback. If this step is skipped, no
matter how well-meaning the person giving feedback may be, the feedback is
likely to be perceived by the assessee as judgmental.
Since the control in assessment rests with the assessee, feedback will
be used for improvement only if the person receiving the feedback wants to
use feedback from the assessor.
Parent-Child Relations
All parents want their children to improve. However, parents also want
their children to perform at acceptable levels of quality. When a parent gives
feedback for improvement using evaluative language to a child in an area in
which the child has no desire to improve, the child will perceive this feedback
as judgmental. For instance, there is a big difference in the message sent
between saying, ―Your room is a mess. Clean it up now or you will be
punished,‖ and ―If you put your books away and make your bed, your room
would look much nicer.‖
In-Class Assessment Exercises

Students are more used to feeling that they are evaluated by
instructors, rather than assessed. Part of the reason for this perception is that
instructors do evaluate students by giving grades. Part of the reason is that
students are not often included in determining what should be fed back to

them. In order for assessment of student learning to work effectively, students

must participate in determining the criteria that will be used for their feedback.
For example, after giving an assignment that requires a draft, you could
ask students to tell you in what areas they would like feedback for
improvement. In this way, they would have to determine the areas where they
feel improvement would make a difference, and it would help clarify that the
purpose of the draft is not for a ―free‖ grading cycle.
Figure 1. Comparison of Assessment and Evaluation
Case 2: A person, observing a performance and using the same criteria, gives
assessment feedback as well as evaluative judgments.

Interim Feedback on Work Products

Students are often dismayed when they make all the suggested
improvements on a paper that was turned in for comment as a rough draft and
they do not receive an ―A‖ on the final product. In this case, the instructor has
given feedback for improvement without determining the quality of the paper.
The student perceives that if he or she improves in the areas noted, he or she
will have an excellent paper. One way to avoid this problem while
strengthening the assessment process is to ask the students to request
feedback on the draft based on set criteria.
Supervisor as Mentor
Often chairs of departments are expected to mentor their non-tenured
faculty in their department at the same time that they are expected to make
decisions on continuing employment. Although the individuals might agree on
criteria to use, it becomes difficult for the assessee to feel in control of using
or not using the feedback as he or she sees fit, since, at some point, the
assessor will become the evaluator. Although this is sometimes unavoidable,
the problem can be reduced by choosing the criteria differently in the two
cases. In the mentoring situations, the non-tenured faculty member should
choose the criteria for focus, while in the evaluative situations, the chair
should. In both cases the criteria need to be known by both parties.
Case 3: A person who is more comfortable with the evaluator role is put in the
role of assessor.
Expert Assessing a Novice

Sometimes, someone who is so ingrained in an area of expertise is
unable to stop judging the quality of a novice performance. Though all criteria
and scale are agreed upon, the expert as assessor can sometimes give the
feedback in evaluative terms without realizing it. This sometimes happens
when faculty start teaching right after they have earned their graduate degree.
They are not prepared for the limited understanding and skills of the students
who are taking their class. Rather than mentoring the students to help them

build their knowledge and skills, the faculty members are sometimes apt to
evaluate students as unmotivated and poorly prepared.
First-Time Assessor
Often, when one is used to giving feedback on the level of quality only,
someone can feel uncomfortable giving ―critical‖ feedback to an assessee,
feeling that pointing out areas to improve is the same as criticizing the
performance. This can cause even more problems when the assessee also
perceives the feedback as evaluative (Case 1). Practice and building trust
help this situation the most but it can also help if the assessor imagines what
feedback he or she would have wanted if he or she had been the performer. It
is important for the assessee to send the message that he or she would like to
have the feedback from someone he or she trusts.
Functions of Educational Evaluation

The main aim of teaching learning process is to enable the pupil to
achieve intended learning outcomes. In this process the learning objectives
are fixed then after the instruction learning progress is periodically evaluated
by tests and other evaluation devices.
The function of evaluation process can be summarized as following:
1. Evaluation helps in preparing instructional objectives.

Learning outcomes expected from class-room discussion can be fixed by
using evaluation results.
 What type of knowledge and understanding the student should
develop?
 What skill they should display?
 What interest and attitude they should develop?
It can only be possible when we shall identify the instructional objectives
and state them clearly in terms of intended learning outcomes. Only a
good evaluation process helps us to fix up a set of perfect instructional
objectives.

2. Evaluation process helps in assessing the learner’s needs.

In the teaching learning process it is very much necessary to know the
needs of the learners. The instructor must know the knowledge and skills
to be mastered by the students. Evaluation helps to know whether the
students possess required knowledge and skills to proceed with the
instruction.
3. Evaluation help in providing feed back to the stu-dents.
An evaluation process helps the teacher to know the learn-ing difficulties
of the students. It helps to bring about an im-provement in different school
practices. It also ensures an ap-propriate follow-up service.
4. Evaluation helps in preparing programmed materials.
Programmed instruction is a continuous series of learning sequences.
First, the instructional material is presented in a limited amount then a test
is given to response the instructional material. Next feedback is provided
on the basis of correctness of response made. So that without an effective
evaluation process the programmed learning is not possible.
5. Evaluation helps in curriculum development.
Cur-riculum development is an important aspect of the instructional
process. Evaluation data enable the curriculum development, to determine
the effectiveness of new procedures, identify areas where revision is
needed. Evaluation also helps to determine the degree to what extent an
existing curriculum is effective. Thus, evaluation data are helpful in
constructing the new curriculum and evaluating the existing curriculum.
6. Evaluation helps in reporting pupil’s progress to parents.
A systematic evaluation procedure provides an objective and
comprehensive picture of each pupil‘s progress. This com-prehensive
nature of the evaluation process helps the teacher to report on the total
development of the pupil to the parents. This type of objective information
about the pupil provides the foun-dation for the most effective co-operation
between the parents and teachers.
7. Evaluation data are very much useful in guidance and counselling.
Evaluation procedures are very much neces-sary for educational,
vocational and personal guidance. In order to assist the pupils to solve
their problems in the educational, vocational and personal fields the

counsellor must have an objec-tive knowledge of the pupils abilities,

interests, attitudes and other personal characteristics. An effective
evaluation procedure helps in getting a comprehensive picture of the pupil
which leads to effective guidance and of counselling.
8. Evaluation helps in effective school administration.
Evaluation data helps the administrators to judge the extent to which the
objectives of the school are being achieved, to find out strengths and
weaknesses of the curriculum and arranging special school programmes.
It also helps in decisions concerning admis-sion, grouping and promotion
of the students.
9. Evaluation data are helpful in school research.
In order to make the school programme more effective, researches are
necessary. Evaluation data help in research areas like comparative study
of different curricula, effectiveness of different methods, effectiveness of
different organisational plans, etc.
Principles of Assessment
There are many principles in the assessment in learning. Different
literature provides their unique list yet closely related set of principles of
assessment. According to David et al. (2020), the following may be
considered as core principles in assessing learning:
1. Assessment should have a clear purpose. The methods used in
collecting information should be based on this purpose. The
interpretation of the data collected should be aligned with the purpose
that has been set. This principle is congruent with the outcome-based
education (OBE) principles of clarity of focus and design down.
2. Assessment is not an end in itself. It serves as a means to enhance
student learning. It is not a simple recording or documentation of what
learners know and do not know. Collecting information about student
learning, whether formative or summative, should lead to decision that
will allow improvement of the learners.
3. Assessment is an on-going, continuous, and a formative process. It
consists of a series of tasks and activities conducted over time. It is not
a one-shot activity and should be cumulative. Continuous feedback is

an important element of assessment. This principle is congruent with

the OBE principle of expanded opportunity.
4. Assessment is learner-centered. It is not about what the teacher does
but what the learner can do. Assessment of learners provides teachers
with an understanding on how they can improve their teaching, which
corresponds to the goal of improving student learning.
5. Assessment is both process- and product-oriented. It gives equal
importance to learner performance or product in the process. They
engaged in to perform or produce a product.
6. Assessment must be comprehensive and holistic. It should be
performed using a variety of strategies and tools designed to assess
student learning in a holistic way. It should be conducted in multiple
periods to assess learning overtime. This principle is also congruent
with the OBE principle of expanded opportunity.
7. Assessment requires the use of appropriate measures. For
assessment to be valid, the assessment tools or measures used must
have sound psychometric properties, including, but not limited to,
validity and reliability. Appropriate measures also mean that learners
must be provided with challenging but age- and context-appropriate
assessment tasks. This principle is consistent with the OBE principle of
high expectation.
8. Assessment should be authentic as possible. Assessment tasks or
activities should closely, if not fully, approximate real-life situations or
experiences. Authenticity of assessment can be taught of as a
continuum from least authentic to most authentic, with more authentic
tasks expected to be more meaningful for learners.
Principles for Assessing Mathematics Learning

According to the National Research Council (1993), assessment is a
way of measuring what students know and of expressing what students
should learn. As the role of mathematics in society has changed, so
mathematics education is changing based on new national standards for
curriculum and instruction. Mathematics assessment must also change to
ensure consistency with the goals of education.

There are three fundamental educational principles that form the

foundation of all assessment that supports effective education, to wit: content,
learning, and equity.
The Content Principle

Assessment should reflect the mathematics that is most important for
students to learn.
Any assessment of mathematics learning should first and foremost be
anchored in important mathematical content. It should reflect topics and
applications that are critical to a full understanding of mathematics as it is
used in today's world and in students' later lives, whether in the workplace or
in later studies. Assessments should reflect processes that are required for
doing mathematics: reasoning, problem solving, communication, and
connecting ideas. Consensus has been achieved within the discipline of
mathematics and among organizations representing mathematics educators
and teachers on what constitutes important mathematics. Although such
consensus is a necessary starting point, it is important to obtain public
acceptance of these ideas and to preserve local flexibility to determine how
agreed-upon standards are reflected in assessments as well as in curricula.
Assessment makes sense only if it is in harmony with the broad goals of
mathematics education reform.
As uses of mathematics change over time, visions of school
mathematics and assessment must evolve in consonant ways. No existing
conception of important content should constitute an anchor, preventing
changes in assessment that are warranted by changing times. Thus,
assessment development will require more significant collaboration between
content and measurement experts than has been characteristic in the past.
The goal of the content principle is to ensure that assessments are based on
well-reasoned conceptions of what mathematics students will need to lead
fully informed lives. Only if the mathematics assessed is important can the
mathematics be justified as significant and valuable for students to know, and
the assessment justified as supportive of good instruction and a good use of
educational resources.

The Learning Principle

Assessment should enhance mathematics learning and support good
instructional practice.
Although assessments can be undertaken for various purposes and
used in many ways, proponents of standards-based assessment reform have
argued for the use of assessments that contribute very directly to student
learning. The rationale is that challenging students to be creative and to
formulate and solve problems will not ring true if all students see are quizzes,
tests, and examinations that dwell on routine knowledge and skill.
Consciously or unconsciously, students use assessments they are given to
determine what others consider to be significant.
There are many ways to accomplish the desired links between
assessment and learning. Assessment tasks can be designed so that they are
virtually indistinguishable from good learning tasks by attending to factors that
are critical to good instructional design: motivation, opportunities to construct
or extend knowledge, and opportunities to receive feedback and revise work.
Assessment and instruction can be combined, either through seamlessly
weaving the two kinds of activities together or by taking advantage of
opportunities for assessment as instruction proceeds. Assessments can also
be designed in ways that help communicate the goals of learning and the
products of successful learning. In each of these approaches, the teacher's
role is critical both for facilitating and mediating learning.
The Equity Principle

Assessment should support every student's opportunity to learn
important mathematics.
The equity principle aims to ensure that assessments are designed to
give every student a fair chance to demonstrate his or her best work and are
used to provide every student with access to challenging mathematics.
Equity requires careful attention to the many ways in which
understanding of mathematics can be demonstrated and the many factors
that may color judgments of mathematical competence from a particular
collection of assessment tasks.

Equity also requires attention to how assessment results are used.

Often assessments have been used inappropriately to filter students out of
educational opportunity. They might be used instead to empower students: to
provide students the flexibility needed to do their best work, to provide
concrete examples of good work so that students will know what to aim for in
learning, and to elevate the students' and others' expectations of what can be
achieved. Equity also requires that policies regarding use of assessment
results make clear the schools' obligations to educate students to the level of
new content and performance standards.
Summary
In this chapter, you have studied about the following:
 meaning and characteristics of assessment and evaluation
 functions of educational evaluation
 principles of assessment
 educational principles in the evaluation of Mathematics assessment
Assessment
1. After appreciating the varied meanings of assessment, make your own
simple definition of the term.
2. With good understanding of the meaning of evaluation, is it the same with
the program accreditation of the university? Explain.
3. Write at least 2 salient differences of assessment and evaluation.
4. List down the principles of assessment.
5. Explain briefly the principles of content, learning and equity.
6. Recite the functions of evaluation.
7. Choose 3 core principles in assessing learning, and explain them in
relation to your experiences with past teachers. A model is provided for
your reference.
Principles Practices
Example: I remember my high school teacher in
1. Assessment should Mathematics who just gave periodical test
have a clear purpose. items that were not actually presented nor
discussed in class. He would often include

very difficult test items that even the

smartest student in our class could not
answer. I could not understand why he felt
so happy when most of us failed in the test.
2.
3.
4.
8. Evaluate the extent of your knowledge and understanding about

assessment, evaluation and its principles.
Indicators Yes No Not sure
1. I can discuss assessment.
2. I can explain the meaning of evaluation.
3. I can compare assessment and evaluation.
4. I can discuss the principle of equity.
5. I can enumerate the different educational
principles in the evaluation of mathematics
assessment.
6. I can cite example by experience for every
core principle of assessment.
7. I can recite the functions of evaluation.
8. I can understand the functions of
evaluation.
9. I can explain the principle of content.
10. I can relate an experience in assessment
based on a principle.
Enrichment
1. Read the details of the three (3) educational principles in Chapter 6 titled,
―Evaluating Mathematics Assessment‖ on p. 117-129. Please see attached
book in pdf.
2. For more insights about the current chapter, you may access ―Assessment
and Evaluation‖ from http://people.stfx.ca/lborden/Section%203.pdf.
3. To supplement your understanding of the lesson, you can access and
watch the videos, titled:

a. ―What's the Difference between Assessment and Evaluation?‖ from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGbQHnLNpVo
b. ―Principles of Assessment‖ from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX-WsNInyBY
References
10 Key Differences between Assessment and Evaluation. Retrieved from
https://www.marketing91.com/assessment-and-evaluation/
Department of Education (April 1, 2015). Policy Guidelines on Assessment for
the K to 12 Basic Education Program. D.O. No. 8, s. 2015.
Evaluation in Teaching and Learning Process. Retrieved from
https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/statistics-2/evaluation-in-teaching-
and-learning-process-education/92476
Evaluation: Meaning, Principles and Functions. Retrieved from
https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/education/evaluation/evaluation-
meaning-principles-and-functions-with-diagram/64716
Gravells, Ann (2009). Principles and Practice of Assessment in the Lifelong
Learning Sector. UK: Learning Matters Ltd.
Kaur, B. and Yoong, W. K. (2011). Assessment in Mathematics Classroom.
Singapore: Association of Mathematics Educators.
National Research Council (1993). Measuring What Counts: A Conceptual
Guide for Mathematics Assessment. Washington DC, USA: National
Academy Press.
Principles and Practice of Assessment. Retrieved from
https://sites.google.com/site/wongyauhsiung/edu-5033-principles-and-
practice-of-assessment
Thorndike, Robert M. and Thorndike-Christ, Tracy (2014). Measurement and
Evaluation in Psychology and Education, 8th ed. United Kingdom:
Pearson Education Limited.

CHAPTER 2
USING A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING TO

ASSESS STUDENTS’ MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGE
Overview
Many educators around the world have called for curriculum and
teaching that aim for a balanced perspective on procedural fluency as well as
conceptual understanding. Assessment also needs to emphasize this
balance. In this chapter, the authors advocate for a multi-dimensional
approach to assessing students‘ understanding of mathematics, specifically
their ability with skills, mathematical properties, uses or applications of
mathematics, and representations of the concepts. They argue that each
dimension provides different insight into students‘ understanding. They also
share assessment results from the United States and Singapore, illustrating
that overall scores often mask differences in achievement that are essential
for teachers to understand if they are going to design instructional activities
that will help students develop their maximum mathematical potential.
Objective
Upon completion of the module, the students can demonstrate
understanding of the multi-dimensional approach to assess knowledge of
students in Mathematics.
Lesson 1: Multi-dimensional Approach in the Assessment of Mathematics

Knowledge
Pre-discussion
As you read this chapter, reflect first on the following:

It is suggested that each of the previous questions is an appropriate

assessment item for teachers to use when students are studying decimals.
Each provides different insight into what students know about the concept.
Together, they provide a more robust view of students‘ depth of
understanding than would be obtained from an individual item. For instance,
what should teachers make of students who can complete the computation in
the first item but cannot complete the same computation in the contextual
setting of the third item? Likewise, students who are not able to answer the
second item are often hindered in their ability to assess whether an answer to
a computation, such as that in the first one, makes sense. By looking at
students‘ achievement across the four items, teachers get a glimpse into
potential misconceptions that students have which may influence their ability
to delve deeply into mathematics.
The multi-dimensional view of understanding illustrated by the previous
four items is what we call the SPUR approach, for skills, properties, uses, and
representations. Each of the previous questions fits one of these dimensions.
In the remainder of this chapter, we provide a brief theoretical and
philosophical perspective for the SPUR approach, share more examples of
items using this approach at both the primary and secondary levels, and
illustrate some assessment data from the United States and Singapore that
suggest a need to analyze assessment data according to these dimensions to
understand students‘ depth of knowledge.
What to Expect?
At the end of this chapter, the pre-service teachers can:
1. discuss the multi-dimensional approach to understanding
mathematics assessment;
2. appreciate the theoretical and philosophical perspective of the
SPUR approach; and
3. apply SPUR in developing mathematics assessment.

Why Consider a Multi-Dimensional Approach to Understanding?

Many mathematics educators have recognized the importance of using
multiple perspectives to assess the learning of mathematics content. For
instance, Freudenthal (1983) considered the different ways in which a topic
might be used and how those different perspectives lead to different
understandings. In a synthesis of research about children‘s understanding of
mathematics in the United States, Kilpatrick, Swafford, and Findell (National
Research Council, 2001) defined mathematical proficiency as a tree
consisting of five intertwined strands: procedural fluency, adaptive reasoning,
conceptual understanding, productive disposition, and strategic competence.
These strands are interconnected and interdependent, with students needing
to develop competence in all five strands concurrently to have a robust
understanding of mathematics. Similarly, Krutetskii (1976) showed that, at
least among gifted students of mathematics, some students regularly use
algebraic or analytic approaches to solve problems, while others use
geometric or spatial approaches.
The views espoused by these educators are also reflected in
curriculum recommendations in various countries. For instance, in the United
States, the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2000), which has guided the
development of curriculum materials and state curriculum frameworks,
outlines a vision for mathematics for students in grades preK-12. In particular,
the standards documents emphasize the importance of a balanced
perspective relative to procedural fluency and conceptual understanding.
Likewise, curriculum recommendations in Singapore too have emphasized the
development of mathematical skills, concepts, and processes (see Figure 1)
essential in the learning and application of mathematics.
Given these recommendations, curriculum materials that use a multi-
dimensional perspective present a balanced view of mathematics that
accommodates classrooms with a range of students having different
mathematical strengths and learning styles. If teaching materials reflect a
multi-dimensional perspective, then assessment needs to reflect this
perspective as well in order for teaching and assessment to align.

Figure 1. Framework of the school mathematics curriculum
SPUR Approach
One approach to a multi-dimensional perspective on understanding is
known by the acronym SPUR for Skills, Properties, Uses, and
Representations (Thompson and Senk, 2008; Usiskin, 2003 and 2007). In
particular, Skills represent those procedures that students should master with
fluency; they range from applications of standard algorithms to the selection
and comparison of algorithms to the discovery or invention of algorithms,
including procedures with technology. Properties are the principles
underlying the mathematics, ranging from the naming of properties used to
justify conclusions to derivations and proofs. Uses are the applications of the
concepts to the real world or to other concepts in mathematics and range from
routine ―word problems‖ to the development and use of mathematical models.
Representations are graphs, pictures, and other visual depictions of the
concepts, including standard representations of concepts and relations to the
discovery of new ways to represent concepts.
We believe that students who have a robust understanding of
mathematics should possess understanding in each of the dimensions, Skills,
Properties, Uses and Representations.
Although originally used in developing curriculum materials in the
United States, SPUR can be a powerful tool for assessment as well. If

assessments consistently measure students‘ achievement in only one

dimension, then teachers may have a misconceived view of their students‘
understanding. In contrast, if assessments measure understanding in all four
dimensions, teachers can gain insights into strengths and weaknesses in their
students‘ knowledge of the concept that can be used to guide further
instructional planning.
 Examples of SPUR at the primary level

Consider the topic of Number (e.g., fractions) which is commonly
studied in the upper primary grades in many countries. Certainly teachers
want students to develop proficiency with computations involving fractions.
But if students are only able to compute and are not able to discuss properties
related to fraction computation or use fractions in real contexts or provide
visual models of fraction operations, then we would argue that their
understanding is limited. Students who can view a topic from different
perspectives typically have a wider inventory of strategies at their disposal
from which to draw when solving a problem.
Here is a typical fraction division task that teachers might expect
students to solve with fluency:
Simplify:
But just because students can simplify the given problem using an
algorithm does not mean that they have a robust understanding of division
with fractions. To assess that more robust understanding, additional
information is needed.
What are some of the underlying principles you would want students to
know about fraction division? These principles form the basis of items
focusing on the dimension of Properties. For instance, the following principles
might be ones that teachers would want students to understand and/or
recognize, even though primary students might not be expected to make such
statements:
(1) dividing by a number between 0 and 1 results in a quotient that is larger
than the dividend;

(2) the smaller the divisor for a given dividend, the larger the quotient;
(3) the larger the divisor for a given dividend, the smaller the quotient;
(4) division by 0 is undefined.
So, for these principles, we might construct the following items to

assess Properties.
 Without actually dividing, which result is larger? Explain how you know.
 Describe what happens to the result of as n becomes a larger and

larger number.
Now think about the dimension of Uses. Do students have a good

sense of when fraction division is needed? Can students use fraction division
appropriately to solve application problems? Can students create their own
problems where fraction division might be needed? These questions might
lead to the following assessment items in the dimension of Uses.
Finally, think about the dimension of Representations. What are the

visual images related to fraction division that you want students to have?
Should they be able to illustrate a division problem with a diagram? Should
they be able to use manipulatives to illustrate the computation? These ideas
provide a basis for constructing assessment items in the dimension of
Representations.

Each of the items illustrated in this section gets at a different

perspective of students‘ understanding of fraction division. Although skills are
important, students also need to understand the properties, uses, and
representations of the concepts to have the knowledge to think flexibly about
fraction division. Together, students‘ achievement on the various items can
help teachers determine what aspects of the concept might need to be a point
of focus during lessons.
 Examples of SPUR at the secondary level

In this section, we consider how SPUR might be used to develop
assessment items for the algebraic topic of solving linear equations. Although
algebra is a gateway to much further study in mathematics, students need
more than a manipulative facility with solving linear equations to have the
background to study later topics related to functions or calculus.
Consider a typical skill item related to solving linear equations:
 Solve for x: 3x + 12 = 5x.
Teachers know that many students who are able to solve simple
equations such as this one have difficulty when the equation becomes more
complicated. Perhaps they guessed at a solution or obtained a solution by trial
and error.
Although such approaches are appropriate in many situations, as
students‘ progress in mathematics they need to understand the equation-
solving process. So, what principles might teachers want to ensure that
students know relative to this topic?
Some principles we would list include:
 know that a number can be added to both sides of an equation to yield an
equivalent equation;
 know that both sides of an equation can be multiplied or divided by a non-
zero number to yield an equivalent equation;

 a solution to an equation must yield the same value for both sides of the
equation.
These principles form the basis for potential assessment items in the
dimension of Properties.
 In solving 3x + 12 = 5x, Archie wrote 12 = 8x as the next step. Is
Archie correct or not? How do you know?
 To solve 3x + 12 = 5x, John wrote the following steps:
Step 1: 3x + 12 = 5x
Step 2: 12 = 2x
Step 3: 6=x
Explain what John did to go from each step to the next.
Many students wonder when they will ever use algebra in the real
world. So, it is important that students recognize application problems that can
be solved by using an equation. In addition to solving application problems
created by the teacher, students should be able to generate their own
application problems as well. Both ideas provide a basis for creating items
that assess the dimension of Uses.
 Make up a real-world problem that can be answered by solving 3x + 12
= 5x. Be sure to specify the meaning of the variable.
 Two children are saving their money to buy a special video game.
Carlos already has 12 pesos and saves P3 each week. Andrew does
not have any money already saved but decides to save P5 each week.
 If neither one takes out any of their savings, in how many weeks will
they have the same amount saved?
Both problems give teachers insight into how their students address
application problems involving linear equations. We have found that many
students who are able to solve an equation have difficulty writing a realistic

real-world problem. So, teaching might focus on helping students think about
their own situations that lead to linear equations.
Finally, what representations might teachers want students to have
related to solving linear equations? Should students be able to solve the
equation with a visual? Should they be able to create a table of values or two
graphs to solve the equation? These ideas suggest the following item related
to the dimension of Representations.
 Use the table of values to find a solution to 3x + 12 = 5x.
X 3x+12 5x
0 12 0
1 15 5
2 18 10
3 21 15
4 24 20
5 27 25
6 30 30
7 33 35
8 36 40
As with the sequence of items assessing fraction division, we would

argue that each item gives insight into important aspects of solving linear
equations. For instance, students who understand how to use a table to solve
an equation can use this approach to solve equations in later years, such as
sin x = ex, for which no algorithmic approach exists. As teachers consider
which aspects of equation solving their students have mastered and which
they have not, they can design or modify teaching to help students develop a
well-rounded and balanced view of the topic.
Achievement in terms of SPUR

If teaching has focused on a multi-dimensional perspective, then SPUR
provides a lens through which to consider student achievement as well. The
International Project on Mathematical Attainment (IPMA) was a multi-country
longitudinal study that tracked students‘ growth in mathematics from their first
year of schooling through the end of primary schooling, generally 5 to 6 years.

Both Singapore and the United States participated in this project. In

Singapore, students from three different schools participated, with 856
remaining in the study from primary one (age 6) through primary five (age 10)
(Kaur, Koay, and Yap, 2004). In the United States, students from six schools
in two different states participated, with 181 students remaining in the study
from kindergarten (age 5) through grade 5 (age 10) (Thompson, 2004).
Test 6, given to students in their respective countries at the end of
primary schooling, consisted of 140 items. Overall, the mean percents correct
(mean percent correct is the mean score of the cohort as a percentage of total
possible score for the test) for students from the United States and Singapore
were 71% (standard deviation = 11%) and 76% (standard deviation = 12%),
respectively. These overall results suggest that students in Singapore scored
somewhat higher than those in the United States. However, these overall
results provide little insight into what might account for any differences. Did
Singaporean students score consistently higher than students from the United
States? Were there some dimensions for which students in the United States
performed better? For teachers who want to modify their teaching to raise
student achievement, where should they focus their teaching? The lack of
specific information suggests a need to take a closer look at the achievement
results.
Analysis of the 140 items of Test 6 showed that there were 56 (40%)
items dealing with Skills, 25 (18%) items dealing with Properties, 17 (12%)
items dealing with Uses, and 42 (30%) items dealing with Representations.
One may note that this test was not designed to measure growth in a
student‘s attainment according to the dimensions of understanding (SPUR).
Hence, it is inevitable that a post-construction analysis of the test has yielded
varying proportions of items in the four dimensions, Skills, Properties, Uses
and Representations. Figure 2 shows the achievement for students in each
county by the dimensions of understanding.

From Figure 2, several observations about the results are apparent.

First, achievement across the four dimensions was not consistent within a
country. Second, in both countries, students did better on Skills and
Representations than on Properties or Uses. In both countries, achievement
on Uses was about 15% lower than on Skills. Third, United States and
Singapore students performed comparably on items dealing with Properties
and Representations. The differences in achievement between students in the
two countries were due primarily to differences in achievement on Skills and
on Uses.
In addition to analyzing the results by SPUR, the items on this test
were also analyzed by content. Among the 140 items, Table 1 shows how the
SPUR items were distributed among five main content categories. As evident
in the table, although the content area of Number was assessed from all four
dimensions, this was not the case for the other content areas. So, teachers
did not have an opportunity to determine how their students might address
some aspects of the other content areas.

Figure 3 shows the achievement by United States and Singaporean

students by the dimension of understanding for the four content areas,
provided there were at least five items in the related cell. The picture of this
analysis also provides evidence that teachers can use to modify and enhance
their teaching. For instance, for Singaporean students, achievement within
Number was uniformly high across all four dimensions; however, in Measure,
achievement was high for Skills and Representations but low for Uses. In
Data/Chance, achievement in Skills was considerably below the achievement
in Representations. For Geometry, achievement in both of the assessed
dimensions was low. The fact that several dimensions of understanding were
not even assessed in Geometry and in Data/Chance suggests that teachers‘
pictures of their students‘ knowledge was not complete.
For students in the United States, their achievement in Representations
was higher in each content area than any of the other dimensions. Although
the achievement in the four dimensions for Number was somewhat
consistent, the difference in achievement across dimension for the other
content areas suggests teachers have considerable work to help students
develop a more robust understanding of mathematics.

Implications of Using SPUR Approach

The comparison of test results from students in the United States and
in Singapore suggests that much can be learned by using a more balanced
approach to assessment, such as that suggested by SPUR. Overall test
results provide only a quick view of student understanding, and a view that
can be misleading. The analysis of test results by dimension of understanding
suggests that students‘ abilities are not consistent across skills, properties,
uses, and representations. In addition, their achievement across the four
dimensions also varies by the content area being assessed.

Teachers typically use assessments to determine what their students

have mastered and to determine strengths and weaknesses of teaching.
Analysis of test results by SPUR can help teachers target their classroom
activities to those aspects of the content that students have not yet mastered
so that students develop a robust and balanced understanding of
mathematics. Teachers can determine whether (1) they focused their teaching
on all four dimensions but students failed to achieve, or (2) they focused their
teaching on only some dimensions so teaching needs to be modified to
incorporate other important facets of mathematics (Bleiler and Thompson,
2010).
If our instructional goal is to develop students with a robust and flexible
understanding of mathematics, then it is essential that we assess more than
just their knowledge of skills. Although it is relatively easy to write skill items,
with knowledge of the other dimensions of understanding teachers can modify
those skill items or write entirely new items to gain additional perspectives on
their students‘ understanding of the concept. Insights of students‘
understanding of concepts can be used to modify teaching so students build a
solid foundation of mathematical knowledge.
Although we have suggested SPUR as a tool to ensure a balanced
view of mathematical understanding, as previously indicated there are other
models for considering multiple perspectives to learning (e.g., Freudenthal,
1983; National Research Council, 2001). What is crucial is that assessment
and teaching align. If teaching incorporates a multi-dimensional view of
understanding, then assessment also needs to incorporate such a
perspective.
Summary
There are four (4) dimensions of understanding. In mathematics, to
understand a concept means to be able to carry out algorithms related to that
concept; to develop and use mathematical properties and relationships
involving the concept; to apply the concept in problems, both real-world and
theoretical; and to represent or picture the concept. Each dimension allows
questions ranging from simple exercises to the invention of new ideas. We
call this the SPUR approach: Skill, Properties, Uses, and Representations.

Enrichment
 To appreciate the practice of SPUR approach in mathematics teaching,
you may explore the studies:
1. ―Identifying teachers‘ approach in assessing students‘ understanding
on derivative: SPUR perspective‖ available at
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331664015_Identifying_teac
hers'_approach_in_assessing_students'_understanding_on_derivative
_SPUR_perspective.
2. ―On the Procedural-Conceptual Based Taxonomy and Its Adaptation to
the Multi-Dimensional Approach SPUR to Assess Students‘
Understanding Mathematics‖ available at
http://pubs.sciepub.com/education/7/3/4/index.html
3. ―Five Principles of Extraordinary Math Teaching‖ at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytVneQUA5-c
Assessment
1. What makes SPUR approach a robust technique when assessing
mathematics concept?
2. Explain this: ―Curriculum materials that use a multi-dimensional
perspective present a balanced view of mathematics.‖
3. How do you evaluate your past mathematics teachers relative to the
practice of SPUR approach in assessment?
4. Would you like to implement this approach in your mathematics
assessment in the future? Why?
5. Make a draft of at least 2 test items highlighting the four dimensions.
Discuss your outputs to at least 1 of your classmates. Be open to
suggestions. Introduce enhancements based on your dialogues. Present
your test drafts to the class when advised.
References
Bleiler, S. K., & Thompson, D. R. (2010). Dimensions of mathematics
understanding: A longitudinal analysis of primary students‘ achievement in
the United States. In Y. Shimizu, Y. Sekiguchi & K. Hino (Eds.),
Proceedings of the 5TH East Asia Regional Conference in Mathematics

Education, Volume 2 (pp. 400-407). Japan, Tokyo: Japan Society of

Mathematical Education.
Freudenthal, H. (1983). Didactical Phenomenology of Mathematical
Structures. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Reidel.
Kaur, B., Koay, P. L., & Yap, S. F. (2004). Country reports: Singapore. In D.
Burghes, R. Geach, & M. Roddick (Eds.), International Project on
Mathematical Attainment Report. Series of International Monographs on
Mathematics Teaching Worldwide, Monograph 4 (pp. 175-190). Hungary:
Müszaki Könyvkiadó, a WoltersKluwer Company.
Krutetskii, V. (1976). The Psychology of Mathematical Abilities in School
Children. (translated by J. Teller. Edited by J. Kilpatrick and I. Wirszup).
Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Ministry of Education. (2006a). Mathematics Syllabus – Primary. Singapore:
Author. Ministry of Education. (2006b). Mathematics Syllabus - Secondary.
Singapore: Author. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2000).
Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. Reston, VA: Author.
National Research Council. (2001). Adding It Up: Helping Children Learn
Mathematics. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
Thompson D. R. and Kaur B. (2011). Using a multidimensional approach to
understanding to assess students‘ mathematical knowledge. Assessment
in Mathematics Curriculum (ed) Kaur B and Yoong W. (Singapore: World
Scientific) chapter 2, pp 17-31
Usiskin, Z. (2007). The case of the University of Chicago School Mathematics
Project: Secondary Component. In C. R. Hirsch (Ed.), Perspectives on the
design and development of school mathematics curricula (pp. 173-182).
Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

CHAPTER 3
ASSESSING PROBLEM SOLVING IN THE MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM
Overview
In this chapter, we shall focus on the implementation of a framework for
assessing problem solving in a specifically designed curriculum. While
traditional assessment of problem solving has focused on the products of
problem solving, this framework builds on the works of Pólya and Schoenfeld
and gives greater emphasis to the processes. This assessment framework
works in tandem with a practical worksheet which is an important feature of
the problem-solving curriculum that we have designed. They present the
assessment framework and how it is used to assess students‘ doing problem
solving. In particular, we use the assessment framework to assess the works
of two students, Zill and William. They also discuss the students‘ ideas about
the problem-solving curriculum and the assessment framework.
Objective
At the end of the chapter, the pre-service teachers can discuss
thoroughly the students‘ ideas about the problem-solving curriculum and the
assessment framework.
Lesson 1. Problem Solving and Assessment in the Mathematics

Curriculum
Pre-discussion
It is generally accepted that the right processes will lead to a good
product. In mathematical learning, processes are often assessed indirectly,
i.e., by assessing the products as it is almost impossible to access processes
directly. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that overwhelmingly the
assessment of problem solving has focused on assessing the products of the
problem-solving process. However, assessing only the products of the
learning process is no guarantee that correct processes have been followed.

In this chapter, we look at the assessment of problem solving from a

new perspective in a specifically designed problem-solving curriculum that
amply focuses on the processes without neglecting the products of the
learning process. We present a worksheet, called the Practical Worksheet,
alongside a scoring rubric that gives credit to students‘ thinking throughout the
problem-solving process. We highlight, with appropriate interviews, the use of
the rubric in grading the work of two students and illustrate how the use of the
rubric together with the worksheet helped students with their metacognition
when they engaged in problem solving.
What to Expect?
At the end of the lessons, the students can:
1. explain the significance of problem-solving in Mathematics
curriculum;
2. discuss Polya‘s problem-solving model;
3. identify the 4 aspects of Schoenfeld‘s framework in problem
solving;
4. apply mathematics practical in solving problems; and
5. use scoring rubric in assessing problem-solving processes.
Problem Solving and Mathematics Curriculum

Since Pólya (1945) published his first book on mathematical problem
solving, there has been much interest that was articulated about it. From the
1980s onwards, there has also been a world-wide push for problem solving to
be the central focus of the school mathematics curriculum. For example, in
the United States, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics in their
document on the principles and standards for school mathematics expressed
that problem solving should be the key focus of the mathematics curriculum
(NCTM, 2000). Mathematical problem solving has been at the heart of the
Singapore mathematics curriculum since the 1990‘s. The stated primary aim
of the Singapore mathematics curriculum is to develop students‘ ability to
solve mathematics problems (Ministry of Education, 2006). The centrality of

mathematical problem solving is clearly depicted in the framework of the

Singapore mathematics curriculum, as shown in Figure 1.
The implementation of a problem-solving curriculum is quite
challenging. First, there is the issue of the meanings attached to the term
―problem solving‖. Teachers in Singapore vary in their styles and approaches
to problem-solving instruction in terms of the amount of class time and
attention spent in the various classroom activities, and differing emphasis on
each of the four problem stages of Pólya. Second, a major hurdle in the
Singapore context is the routinisation of certain aspects of problem solving,
such as the teaching of problem-solving heuristics that match certain problem
types. Also, the over-emphasis during classroom teaching about the types of
mathematical problems which are usually found in high-stakes national
examinations adds to this issue, somewhat similar to what happened in New
Zealand as reported by Holton, Anderson, Thomas and Fletcher (1999). The
New Zealand Ministry of Education developed a national numeracy project
which emphasized a problem-solving approach and it has now been
introduced to the majority of primary schools in that country. However,
success is so far limited to the primary level (Ministry of Education New
Zealand, 2006), as high-stakes examinations have blunted the problem-
solving approach in mathematics classes at the secondary level.

As mentioned earlier, traditionally, the assessment of problem solving

in the classroom has focused on assessing the products rather than the
processes of problem solving. Our efforts to meet the challenge of teaching
mathematical problem solving to students call for a curriculum that
emphasizes the processes (while not neglecting the products) of problem
solving and an assessment strategy to match it so as to drive the mode of
teaching and learning of mathematics.
Mathematical Problem-Solving Model

Good problem solvers presumably have built up their own models of
problem solving. Having a model of problem solving is especially important
when an individual‘s progress in solving a mathematical problem is not
smooth. A problem-solving model that is made explicit to students should be
helpful in guiding them in the learning of problem solving, and in regulating
their problem solving attempts. Even a good problem solver may find the
structured approach of a model useful. As Alan Schoenfeld (1985) recounts in
the preface to his book Mathematical Problem Solving about Pólya‘s book
HOW TO SOLVE IT:
In the fall of 1974 I ran across George Pólya‘s little volume, How to
Solve It. I was a practising mathematician … My first reaction to the
book was sheer pleasure. If, after all, I had discovered for myself the
problem-solving strategies described by an eminent mathematician,
then I must be an honest-to-goodness mathematician myself! After a
while, however, the pleasure gave way to annoyance. These kinds
of strategies had not been mentioned at any time during my
academic career. Why wasn‘t I given the book when I was a
freshman, to save me the trouble of discovering the strategies on my
own? (p. xi)
The practical approach which we describe later uses Pólya‘s model as

the basis which we have enhanced with Schoenfeld‘s (1985) ideas about
problem solving. Pólya‘s model is well-known and it is mentioned in the
syllabus document of the Singapore Ministry of Education. We wanted a

model which is most familiar to those who have to work within the Singapore
mathematics syllabus. We remark that any other sensible model of problem-
solving would be equally useful (see for example, Mason, Burton and Stacey,
1985).
The essential features of Pólya‘s problem-solving model are shown in
Figure 2.
The model is depicted as a flowchart with four (4) components,

Understand the Problem, Devise a Plan, Carry out a Plan, and Check and
Extend, with back-flow allowed to reflect the dynamic and cyclical nature of
problem solving (Carlson and Bloom, 2005).
Schoenfeld (1985) grappled with the apparent worth of Pólya‘s model
and the real-world failure of its application in the classroom. He argued that
successful problem solving required more than just a direct application of the
model; other factors are crucial as well. His research culminated in the
construction of a framework for the analysis of complex problem-solving
behaviour. The four aspects highlighted in his framework are:
 Cognitive resources – the body of facts and procedures at one‘s
disposal
 Heuristics – ‗rules of thumb‘ for making progress in difficult situations
 Control – having to do with the efficiency with which individuals utilise
the knowledge at their disposal
 Belief systems – one‘s perspectives regarding the nature of a discipline
and how one goes about working on it

Anecdotal evidence from mathematics classrooms in Singapore shows

that the teaching of problem solving in schools has typically emphasized the
teaching of heuristics (Hedberg et al., 2005). The right choice and use of
heuristics were assumed to be sufficient for successful problem solving.
Schoenfeld‘s framework suggests that we need to provide students with more
than just Pólya‘s model and a range of heuristics. The students have to
manage resources at their disposal, choose promising heuristics to try, control
the problem-solving process and progress, examine their beliefs about
mathematics that hinder or facilitate problem solving, and in culmination,
generalise and extend.
Mathematics Practical - A New Paradigm

Our combined classroom experiences of teaching problem solving
strongly suggest to us that students are generally resistant to apply the stages
of Pólya‘s model. They also do not consciously use and manage heuristics
productively. Even the higher achieving students who could solve the given
problems do not generally make the extra effort to finally check and extend
the problem.
In an attempt to help students cultivate the discipline of good problem-
solving habits, especially when they are clearly struggling with the problem,
we decided to construct a worksheet like that used in science practical
lessons and told the students to treat the problem-solving lesson as a
mathematics ―practical‖ lesson. In this way, we hope to achieve a paradigm
shift in the way students look at these ―difficult, unrelated‖ problems which had
to be done in this ―special‖ classroom setting – a form of mathematics
―practical‖.
The use of practical work to achieve the learning of the scientific
processes has a long history of at least a hundred years and can be traced to
Henry Edward Armstrong (Woolnough and Allsop, 1985). They stated clearly
what is to be achieved in science education:
As we look at the nature of science we see two quite distinct
strands. The knowledge, the important content and concepts of
science and their interrelationships, and also the processes

which a scientist uses in his working life. In teaching science we

should be concerned both with introducing students to the
important body of scientific knowledge, that they might
understand and enjoy it, and also with familiarizing students with
the way a problem-solving scientist works, that they too might
develop such habits and use them in their own lives. (p.32)
It is instructive to see that we could just replace ‗science‘ with

‗mathematics‘ and the preceding passage reads just as true, which any
mathematics educator would agree. It is certainly conceivable that similar
specialised lessons and materials for mathematics may be necessary to teach
the mathematical processes, including and via problem solving. This
approach could elicit the learning of the processes of problem solving,
analogous to the processes of science practical skills of scientists in their
working life.
Mathematics Practical Worksheet

Tay, Quek, Toh, Dong and Ho (2007) introduced the ―mathematical
practical‖ into problem-solving lessons using a ―practical‖ worksheet. The
students were encouraged to treat the problem-solving class as a
mathematics ―practical‖ lesson.
The worksheet contains sections explicitly guiding the students to use
Pólya‘s stages and problem-solving heuristics to solve a mathematics
problem. A complete practical worksheet is given in Appendix A.
Mathematics Practical Lessons

A problem-solving lesson, consisting of 55 minutes, is divided into two
parts. In the first part (except for Lesson 1), the teacher reviews homework of
the last lesson and explains one aspect of problem solving, such as a stage in
Pólya‘s model. The second part focuses on one problem, the ‗Problem of the
Day‘. Thus, the entire class focuses on only one problem during each lesson.
Typically, the problem-solving module requires 10 lessons. Table 1 shows the
outline of the problem-solving module.

Each page of the worksheet corresponds to one stage of Pólya‘s

problem-solving model. The use of the worksheet is gradually introduced
across a few lessons. In Lesson 2 when Polya‘s model is explicitly explained,
the students will work on the Problem of the Day on a modified worksheet.
This has only the first page (Understand the Problem) to be filled in, while the
usual work is carried out on blank pieces of paper, as Lesson 2 emphasizes
the importance of understanding a given problem. In the next two lessons
where the emphasis is on using heuristics, the modified worksheet will include
Pages 1 to 3, and the students will have to fill in their work for Understand the
Problem and Devise a Plan, and carry out the usual working in the Carry out
the Plan page(s). In the fifth lesson, the Practical Paradigm and Practical
Worksheet are explained and the full worksheet is implemented.
When solving problems, ideally, the student will follow the model and
go through all the four stages, with suitable loopbacks (to be worked on blank
pieces of paper and attached at the relevant place). However, so as not to
straitjacket an unwilling problem solver, the student may jump straight to
Stage 3 (Carry out the Plan) and is given up to 15 minutes to solve the
problem. Students who complete the problem in time need only do the Stage
4 of Pólya‘s model. Students who fail to make any progress in 15 minutes will
be required to go through all four stages of Pólya‘s model. This is so, as the
rationale is that going through all the stages systematically would encourage
the unsuccessful student to meta-cognate and deliberate on the solution
process, eventually producing a better solution. The successful student is
allowed to leapfrog to Stage 4, which is important for consolidation of the
method and gaining a fuller insight to the problem.

Table 1
The 10 Lesson Problem-Solving Modules
Lesson Activity
1 Distinguish between a problem and exercise
Model successful problem solving
2 Introduce Polya‘s problem solving model
Introduce Stage I of the Practical Worksheet (Understand the
Problem)
3 Introduce the meaning of the word heuristics and provide a
list of the common heuristics for mathematical problem
solving
Introduce Stages I to III of the Practical Worksheet
(Understand the Problem, Devise a Plan, Carry out the Plan)
4 More on heuristics
Practice on using Stages I to III of the Practical Worksheet
5 Introduce to the practical paradigm of mathematical problem
solving
Formal use of the Practical Worksheet to solve Problem of
the Day and Homework Problem
6 Focus on Check and Extend, i.e., Stage IV of the Practical
Worksheet
Emphasis on adapt, extend and generalize a mathematical
problem
Introduce the assessment rubric
7 Identify the features of Check and Extend
8 Introduce the importance and use of Control (Schoenfeld,
1982) in mathematical problem
9 Introduce the use of the Control Column in Stage III of the
Practical Worksheet
10 Revision on the key features and processes of mathematical
problem solving
Certainly, a particular student may have to go through all the four

stages for one problem and not for another problem, where the plan to him is
obvious and he needs only to Check and Extend. The choice allowed here is
to show that explicit use of Pólya‘s model is very useful when one is stuck
with a particular problem.
The Scoring Rubric

It is common knowledge among teachers and educators that most
students will study mainly for curricular components which are to be
assessed. There needs to be a corresponding assessment strategy that

drives the teaching and learning of problem solving as described in the

preceding paragraphs. Effective assessment practice ―begins with and enacts
a vision of the kinds of learning we most value for students and strive to help
them achieve‖ (Walvoord and Anderson, 1998). To assess the students‘
problem-solving processes (which we value), we developed a scoring rubric
based on Pólya‘s model and Schoenfeld‘s framework.
The scoring rubric focuses on the problem-solving processes
highlighted in the Practical Worksheet. There are four main components to the
rubric, each of which would draw the students‘ (and teachers‘) attention to the
crucial aspects of, as authentic as possible, an attempt to solve a
mathematical problem. In establishing the criteria for each of these
components of problem solving, we ask the question. What must students do
or show to suggest that:
1. they have used Pólya‘s approach to solve the given mathematics
problems,
2. they have made use of heuristics,
3. they have exhibited ―control‖ over the problem-solving process, and
4. they have checked the solution and extended the problem solved
(learnt from it)?
The rubric is outlined below. The complete rubric is attached in
Appendix B.
 Polya’s Stages [0-7 marks] – this criterion looks for evidence of the use
of cycles of Pólya‘s stages (Understand the Problem, Devise a Plan,
Carry out the Plan), and correct solutions.
 Heuristics [0-7 marks] – this criterion looks for evidence of the
application of heuristics to understand the problem, and to devise/carry
out plans.
 Checking and Extending [0-6 marks] – this criterion is further divided
into three sub-criteria:
 Evidence of checking of correctness of solution [1 mark]
 Providing for alternative solutions [2 marks]
 Extending and generalizing the problem [3 marks] – full marks for this
is awarded for one who is able to provide (a) two or more problems

with solutions or suggestions to solution, or (b) one significant related

problem with comments on its solvability.
The rubric was designed to encourage students to go through Pólya

stages when they are faced with a problem, and to use heuristics to explore
the problem and devise a plan. They would return to one of the first three
stages (see Practical Worksheet) upon failure to realize a plan of solution.
Students who show control (Schoenfeld‘s framework) over the problem-
solving process gain marks. For example, a student who did not manage to
obtain a completely correct solution would be able to score up to eight and
three marks each for Polya’s Stages and for heuristics, making a total of
eleven, if they show evidence of cycling through the stages, use of heuristics,
and exercise of control.
The rubric allows the students to score as many as 70% of the total 20
marks for a correct solution. However, this falls short of obtaining a distinction
(75%) for the problem. The rest would come from the marks in Checking and
Extending. Our intention is to push students to check and extend the problem
(Stage 4 of Pólya‘s stages), an area of instruction in problem solving that has
not been largely successful so far.
Students’ Responses and Assessment

The researchers conducted the first series of ten mathematics practical
lessons as an elective module to a group of 24 Year 8 students (age 14) in a
Singapore secondary school. The students‘ use of the practical worksheet in
answering the questions was indicative of their method of solution, their errors
and misconception related to each question. Both the school teachers and
researchers used the scoring rubric to mark the students‘ responses to the
―Problem of the Day‖ and problem for homework. The inter-rater reliability (κ)
was 0.695. This was acceptable because the teachers were not yet
experienced in marking using the rubric nor with the solutions and extensions
to the problems. Overall, after discussion, the marking by both groups was
largely consistent for most of the problems.
The students were informed of the criteria of scoring of their
assignments, which was done after the sixth lesson. It was deemed that the

students needed time to get accustomed to the use of the practical worksheet
and the scoring.
Qualitative information was obtained from interview sessions with
selected students. The followings were some of the prompts used by the
interviewer for the student interviews:
 Why did you sign up for the (mathematics problem-solving practical)
course?
 Name one thing that you learnt from the course.
 How does the practical worksheet help you in solving problems?
 What do you think of the assessment of the course?
In this section, we shall present the interview segments with two of the
students, whom we coded as William and Zill (pseudonyms). William was the
highest achieving student in mathematics who also represented the school in
various National Mathematics Competitions. Zill was a ‗non-believer‘ in
mathematical problem solving. We use W, Z and R to denote William, Zill, and
the Researcher, respectively. Relevant segments of the interviews with our
interpretation alongside them are presented below. We will also show how
Zill‘s and William‘s problem-solving attempts, during the final test, were
graded with the help of the assessment rubric.



Figures 3 and 4 show Zill‘s attempt, in the final test, to solve the given
problem.
Figure 3. Zill’s solution - Stages I and II


Figure 4. Zill’s solution - Stages III and IV.
Zill‘s solution was correct. In Stage III (Carry out the plan), he
demonstrated his plan of expressing 11 as the sum and difference of 5‘s and
9‘s. He had a clear plan of tackling the problem. Hence, under Pólya‘s stage,
he was awarded 10 marks (Level 3 of correct solution). He demonstrated the
use of heuristics in Stage II (Devise a plan) and Stage III (Carry out the plan).
Furthermore in Stage III, he listed the steps clearly on how 11 minutes can be
obtained. Thus, under Heuristics, he was awarded 4 marks (Level 2 of a
correct solution). Under Stage IV (Check and extend), he did not demonstrate
effort to check the reasonableness of his solution or attempt to provide an
alternative solution to the problem. However, he offered a possible
generalization of the given problem, which was a problem involving

Diophantine equations. His total score based on the scoring rubric was 15 out
of 20. The detailed breakdown of his scoring is shown in Table 2 below.



Figures 5, 6 and 7 show William‘s attempt in the final test on the same
problem.
Figure 5. William’s Solution – Stages I and II.



Figure 6. William’s Solution – Stages III and IV.

Figure 7. William’s Solution – alternative solutions, extension and

generalization of the problem

William‘s solution was correct. In fact, it was a ―good‖ solution that

reflected advanced mathematical knowledge. William was in the school‘s
mathematical Olympiad training team and had extra coaching in advanced
mathematics. In Stage I (Understand the problem), William already
demonstrated his attempt to attack the problem directly by identifying the
attributes of the three given numbers: 5, 9 and 11 have no [non-trivial]
common factors. In Stage II (Devise a plan) and Stage III (Carry out the plan),
he presented very clearly his plan of tackling the problem using algebraic
approach directly. Under Pólya‘s stage, he was awarded 10 marks (Level 3 of
correct solution).
In Stage II (Devise a plan), he listed the heuristics/steps clearly (define
variables; set up equations; solve the equation; related back to problem; offer
solution). Furthermore, in Stage III (Carry out the plan), he formulated the
Diophantine equation and solved it using the Euclidean Algorithm. This is
evidence of rather sophisticated mathematical problem solving with rich
resources (Schoenfeld, 1992), which is characteristic of an advanced
mathematics student. Under Heuristics, he was awarded 4 marks (Level 2 of
correct solution). Finally, in Stage IV (Check and Extend), William checked the
reasonableness of his solution by a brief sensible argument. He was thus
awarded 1 mark under Checking (Level 2). He offered two alternative
solutions to this problem: one solution by considering the formation of 11
(shown under ―Alternative Solution 1‖) and another solution by using a
diagram. Under ―Alternative Solutions‖ he was awarded 2 marks (Level 3).
Even though William gave two extensions and one generalization under
Check and Extend, these problems revolved around the same concept of the
solution of the Diophantine equation AX + BY = D. Under ―Extending,
Adapting & Generalizing‖, he was awarded 2 marks (Level 3). The detailed
breakdown of his score is shown in Table 3.

Summary
While it is recognized that problem solving is the heart of mathematics
(Halmos, 1980), and that there has been a worldwide push for problem
solving to be the central focus of mathematics curriculum, the implementation
of problem solving has not met with much success.
Schoenfeld (2007) puts matter-of-factly:
That body of research – for details and summary, see Lester

(1994) and Schoenfeld (1985, 1992) – was robust and has stood
the test of time. It represented significant progress on issues of
problem solving, but it also left some very important issues
unresolved … The theory had been worked out; all that needed
to be done was the (hard and unglamorous) work of following
through in practical terms. (p. 539)
This chapter presents a conceptualization of mathematical problem

solving based on a paradigm shift of learning and experiencing problem
solving as part of a mathematics ―practical‖. A corresponding scheme of
assessment through the use of an assessment rubric is also introduced.
The authors have carried out these problem solving practical lessons in
a secondary school. As could be seen from the two students‘ scripts in the
preceding section, the students were able to respond to the new mode of
assessment as they were informed on how they would be assessed and
shown the assessment rubric in a timely manner. Through the interviews
reported in the previous section, the students were generally able to
appreciate lessons on mathematical problem solving: the highest achieving

student (represented by William) found that such practical lessons

complement his mathematics Olympiad training received in school; the least
interested student (represented by Zill) was able to appreciate the importance
of heuristics in solving mathematics problems, even though he resented the
problem solving lessons generally.
This new approach of assessing problem solving through the use of
mathematics practical holds promise for teachers who want to elevate
problem solving to a prominent position in the mathematics lessons. They can
now not only encourage problem solving in their classes; they can also make
transparent to students the criteria for assessment and the processes that are
valued. As such, the practical worksheet can potentially become part of the
overall assessment of students in their mathematics performance.
Enrichment
 Read the following articles:
1. ―Assessment in a Problem Solving Curriculum‖ by Tin Lam Toh.
Available from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311233823_Making_mathema
tics_practical_An_approach_to_problem_solving.
2. ―Mathematical Problem Solving,‖ a chapter from Making Mathematics
Practical: An Approach to Problem Solving by Tin Lam Toh. Available
from https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/8171.
3. Explore this link:
https://www.wtamu.edu/academic/anns/mps/math/mathlab/int_algebra/i
nt_alg_tut8_probsol.htm
 Watch the following videos:
1. ―Polya‘s Problem Solving Process at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhL3EMFSm6o
2. ―4 Steps in Solving Problems‖ at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn8frIzQupA
3. ―Top 3 Problem Solving Strategies‖ at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_ANRNgKTc8

Assessment
1. Discuss each step of Polya‘s process in problem solving.
1.1. Understand the problem
1.2. Devise a plan
1.3. Carry out the plan
1.4. Check and extend
Use the Practical Worksheet in Appendix A as guide.
2. Prepare at least two (2) simple word problems. Use Polya‘s 4-teps to
come up with the answer.
3. Create a group of 3 members. Present your answers in Problem 2 to the
group for comments and discussions.
4. Explain the 4 aspects of Schoenfeld‘s framework for the analysis of
complex problem-solving behaviour.
References
Carlson, M.P. & Bloom, I. (2005). The cyclic nature of problem solving: An
emergent multidimensional problem-solving framework. Educational
Studies in 58, 47-75.
Halmos, P. (1980). The heart of mathematics. American Mathematical
Monthly, 87(7), 519-524.
Hedberg, J., Wong, K.Y., Ho, K.F., Lioe, L.T., & Tiong, Y.S.J. (2005).
Developing the Repertoire of Heuristics for Mathematical Problem Solving:
First Technical Report for Project CRP38/03 TSK. Singapore: Centre for
Research in Pedagogy and Practice, National Institute of Education,
Nanyang Technological University.
Holton, D., Anderson, J., Thomas, B. & Fletcher, D. (1999). Mathematical
problem solving in support of the classroom? International Journal of
Mathematical Education for Science and Technology, 30(3), 351- 371.
Lester, F.K. (1994). Musings about mathematical problem-solving research:
1970-1974. Journal of Research in Mathematics Education, 25(6), 660-
675.
Mason, J., Burton, L. & Stacey, K. (1985). Thinking Mathematically. London:
Addison-Wesley.
Ministry of Education. (2006). A Guide to Teaching and Learning of O-Level
Mathematics 2007. Singapore: Author.
Ministry of Education New Zealand. (2006). Findings from the New Zealand
Numeracy Development Projects 2005. Wellington: Learning Media
Limited.

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2000). Principles and

Standards for School Mathematics. Reston, VA: Author.
Pólya, G. (1945). How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method.
Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Schoenfeld, A. (1985). Mathematical Problem Solving. Orland, FL: Academic
Press.
Tay, E. G., Quek, K. S., Toh, L., Dong, F., & Ho, F. H. (2007). Mathematical
Problem Solving for Integrated Programme Students: The Practical
Paradigm. Paper presented at the 4th East Asia Regional Conference on
Mathematics Education, Penang, Malaysia.
Toh, T.L., Quek, K.S., & Tay, E.G. (2008). Mathematical problem solving – a
new paradigm. In J. Vincent, R. Pierce, & J. Dowsey (Eds.), Connected
Maths (pp. 356-365). Melbourne: Mathematical Association of Victoria.
Walvoord, B. E., & Anderson, V. J. (1998). Effective Grading: A Tool for
Learning and Assessment. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Woolnough, B., & Allsop, T. (1985). Practical Work in Science. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.

APPENDIX A
PRACTICAL WORKSHEET
PROBLEM
INSTRUCTIONS
•You may proceed to complete the worksheet doing stages I – IV.
•If you wish, you have 15 minutes to solve the problem without explicitly
using Polya‘s model. Do your work in the space for Stage III.
•If you are stuck after 15 minutes, use Polya‘s model and complete all
the stages I – IV.
•If you can solve the problem, you must proceed to do stage IV – Check
and Extend.
I. UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM
(You may have to return to this section a few times. Number each
attempt to understand the problem accordingly as Attempt 1, Attempt 2,
etc.)
(a) Write down your feelings about the problem. Does it bore you?
scare you? challenge you?
(b) Write down the parts you do not understand now or that you
misunderstood in your previous attempt.
(c) Write down your attempt to understand the problem; and state the
heuristics you used.
Attempt 1

II. DEVISE A PLAN
(You may have to return to this section a few times. Number each new
plan accordingly as Plan 1, Plan 2, etc.)
(a) Write down the key concepts that might be involved in solving the
problem.
(b) Do you think you have the required resources to implement the plan?
(c) Write out each plan concisely and clearly.
Plan 1

III. CARRY OUT THE PLAN
(You may have to return to this section a few times. Number each
implementation accordingly as Plan 1, Plan 2, etc., or even Plan 1.1, Plan 1.2,
etc. if there are two or more attempts using Plan 1.)
1. Write down in the Control column, the key points where you make a
decision or observation, for e.g., go back to check, try something else, look
for resources, or totally abandon the plan.
2. Write out each implementation in detail under the Detailed Mathematical
Steps column.
Detailed Mathematical Steps Control
Attempt 1

IV. CHECK AND EXPAND
(a) Write down how you checked your solution.

(b) Write down your level of satisfaction with your solution. Write down a sketch
of any alternative solution(s) that you can think of.
(c) Give one or two adaptations, extensions or generalisations of the problem.
Explain succinctly whether your solution structure will work on them.
APPENDIX B




CHAPTER 4
ASSESSING CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING IN MATHEMATICS WITH

CONCEPT MAPPING
Overview
Mathematics educators and mathematics curriculum worldwide have
emphasised the importance of students‘ ability to construct connections
among mathematics concepts (conceptual understanding) instead of just the
competence to carry out standard procedures in isolated ways. Education
researchers have used different techniques to assess this conceptual
interconnectedness in students‘ minds. In this chapter, we discuss the use of
concept mapping as an assessment tool in mathematics instruction, including
different types of concept mapping tasks, training in concept mapping,
applications in classroom settings, and evaluation of student-constructed
concept maps. Concept mapping can be a worthwhile tool in teachers‘
repertoire of assessment for learning.
Objective
At the end of the chapter, the students can explain comprehensively
the use of concept mapping as an assessment tool in mathematics
instruction.
Pre-discussion
Cognitive psychologists have proposed that knowledge should be
interconnected, and acquiring knowledge with understanding is to make
meaningful connections between facts, concepts, and procedures. In
mathematics, the importance of interconnectedness among mathematical
concepts has been emphasized under the label ―conceptual understanding‖.
For example, Van de Walle, Karp, and Bay-Willams (2010:24) define
conceptual understanding as ―the knowledge about relationships or
foundational ideas of a topic‖, and these relationships are built from
underlying concepts that are meaningful to the students.

The Singapore mathematics syllabus (Ministry of Education,

Singapore, 2006) highlights that students should develop a deep
understanding of mathematical concepts and make sense of various
mathematical ideas, including their connections and applications; that is,
students should see mathematics as an integrated whole instead of isolated
pieces of knowledge. Two principal issues to actualize this curriculum goal are
finding ways to help students make connections among what they have
learned and to assess their conceptual interconnectedness so that the
information can be used by teachers to plan lessons and provide remediation.
Education researchers have experimented with different techniques to assess
conceptual interconnectedness, and this chapter addresses this assessment
issue by focusing on concept mapping.
Lesson 1. Problem Solving and Assessment in the Mathematics

Curriculum
What to Expect?
1. explain concept map and its elements;
2. classify the types of concept mapping tasks;
3. perform the steps in the training of concept mapping;
4. apply concept mapping as an assessment tool; and
5. evaluate student-constructed concept maps.
Concept Map and Concept Mapping

Concept maps are drawings or diagrams used to help students
organize and represent knowledge of a subject. It begins with a main idea or
concept, and then branch out to show how that main idea can be broken
down into specific topics. It is a tool that visualizes relationships between
concepts. Concept map is useful to emphasise complex information on a
large scale.
Concept mapping has gained popular use in science education over
the past three decades, and is now being studied by mathematics educators

(Afamasaga-Fuata‘I, 2009). Figure 1 shows a concept map describing the

relations among seven concepts related to triangles. As this figure indicates, a
concept map consists of three elements: (1) nodes representing concepts,
usually enclosed in ovals or rectangles, (2) links showing connections
between concepts, and (3) linking phrases specifying relationships between
pairs of concepts. The nodes can be mathematical concepts, examples and
non-examples of the concepts, diagrams, symbols, and formulas.
Figure 1. A concept map showing relations among concepts of

triangles
The links are usually directional to show subject-object, pre-post,

cause-effect, top-down hierarchy, or other relationships between the
concepts. The linking phrases can be verbs or adjective phrases. When two
or more nodes are linked, statements are formed, and these statements are
called propositions. For example, in Figure 1, the connection between the
concepts triangle and acute-angled triangle forms the proposition ―triangle,
when it has an acute angle, is an acute-angled triangle‖ (note that this
proposition is only partially correct because ALL the angles of an acute-
angled triangle must be acute). The propositions form the basic units of
meaning in concept maps (Ruiz-Primo, 2004), although simpler concept maps
may not have linking phrases (e.g., Orton, 2004), resulting in loss of
information about the nature of the links.

Why is concept map useful in assessing conceptual understanding?

Research suggests that the degree of a student‘s understanding is
determined by the number, accuracy, and strength of connections (Hiebert
and Carpenter, 1992; Resnick and Ford, 1981). Thus, a concept is well
understood if it has sufficient number of accurate and strong links with other
related concepts. From this perspective, a concept map can provide a visual
representation of the interconnected properties of the concepts held by the
student.
Concept map was first developed by Joseph Novak and his team in the
1970s as a tool to document changes in understanding of a wide range of
scientific concepts held by students as they moved from first grade to twelfth
grade (Novak and Musonda, 1991). It is based on Ausubel‘s (1963)
Assimilation Theory that states that learning takes place by assimilating new
concepts and propositions into existing knowledge framework or cognitive
schema of the learner (Novak and Cañas, 2006). This psychological
foundation justifies the use of concept map as a tool to trace students‘
conceptual changes over time. Over the past three decades, its use as an
assessment technique has been extensively investigated, especially in
science education (Cañas, et al., 2003). In mathematics education,
researchers and educators have also reported positive findings concerning
the use of concept map as an assessment technique at different educational
levels. The following sections will discuss four aspects of this use.
First, several types of concept mapping tasks are explained to show
that different tasks may address different aspects of students‘ conceptual
understanding. Second, training techniques for the mapping tasks are
illustrated with examples to help teachers plan such training when concept
mapping is new to their students. Third, four different classroom applications
of concept maps are discussed with examples, viz. to detect student‘s prior
knowledge, to measure learning outcomes, to track learning progress, and to
serve as a learning strategy. Finally, several methods to evaluate student-
constructed concept maps are given so that the teachers can use the
assessment information to plan meaningful learning; this will align with the
perspective of assessment FOR learning.

Types of Concept Mapping Tasks

Concept mapping tasks can be categorized along a continuum of low
to high degree of directedness according to whether the four components,
namely, concepts, links, linking phrase, and map structure, are fully, partially,
or not provided. In high-directed concept mapping tasks, most of these
components are provided; thus, the tasks are relatively easy for students to
complete, but they are limited in measuring the interconnected properties of
students‘ understanding. In contrast, in low-directed concept mapping tasks,
students have greater freedom to express their understating of a topic using
components that they construct on their own. In this case, the openness of the
tasks is more challenging to the students.
Some examples of commonly used concept mapping tasks from high-
directed to low-directed ones are provided below.
1. High-directed concept mapping tasks: Fill-in-the-map

Fill-in-the-map tasks provide students with several concepts and
require them to fill in a skeleton map with these concepts. Figure 2 shows two
different examples of fill-in-the-map tasks: Fill-in-the-nodes and Fill-in-the-
lines. Distracters may be included to encourage students to think carefully
about which items are relevant to the map. The Fill-in-the-nodes task in Figure
2 is an incomplete concept map with two blank nodes. Four concepts are
provided, two of which are distracters. On the other hand, the Fill-in-the-lines
task has two unlabelled links. Two linking phrases are provided, with no
distracter. The teacher has to decide whether or not to include distracters,
depending on the stage of learning and the students‘ ability. In either case,
students fill in the blanks with what they think are the correct items based on
their understanding.
To design this type of mapping task, teachers either construct a
concept map themselves or use an expert-constructed map (for example,
through working with other teachers or mathematicians). Then remove some
of the concepts or linking phrases from the map and add distracters, if
desired. This type of concept mapping task is easy to administer and to grade,
for example, by counting the number of correctly filled items.

2. Semi-directed concept mapping tasks

When one or two of the above mentioned four components of a
complete concept map is missing and the other remaining components are
fully or partially provided, the concept mapping task is considered to be semi-
directed. Compared with the high-directed concept mapping tasks, the semi-
directed mapping tasks require more efforts to complete.
In the semi-directed concept mapping task shown in Figure 3, only
concepts and linking phrases are provided. Students need to construct a
concept map including all the given concepts but only the relevant linking
phrases. An example of a possible concept map is also shown.

A variation of a semi-directed concept mapping task, illustrated in

Mansfield and Happs (1991), is to provide students with a partial list of
concepts of a particular topic, say, quadrilaterals. The most inclusive concept,
in this case, quadrilateral, is placed at the top of the map, with the other less
inclusive concepts, such as rectangle and rhombus, at lower levels, thereby
requiring students to consider hierarchy among the concepts. Empty boxes
are provided for students to fill in the concepts and linking phrases.
3. Low-directed concept mapping tasks: Free-style mapping

Low-directed concept mapping tasks, also called free-style mapping,
require students to fully construct the maps based on the mapping topic or a
list of given concepts. They are free to express ideas in their own ways
covering the four components of a concept map. When only a mapping topic
is given, students need to first identify some concepts relevant to the topic
and then construct the map accordingly. For most school students, a concept
list is usually given because they may have difficulty in selecting the
appropriate concepts. Some of them may provide concepts that are
somewhat related but not relevant or essential to the topic (Jin, 2007). For
example, they may include the concept Mathematics within the topic of
Functions: ―functions are very important for the learning of mathematics‖. This

kind of propositions does not directly address students‘ understanding about

functions, and irrelevant concepts may even distract students from
constructing meaningful maps. A given concept list will help them focus on a
certain knowledge domain; at the same time, the task can allow students to
include additional concepts that they think are relevant to the given ones.
The concept map in Figure 4 by a Singapore Secondary 3 student is an
example of a low-directed concept mapping task with a given list of concepts
about quadrilaterals. The student had used all the concepts provided without
adding new ones. The map was well constructed, with the most general
concept polygon located at the top, followed by less inclusive concepts
quadrilateral, parallelogram, and similar shapes at the middle levels, and the
least inclusive concept diagonals at the bottom.
Figure. An example of low-directed concept mapping task about

quadrilaterals
Teachers may begin with high-directed mapping tasks and then move
to low-directed ones. This is because the high-directed mapping tasks are
relatively easy for students to complete. Furthermore, starting with easier
tasks allows time for both teachers and students to become familiar with the

purposes and construction of concept maps before they tackle the more
challenging low-directed tasks.
Training on Concept Mapping

Where concept map has not been extensively used in mathematics
lessons, it is necessary to train students on the techniques of constructing
informative concept maps. High-directed and semi-directed mapping tasks
are, however, quite straightforward and do not require extensive training.
Thus, this section will focus on training in free-style mapping tasks where a list
of concepts is given. This is also most commonly used by researchers and
widely reported in the literature.
The following procedures have been developed based on the literature
and pilot studies conducted in Singapore and China (Jin and Wong, 2010).
1. Introduction: Teachers first provide students with a preliminary idea of
what a concept map is, what it is used for, and what its attributes are, i.e.,
nodes, arrowed links, and linking phrases.
2. Demonstrate with Examples: Teachers begin with an example with
four or five concepts that students have already learned. First, read aloud
the concepts and help students to recall their meanings. Second, write the
concepts onto separate cards so that they can be easily moved around to
explore various connections that make sense. Concepts that are most
closely related are arranged near to one another. Third, once the intended
connections have been decided upon, identify the relations between each
pair of concepts and draw directed lines between them. Fourth, write on
each line the relationships identified so that propositions can be formed.
Finally, go back and check to see if any concept or relationship has been
left out; redraw the map if necessary.
3. Student Practice: Provide students with a different set of concepts for
practice and remind them to pay attention to the following:
a. All the given concepts should be included in the map.
b. In arranging the concepts, make sure enough space is left for
adding linking phrases.
c. The lines should be directed (with arrow) so that the
relationships are clear.

d. All the lines should be labeled with linking phrases.

e. The entire map should be clear and legible.
4. Consolidation: After some practice, students should have mastered
the basic skills of concept mapping. Teachers should further encourage
students to include additional relevant concepts into their concept maps, to
construct as many relationships as they can between the concepts, and to
describe the relationships using informative, detailed linking phrases. As
the concept map is used as a graphical representation of students‘
conceptual understanding, they should show as much of their knowledge
as possible in their map so that it is rich enough to capture the essential
attributes of their conceptual understanding. With this the teachers can
obtain a better idea about what the students have already grasped and
which contents they are still weak in.
Some researchers emphasize the hierarchical nature of concept maps

because of Ausubel‘s learning theory that more general, superordinate
concepts should subsume more specific, detailed concepts. In mathematics,
in light of Skemp‘s (1986) Schema Theory, a concept map that shows the
hierarchy of the concepts is a more comprehensive representation of the
interrelatedness among mathematical concepts. However, strict requirement
on hierarchy may distract students from constructing meaningful connections,
which is the main concern of most mapping tasks at the school level. Besides,
some school students might have difficulty distinguishing or expressing the
hierarchy of abstract mathematical concepts. Thus, for primary or secondary
school students, it is appropriate to encourage rather than require them to
construct concept maps with strong hierarchy.
Classroom Applications of Concept Map

This section covers four different but related applications of concept
map in classroom teaching and assessment.
1. Using concept map to detect students’ prior knowledge

The prior knowledge that students bring to their learning experience

affects how they encode and later retrieve newly learned information. Concept
map has been used to find out about this prior knowledge so that more
effective lessons and materials can be prepared to link prior knowledge to
new learning.
For example, before teaching ―addition of two unlike fractions‖,
teachers need to know what their students have mastered about prior
concepts such as like fractions, unlike fractions, equivalent fractions, and so
on. They may design one type of mapping task to do so. Take the case of a
low-directed concept mapping task. The teacher can ask students to construct
concept maps using a list of concepts as given or selected by the students.
Figure 5 shows two student-constructed concept maps with the above three
concepts about fractions. Student A has displayed clearly the correct
relationships among the three concepts and included relevant numerical
examples. By contrast, Student B has not mentioned substantial relationships
among the concepts; the only relationship ―unlike fractions are different from
like fractions‖ is very brief and general. Furthermore, the example for like
fractions is wrong, equating the numerators rather than the denominators.
Thus, Student B will have difficulty learning the new topic on unlike fractions,
and some remediation is necessary.

Figure 5. Two examples of student-constructed concept maps with

given concepts
2. Using concept map to evaluate learning outcomes

Concept mapping tasks can be assigned to students to assess their
understanding of newly-taught concepts. To avoid compounding conceptual
mapping with the new learning, it is better to begin with semi-directed concept
mapping tasks. Figure 6 is an example measuring students‘ understanding
after learning numbers, modelled after Mansfield and Happs (1991). In this
task, some related concepts are given in boxes while others are omitted, with
the boxes left blank for students to fill in. The omitted concepts are provided
on the right-hand side, together with some distracters. The hierarchical
positions of the concepts are fixed as given. To some extent, these positions
give hints to the appropriate concepts for the blank boxes. For example, those
who know the relationship between composite number and prime number can
deduce that the blank box next to composite numbers should be prime
numbers. In addition to the blank boxes, spaces are provided for students to
add linking lines and labels in their own words.

With the given concepts, either in the boxes or in the list, and the fixed
hierarchical positions of the concepts, this task focuses students‘ attention on
a particular domain. Thus, teachers have more control over what they are
testing. This task can be converted to the low-directed type, for example, by
providing only the mapping topic numbers or offering a list of concepts related
to numbers. As mentioned in the earlier section, this new task is more
challenging for students to complete and teachers to grade; yet, its openness
allows students to have greater freedom to express their understanding, thus,
giving more valuable information to the teachers.
3. Using concept map to track students’ progress in learning
Concept map has been used to track the changes in a student‘s

cognitive structure and its increasing complexity as he or she integrates new
knowledge into existing cognitive structure. For example, Mansfield and
Happs (1991) reported their use of concept map as an expedient evaluation
tool in a study of parallel lines among a group of 12-year old students. In their
study, the same concept list consisting of eleven concepts was provided in the
pre- and post- concept mapping tests before and after instruction of parallel
lines. They cited the concept maps drawn by the student, Bruce: he used only

five concepts in the pre-concept map but seven, adding one new concept, in
the post-concept map. Furthermore, the propositions in the post-concept map
were more informative, for example, revealing a misconception not found in
the pre-concept map. Although the two maps were well-constructed, the
omission of some given concepts suggests that further teaching of these
concepts is required for that student. Thus, comparing concept maps
constructed before and after instruction can help teachers determine how
much progress their students have made and how effective the instruction has
been. With the information drawn from the comparison, teachers can then
adjust their plans for future lessons.
4. Constructing concept maps as a learning strategy

Concept mapping has been widely promoted as a learning strategy to
help students elaborate on their learning and thereby to develop deep
conceptual understanding. This popular application extends concept mapping
beyond its use as a formative or summative assessment tool.
Concept map can serve as a scaffold for students to organize their own
knowledge. At the end of a unit of instruction, a high-directed concept
mapping task can help students clarify the nature and number of connections
among newly learned concepts. A low-directed concept mapping task will
encourage them to reflect on the possible relationships among the concepts
and represent these relationships in a pictorial way. They may even see links
that they are not initially aware of (De Simone, 2007), thereby developing
deeper understanding about the concepts. They can modify these maps as
learning progresses. This constructive activity can be more effective when
students work together in groups to discuss their ideas and combine their
knowledge in order to learn and construct new knowledge (Gao, Shen, Losh
and Turner, 2007). This group activity will also provide opportunity for groups
to compare their conceptual structure with other groups and this will inspire
further learning. In recent years, with the support of concept mapping software
such as CmapTools (Novak, 1998) and SmartDraw
(http://www.smartdraw.com), students can now build and discuss their
concept maps at distant locations and flexible times.

Several studies (e.g., Kankkunen, 2001; Mohamed, 1993) have

reported students‘ positive attitudes toward using concept map in science. In
mathematics, we conducted a study with a class of Grade 8 Chinese students
(N = 48) in 2009. The students‘ attitudes toward concept map were collected
through a questionnaire and interviews after their one month‘s experience
with concept mapping. Most of them agreed that concept mapping was useful
in learning mathematics. They expressed moderate to high levels of
enjoyment of concept mapping even though, at the same time, some of them
admitted that concept mapping was challenging and required hard thinking.
These findings are encouraging for teachers who wish to explore this
technique in their mathematics lessons.
Assessment of Student-Constructed Concept Maps

Concept maps can be assessed in a holistic, qualitative way based on
expert or teacher impressions or scored using specific criteria. These
methods should result in meaningful grades or scores so that judgement
about the quality of students‘ conceptual understanding can be made from
concept maps.
The following sections describe several quantitative methods to score
concept maps by examining the links between individual concepts and the
quality of the whole map. These scores can be used to assess students‘
performance on the given concept mapping task. It is not necessary to use all
the methods below for classroom assessment; however, some of these
methods may be used in action research.
1. Links between concepts

As defined in the introduction section, a concept map is a directed
network. The number of links, including incoming and outgoing ones,
connected to an individual concept reflects the extent to which that concept
connects to all the other concepts in the network, with higher number of links
showing that it has stronger connections with other concepts in the domain.
This will reflect the students‘ conceptual understanding of that concept. In the
extreme case, an isolated concept with no incoming and outgoing link
suggests that the person is not familiar with the concept, cannot recall the

link, or has simply forgotten to construct connections with it (which can

happen under timed test conditions). For missing links, the teachers may
need to interview the students to find out the reasons behind their lack of
conceptual connections about the concepts.
Tables 1 and 2 show the number of links to the concepts (excluding
examples) found in the respective maps in Figure 5. Both maps have included
all the three given concepts. Each concept in Student A‘s map has more links
compared to the same concept in Student B‘s map. If the links are also
mathematically correct, then Student A has a better understanding of the
fraction concepts than Student B.
In addition to the number of links for each concept, it is also informative

to examine the connections between pairs of concepts, in order to find out, for
examples, how close or far apart are the two concepts (called the distance),
how strong is the connection in terms of the number of direct and indirect
paths between them (called the connectedness), and the quality of the
propositions. The distance and connectedness measures indicate how easy
or difficult it is for the students to access the respective pair of concepts in
their cognitive structure. Knowing which pairs of concepts are cognitively ―far
apart‖ or ―weak‖ in their students‘ conceptual understanding will alert the
teachers to plan more focussed activities that can strengthen these particular

links. These quantitative measures are related to various indicators used in

social network analysis (Degenne and Forsé, 1999).
The distance between two concepts I and J is defined based on the
length of the shortest path that connects them in the direction from I to J.
When there is a direct link from I to J without any in-between concept, their
distance D(I, J) = 1; when I and J are not connected, either directly or
indirectly, their distance is defined as zero. Hence, it is possible to have D(I, J)
= 1 and D(J, I) = 0. When there is an indirect link from I to J, their distance
equals to the number of in-between concepts in the shortest path plus one.
For any two connected concepts, the larger their distance, the further apart
they are, and the harder for the students to connect them in their thinking. For
the two maps in Figure 5, the distance matrices are given in Tables 3 and 4
respectively. For these simple maps, all the connections between pairs of
concepts are direct ones (D = 1). It is also evident that Student A has
constructed more links than Student B.
The connectedness between any two concepts counts the number of

different paths between them. Referring to Student A‘s map in Figure 5, the
connectedness from equivalent fractions to like fractions is 2 since there are
two paths, one direct (equivalent fractions to like fractions) and one indirect
(equivalent fractions unlike fractions like fractions); the connectedness of the
same pair of concepts in Student B‘s map is 0, since there is no path between

them. Pairs of concepts with large connectedness are quite robust; when one
connection is broken, these concepts still have high chances of being linked
together. Tables 5 and Table 6 show the corresponding connectedness
matrices for the maps in Figure 5. The pairs of concepts in Student A‘s map
have stronger or more robust relationships than those in Student B‘s map.
The third measure of the relationship between each pair of concepts is

the quality of the proposition indicated by the linking phrase between them. A
simplified scoring scheme is as follows:
(1) when a proposition has no linking phrase or indicates misconception,
score 0;
(2) when a proposition indicates a relationship between the connected
concepts but with partially correct or incomplete linking phrases, score 1;
(3) when a proposition indicates a correct and meaningful relationship
between the connected concepts, score 2.
This scheme is illustrated in Figure 7 below. Proposition (A) indicates a

misconception of the relationship between square and parallelogram; thus, it
is scored 0. Proposition (B) correctly indicates the relationship that ―square is
a parallelogram‖; however, the linking phrase is very brief and gives no further
information about how or why a square is a parallelogram. Compared to
proposition (B), the proposition (C) is more detailed as it gives a complete

description of a square in relation to parallelogram. To apply the scoring

scheme, teachers should decide how much their students are expected to
master the relationship between two concepts at their stage of learning. If the
students‘ propositions have met the expectation, then score 2; if the
expectation is only partially met, score 1. With this in mind, a teacher may
score proposition (B) 1 or 2 according to his/her expectation. For formative
assessment, pay attention to the actual propositions, in addition to the scores,
in order to identify students‘ good understanding as well as misconceptions.
(a) (b) (c)

Figure 7. Examples for scoring of propositions
The usefulness of the distance, connectedness, and quality of

proposition scores becomes apparent for more complex concept maps. These
scores allow more objective comparison between student-constructed
concept maps.
2. Nature of the whole map

Student-constructed concept maps can be compared at the whole map
level. The notion of density and the sum of all separate proposition scores can
be used to indicate the holistic properties of a concept map.
The density refers to the ratio of the total number of links to the total
number of concepts in a concept map. This provides information about how
compact the concepts are tied together within a particular group in the map.
There is no expected value of what the density of a concept map could
reasonably be, but compact maps are likely to have strongly intertwined
associations in the person‘s cognitive structure. For example, the densities of
the concept maps in Figure 5 are respectively, excluding

examples and the links to examples. This suggests that Student A‘s map is
more compact than Student B‘s. Nevertheless, a higher density does not
necessarily indicate better quality of a map since students may simply draw
links without considering whether the links are substantial (meaningful) or
trivial. The scoring of propositions helps to show this differentiation. Hence,
the sum of all separate proposition scores is the second measure of the
quality of the whole map. For example, in Figure 5, Student A‘s map obtained
2 + 2 + 2 = 6 points as an overall proposition score since all the three
propositions in the map are substantial ones; while Student B‘s map obtained
1 point since there was only one partially correct proposition between the
three given concepts. In general, high proposition sums are associated with
competent students who can provide many valid content-based propositions,
whereas low sums are associated with weak students who do not provide
many meaningful propositions.
Meaningful comparisons between concept maps can be made only if
they cover the same given concepts. This is because some concepts are less
compact than other concepts. As a consequence, a concept map constructed
with such concepts will have fewer expected connections and therefore lower
density and proposition scores. A different approach is to compare student-
constructed concept maps against a criterion (or expert) map. The criterion
map can be constructed by one or more teachers by taking into consideration
the learning objectives. Any gaps between student maps and the criterion
map (for examples, isolated concepts in student maps) and student
misconceptions will highlight where further teaching is to be focussed on.
Some students may achieve higher scores than the criterion map if they have
constructed ―insightful‖ connections that the teachers have not thought about;
indeed, this shows that teachers may learn from their students.
Summary
This chapter has described three different types of concept mapping
tasks that can be used as alternative assessment to supplement traditional
paper-and-pencil tests, with concept maps highlighting the degree of
conceptual understanding while traditional tests covering standard skills and
problem solving. Of these three types, student-constructed concept map is

particularly suited to measure individual conceptual understanding of a set of

concepts. By asking students to explicitly consider how and why concepts are
linked, teachers can detect students‘ progress and gaps in understanding and
then adjust their instruction accordingly. At the same time, the concept
mapping tasks provide students important learning opportunity to reflect on
what they have learned and help them see links that they may have missed.
Training students to construct their own concept maps and interpreting
these maps are likely to be time-consuming. Some efforts may be saved by
using simple scoring as explained above. Even so, it is not ―economical‖ in
terms of curriculum time to use concept maps for assessment purposes only.
The studies on concept maps in mathematics have provided strong evidence
of the advantages of using concept mapping as a teaching and learning tool,
including letting students construct group concept maps. Once concept map
has been used for instruction or learning, the burden of training for
assessment will be reduced as students will have become familiar with
features of concept maps that will be assessed. Hopefully, the students will
also be receptive to the idea of using concept mapping as part of standard
assessment. This will change concept mapping from assessment OF learning
to assessment AS learning.
In summary, concept mapping is an assessment technique that can be
applied at various stages of learning. The increasing number of studies in
recent years on the uses of concept map in mathematics and other subjects
suggests that students can benefit from concept mapping. Its effects on
learning are also well-documented. Thus, it is worthwhile for teachers to
develop their skills in using this assessment technique and to explore its use
in their mathematics lessons to meet the curricular goals of promoting
conceptual understanding in mathematics.
Enrichment
1. For better appreciation of concept map in mathematics, you can watch
relevant videos through these links:
1.1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XGQGhli0I0
1.2. https://youtu.be/J-OSjRMxt1Q
1.3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj9-B7f0Jrw

1.4. https://youtu.be/C98YgAzpleQ
2. Read the following articles on use of concept maps in Mathematics
teaching:
2.1. http://elib.mi.sanu.ac.rs/files/journals/vm/57/vmn57p6-8.pdf
2.2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325386687_CONCEPT_
MAPS_IN_MATHEMATICS_TEACHING_LEARNING_AND_KNOW
LEDGE_ASSESSMENT
Assessment
1. Given below is a concept map on Linear Equations.
Make a written explanation of the diagram in paragraph form.

2. Construct a simple concept map. Choose a specific content from the
DepEd Curriculum Guide in mathematics. You may use any of the
templates below.
1.1. https://www.readingrockets.org/content/pdfs/conceptmap1.pdf
3. With your answers in Question 2, present and discuss with your 2 or 3
classmates particularly the elements and the type of task that were used
so you can review and enhance them when necessary.

4. Assess yourself on the following competencies:

Learning Targets Mastered Not
mastered
1. I can explain a concept map
2. I can relate how concept mapping can be used
to assess learning in mathematics
3. I can discuss the elements of concept map
4. I can describe each type of concept mapping
tasks
5. I can enumerate the steps in concept mapping
6. I can train others in using concept map
7. I can apply concept map in mathematics
assessment
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Schau, C., & Mattern, N. (1997). Use of map techniques in teaching statistics
courses. The American Statistician, 51(2), 171-175.
Skemp, R. R. (1986). The Psychology of Learning Mathematics (2nd ed.).
Middlesex, England: Penguin Books.

CHAPTER 5
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT IN THE MATHEMATICS CLASSROOM
Overview
Assessment is an integral part of the teaching and learning process. It
is also regarded as dynamic. Educational researchers and teachers have
suggested and practiced a wide range of alternative ways of assessing pupils‘
learning to prevail over the shortfalls of the traditional paper-and-pencil test
since the mid-1980s. In the last ten years, alternative assessment has also
gained increasing attention from educational policy makers, administrators,
researchers, and teachers, particularly since the early 2000s. In Singapore,
the PERI report indicates that there is a need to ―shift assessment practices
away from an over-emphasis on assessment of learning as an end-outcome,
especially at the lower primary levels and shape mind sets to view
assessment as an integral part of ongoing processes to support learning‖
(MOE, 2009, p. 30).
Mathematics teachers frequently hear concerns about implementing
new assessment practices in the classrooms. Anecdotal evidence suggests
mathematics teachers understand the value of alternative assessment in
assessing some instructional objectives more validly than the traditional
mathematics test but this information may or may not be translated well into
classroom practices. Basic education teachers in mathematics may not feel
confident about designing, implementing or judging pupils‘ work on alternative
assessment tasks. There is a need to equip them with a set of newer
alternative assessment practices to be integrated into their classroom
instruction. This need is congruent with the PERI recommendations about
assessments in that teachers must be aware of a range of pupils‘ ability and
learning styles; be fair to all pupils and free from bias; as well as delineate and
communicate assessment standards to pupils and parents.
The main purpose of this chapter focuses on implementing these
principles in pragmatic ways. An important priority of the discussion is that the
recommended alternative assessment practices should involve minimal
disruption to the teaching process and not impose additional workload on

mathematics teachers. Rather, they are urged to be more judicious and

watchful in their assessment practices. The ultimate purpose of classroom
assessment is thus to facilitate and promote learning in the classroom. This
chapter is divided into three sections. In the first section, a relatively broad
view of assessment practices in mathematics classrooms is provided. In the
second section, discussion is on the four different alternative assessment
practices that could be implemented in mathematics classroom. The chapter
ends with a summary or few concluding remarks.
Objective
At the end of the chapter, the students are expected to recognize the
different alternative assessment practices that could probably be implemented
in mathematics classrooms.
Lesson 1. Using Alternative Assessment in Mathematics Classroom
Pre-discussion
Educational and assessment policies come and go but the main aim of
assessment will continue to inform teaching and learning. Assessment is
expected to be among the most contentious issues in the mathematics
classroom. Everyone has a view about assessment. It may mean different
things to different educators and researchers. When educators and
researchers respond to changes in assessment policy, they could be
responding to a different facet of assessment. Over the last five years in
Singapore, the mathematics curriculum was revised to place emphasis on
reasoning, communications and connections; applications and modelling in
addition to heuristics and thinking skills as processes that encompass the
mathematics curriculum.
As a result of this revision, there is a need to examine the instructional
approach, the types of problems used and assessment approach in the
primary mathematics classroom. The Ministry of Education (MOE) in
Singapore announced in July 2010 that by year 2013, there will be no formal
examinations for all primary one pupils (Davie, 2010). Instead of taking formal
examinations, they will go through ―bite-size formal assessment‖. These bite-

sized assessments inform the pupil, teacher and parents about the pupil‘s
areas of strength and areas to work on in his or her overall development. In
other words, assessment will be continual, rather than limited to the mid-year
and year-end examinations. With all these changes in the lower primary
mathematics classroom, teachers must use assessment tools such as rubrics
to assess and provide pupils with richer feedback on their development in
both academic and non-academic areas (MOE, 2009). This is aligned with the
established statement on the concept of assessment in mathematics that was
given in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
Assessment Standards for School Mathematics, which defined assessment
as ―the process of gathering evidence about a student‘s knowledge of, ability
to use, and disposition toward mathematics and of making inferences from
that evidence for a variety of purposes‖ (NCTM, 1995). This strong sense of
assessment informing instructional practice is also evident in Singapore‘s
Primary Education Review and Implementation (PERI) report (MOE, 2009).
One of the PERI recommendations is to balance the acquisition of knowledge
with the development of skills and values through increased use of engaging
pedagogies, more holistic assessment to support pupils‘ learning and
development, and a stronger emphasis on non-academic aspects within the
curriculum (Fu, 2010). Singapore schools are encouraged to explore
alternative and more holistic forms of assessment at the lower primary levels
to support greater balance between knowledge, skills and values acquisition.
What to Expect?
At the end of the lesson, the pre-service teachers can:
1. articulate the need for alternative assessment in mathematics
classroom;
2. realize the limitations of traditional assessment tools;
3. identify some alternative assessment practices in mathematics
classrooms; and
4. apply these alternative assessment tools during their internship.

Alternative Assessment
Usually, the traditional form of assessment is used in all levels of
education, that is, in elementary, secondary and even in higher education.
This type of assessment often fails to assess deeper forms of learning.
Carefully designed assessments, on the other hand, not only evaluate what
students have learned, but can motivate students in their approach to
learning, helping them develop thinking and problem-solving skills, and
allowing them to assess their own understanding of the course content.
This is where alternative assessment or authentic assessment comes
in. Authentic or alternative assessments, meaning an alternative to standard
tests and exams, provide a true evaluation of what the student has learned,
going beyond acquired knowledge to focus on what the student has actually
learned by looking at their application of this knowledge. Alternative forms of
assessment can allow you to see what student can and cannot do, versus
what they do and do not know. They tend to evaluate applied proficiency
rather than measuring knowledge, allowing for problem solving and reflection,
rather than merely providing facts as answers to specific questions.
Authentic or alternative assignments typically require students to make
a judgement about what information and skills they will need to solve a given
problem. They ask students to answer essential questions in the discipline by
using knowledge in similar ways to professionals in the field. They can often
be characterized as real-world situations with accompanying real-world
constraints. Alternative or authentic assignments should involve written and
performative measures so that students can develop meaningful and
applicable skills, and advance their knowledge of the ―how‖ over that of the
―what.‖ These types of assignments are also meant to help develop
disciplinary behaviors in students, making new connections between existing
skills (Rousseau, 2018).
Assessment Practices in Mathematics Classroom

As assessment is a critical part of the teaching and learning process in
classrooms, mathematics teachers need to keep abreast of new
developments in assessment and be equipped with the necessary knowledge
and skills in implementing various assessment practices. Traditionally,

mathematics teachers have relied on paper-and-pencil tests to assess pupils‘

mathematics learning. Many of the mathematical items that teachers ask
pupils to solve enable them to reproduce memorised procedures without
thinking about why the processes work and what the answer means. The
author recalls a test that a teacher gave to his grade two pupils to add the first
twenty numbers 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +…+ 20. Most mathematics teachers would
administer similar test: first, pupils are asked to find the sum by adding up all
the numbers in both horizontal and vertical formats, then by making 10 pairs
of 21, and finally by any method that pupils wish. After this teacher had
attended a workshop on open-ended problems, he added to his test the
problem ―List two sets of twenty numbers that have a sum of 210‖. Most pupils
who were able to solve nearly all the standard addition problems correctly
were unsuccessful on the new open-ended problem. This suggests that these
pupils had only achieved instrumental understanding of solving addition
problem. They had memorised procedures that allowed them to produce
correct answers, but they were not able to show relational understanding of
what the sum of a set of numbers really meant. It is apparent the first test
focuses on static, discrete pieces of knowledge, often memorised but neither
contextualized nor applied.
The traditional mathematics test possibly does not provide a
comprehensive measure of pupils‘ ability. Traditional assessment techniques
also make it difficult to develop inferences about pupils‘ learning that may be
helpful in designing new approaches to improve pupils‘ learning. Webb (1992)
claims that tests are important quantitative assessment tools, but they do not
constitute the totality of assessment. Thus in this age of accountability,
teachers need more varied information about their pupils' mathematical
understanding and competence. One of the most important practices is for
teachers to use effective classroom assessments that measure what pupils
are learning and how they are learning it. Subsequently, teachers are
expected to use the assessment information to plan and adjust instructional
processes. In other words, classroom assessments should be integrated with
the instructional process for mathematics teachers to understand and
strengthen pupils‘ learning. These are the key principles of assessment FOR
learning or formative assessment as encouraged by many assessment

experts. Assessment FOR learning is a process by which assessment

information is used and interpreted by teachers to adjust their teaching
strategies for improvement in subsequent learning and teaching. Assessment
OF learning, commonly associated with national and school semester
examination, is assessment which gathers evidence for summative judgement
of pupils‘ performance.
It seems that support for, and understanding of, new assessment
practices by teachers is inconsistent because of the lack of a well-defined set
of assessment artifacts or practices that are readily transferrable across
classroom, school and country contexts (Bennett, 2010; Maxwell, 2004). For
example, even though there is strong belief and commitment by many
teachers to implement formative assessment practices, they have found the
implementation of such practices to be challenging. A major concern raised by
teachers about the use of formative assessment methods relates to their
perceived subjectivity. Just as assessment impacts pupils‘ learning and
motivation, it also affects the nature of instruction in the classroom. There has
been extensive recent literature which supports assessment as something to
be integrated into the teaching process and not an activity that merely audits
learning (Shepard, 2000). When assessment is integrated with instruction, it
informs teachers about what activities and assignments will be most useful,
what level of teaching is most appropriate, and how formative assessments
provide diagnostic information. For instance, during instructional activities,
teachers use formative assessment to know when to move on, when to ask
more questions, when to give more examples, and what responses to pupils‘
questions are most appropriate.
Alternative assessment practices provide a more comprehensive
picture of the pupil and provide more authentic information than traditional
assessment practices which provide limited information about pupils‘
understanding. In addition, alternative assessment may be appropriate for the
assessment of non-academic domains because some of these domains
cannot be assessed using pencil-and-paper tests. There are two related
reasons for implementing alternative assessment in classroom practice. The
first is that alternative assessment reveals at a very concrete level what the
curricular objectives are. A second reason is alternative assessment offers

teachers examples of how they can activate their pupils‘ thinking and learning.
Other terms used for alternative assessment are: performance assessment,
practical assessment, or authentic assessment. Possible alternative
assessment practices include practical tests, oral presentations, journal
writing and open-ended tasks. One common aspect of these methods of
assessment is that they represent ―alternatives‖ to the more traditional paper-
and-pencil test formats found in so many classrooms.
An important focus of alternative assessment is feedback and not the
alternative assessment method used per se. It is possible to conduct
alternative modes of assessment in classroom but if we do not provide
feedback for learning, we only deceive ourselves that we are doing
assessment FOR learning when we are indeed doing assessment OF
learning. The fundamental issue here is not the method – it is about providing
feedback for follow-up actions.
In view of this, there needs to be alignment of curriculum, teaching and
assessment in order to address essential learning that needs to occur during
meaningful classroom instruction and to address pupils‘ outcomes in a more
comprehensive way. Second, there is a need to audit assessment practices
for balance. The key word here is ―balance‖; neither excess nor neglect. The
practice is not about having semester examinations or not having semester
examinations – rather it is a search for a balance of the two types of
assessment. There is also a need to build mathematics teachers‘ capacity to
implement alternative assessment practices because such innovation is
relatively new to many mathematics teachers who may not have received
adequate formal assessment training in their pre-service teacher education
programmes. Thus to make alternative assessment successful at the lower
primary level, it is crucial that training is provided for lower primary
mathematics teachers to realise that alternative assessment practices serve
different but potentially valuable purposes.
Suggested Alternative Assessment Practices
Although paper-and-pencil mathematics tests may be used for specific

purposes, there is a need to explore alternative assessment practices to

assess other learning outcomes. The alternative assessment practices

proposed in this chapter include those suggested in the Ministry of Education
of Singapore assessment guidelines for instruction at the primary school
levels as well as recommendations from research in mathematics education.
Among others, lower primary mathematics school teachers should
consider implementing the following alternative assessment practices in their
instructional process: practical tests, oral presentation, journal writing, and
open-ended tasks. All these alternative assessment practices, which can be
easily implemented in the lower primary mathematics classrooms, are
described below.
1. Practical tests
The advantages of practical tests include the provisions of short-term
learning goals, enhanced motivation as well as instant and explicit feedback
(Clarke, 1992). In practical tasks pupils are expected to use manipulatives,
materials and instruments to deduce mathematical principles. A practical test
is also an effective assessment tool and has a high degree of assessment
validity as the skills are assessed in practice in the manner in which they have
been learnt through the use of hands-on experiences. The use of everyday
manipulatives, such as money, matchsticks, crayons, cubes and beads, give
pupils a realistic view of the things around them since these assist pupils to
better understand the context of the question. This would encourage pupils to
be more aware of their surroundings and to observe everything as an
opportunity for learning. It reminds pupils that mathematics is related to our
daily life as they have to handle real objects such as weighing scales and
measuring cups. Pupils are required to show the processes involved in
working out the test items using the appropriate manipulative. These
processes enable a fair assessment of pupils‘ understanding and therefore
allow pupils to gain good learning experience through these hands-on
activities.
Many topics in the lower primary mathematics curriculum lend
themselves to practical tests, for example, Ordinal Numbers, Patterns,
Length, Mass, Volume and Shapes. For primary one pupils who are new to
the school system, practical tests would ease them into a more structured

learning environment. This can be conducted by using manipulatives to

engage pupils, assessment checklists to monitor their progress, and bite-
sized practical tests to assess their understanding. As practical tests will be
the initial experience for lower primary school pupils, it will be appropriate to
focus on closed items. They can be assessed through closed items like:
measuring and comparing the lengths and masses of two or more objects in
non-standard units. Practical test items, such as using a kitchen scale to
determine the mass of an item or using a ruler to measure length, require
pupils to demonstrate that they have mastered estimation and measuring
skills using mathematical tools. Other skills that the pupils might develop
include observing and describing, looking for regularities, explaining and
predicting measurements. More examples of practical test items include:
1. Putting objects on the balance to find out which object is heavier than
the tube of glue.
2. Using paper clips to measure the length of the mathematics textbook
on the table.
3. Using the measuring tape to measure the length, breadth and height of
the box on the table.
4. Providing three bags of marbles, A, B and C and kitchen scale to find
out the mass of the bags. Pupils arrange the bags in order of mass,
starting from the lightest to the heaviest.
5. Providing two containers, A and B, filled with water to compare volume
by pouring the water into the two beakers to find out which container
holds more water.
Such practical tests can be administered in a circuit format, in which

pupils take turns in visiting stations, carry out the investigation, and record
their answers on a worksheet. Mathematics teachers need to be aware that a
lot of time is needed to prepare the materials and to set up the stations.
Alternatively, pupils can be assessed individually using the same format as
the English oral examination where pupils are assessed individually outside
the classroom. This one-to-one format enables the mathematics teacher to
cater to each pupil‘s need. Pupils are not rushed and are given ample time to
use the manipulatives to obtain their answers. However, we need to be

vigilant when implementing practical tests for young children. For example,
testing conditions need to be well-controlled because unreliable
measurements will indicate incorrect differences between pupils and between
classes. We need to be mindful that such small changes in materials,
manipulatives and measuring instruments might destroy the reliability of a
measurement. Nevertheless, by gaining experience using practical tests,
teachers can gather more reliable data.
2. Oral presentations
Oral presentations enable pupils to give solutions verbally and the
process of interaction between a teacher and pupils facilitates sharing of
thoughts and clarification of understanding. One of the important aims of oral
presentations in mathematics classroom is to create an opportunity for the
teacher to listen to what the pupils are saying about their thinking about
mathematics, how they communicate mathematically and their understanding
of mathematics using their own words. In addition, according to the
Communication Standard for Grades 6-8, ―teachers using oral presentation
tasks must provide opportunity for pupils to think through questions and
problems; express their ideas; demonstrate and explain what they have
learnt; justify their opinions; and reflect on their understanding and on the
ideas of others‖ (NCTM, 2000). There are two main benefits of using oral
presentations. First, the teachers can gather information about their pupils‘
learning of mathematics and use this information to direct instructional
process. The pupils‘ can develop communication skills. Teachers need to be
aware that opportunity for pupils to be involved in active and meaningful
verbal communication is a critical process for their learning and knowledge
acquisition (Fan and Yeo, 2007).
They also need to give pupils necessary guidance including clarity of
expectations, especially at the early stage, and in particular, create an
encouraging classroom environment for pupils to engage themselves in such
communication. As lower primary school pupils are still young, it is necessary
to structure the oral presentation tasks so that the pupils and teachers are
engaged.
Examples of oral presentation tasks include:

1. Pupils‘ previous writing tasks on their learning reflection or perceptions.

2. Pupils‘ solutions to non-routine problems.
3. Pupils‘ previous writing tasks about learning of mathematical concepts.
4. A chosen idea that is pre-agreed before discussion.
5. To share their problem-solving behaviours.
6. To share results or findings of a learning journey through mathematics
trial.
7. To present pair or group work activity.
Pupils should be given the chance to communicate their thinking to

other pupils in about two to three minutes. With young children, it is necessary
to encourage them to explain and clarify their thinking verbally.
3. Journal writing
Journal writing offers pupils opportunities to reflect on their learning by
writing about their thoughts and feelings about the mathematics they are
learning. Pupils keep reflective accounts of their mathematics learning and
processes of understanding from which the teacher may grade the quality of
their task. Similar to oral presentation, journal writing can be a valuable
technique to further develop and enhance pupils‘ mathematical thinking and
communication skills in mathematics. In other words, journal writing can also
assist pupils to learn how to communicate mathematically when they try to
explain what they have learnt. This may also help them to clarify their own
understanding (Stempien and Borasi, 1985).
Journal entries in mathematics provide opportunities for pupils to self-
assess what they have learned. When pupils make an entry into a
mathematics journal, it becomes a record of the experience received from the
specific mathematics lesson or problem-solving activity. The pupil has to think
about what he or she has done in order to communicate it in writing. When
reading through the journal entries, the teacher decides if further review is
required. It is best not to begin by having pupils write about unfamiliar
mathematical ideas. First get them used to writing in a mathematics class.
The teacher can begin with affective and open-ended questions about pupils‘

feelings. The following are some examples of mathematics journal prompts

that might help pupils start their journal writing.
1. The things I want to know about in mathematics are …
2. I knew I was right when......
3. I wish I knew more about......
4. Were you frustrated with this problem? Why or why not?
5. What decisions had to be made when solving this problem?
6. Is mathematics your favourite subject? Why or why not?
Once pupils have become used to writing about their attitudes and
feelings toward mathematics in their journals, they are ready to write about
simple, familiar mathematics concepts. It is critical not to make the writing too
difficult by asking lower primary school pupils to write about unfamiliar
mathematics ideas. Using writing to review familiar mathematics ideas will
increase confidence and skill in writing as well as revisit important
mathematical concepts and processes. The following examples of
mathematical journal prompts assist pupils to revisit important mathematical
concepts and processes:
1. Explain in your own words what addition means.
2. Explain what is most important to understand about fractions.
3. What would happen if you missed a step in solving a problem? Why?
4. How many times did you try to solve the problem? How did you finally
solve it?
5. The thing you have to remember with this kind of problem is........
6. What method did you use to solve this problem and why?
In addition, Waywood (1992) proposed three forms of journal writing:

recount, summary, and dialogue. In the recount approach, pupils write what
they have observed in their lessons. In the summary approach, pupils review
what they have learnt during their lessons. In the dialogue approach, pupils
elaborate on what they have learnt. Waywood also illustrated how to assess
pupils‘ journal writing using a scoring rubric.
In the use of mathematics journals, pupils are required to express their
understanding through drawing, mathematical formulae or words. It is thus

useful to evaluate pupils‘ understanding and create opportunity for teachers to

provide feedback to the pupils through journal writing. Besides, teachers can
utilise journal writing as a formative assessment where they learn more about
their pupils‘ learning difficulties or misconceptions from their journals and then
proceed to remediate the situation (Miller, 1992). This form of journal writing
should not be graded, otherwise the pupils may pretend that they understand
everything in the mathematics lesson.
4. Open-ended tasks
Open-ended tasks elicit a range of responses from pupils including a
chance for pupils to show all that they know about the relevant content. The
purpose of open-ended tasks is to provide pupils with the opportunity to
communicate their understanding in depth. Open-ended items ―have more
than one answer and/or can be solved in a variety of ways‖ (Moon and
Schulman 1995, p. 25). In addition to producing a solution, pupils must also
explain their solution process and justify their answer. According to De Lange
(1995), a task that is open for pupils‘ process and solution is a way of
motivating pupils‘ high quality thinking. Furthermore, Sullivan and Lilburn
(2005) argue that open-ended tasks are exemplars of good questions in that
they advance significantly beyond the surface. Specifically, open-ended tasks
are those that require pupils to think more intensely and to provide a solution
which involves more than remembering a fact or repeating a skill. Open-
ended tasks offer opportunities for pupils to reveal their mathematical thinking,
reasoning processes as well as problem-solving and communication skills. It
is an attempt to make assessment more of an open process that will benefit
both teachers and pupils. Although it is vital to assess pupils‘ mastery of
mathematical skills, it is also essential to assess their conceptual
understanding of mathematics. Often, just a little twist on the items we
typically use in assessing our pupils can yield the assessment intent.
Consider the following open-ended tasks for the lower primary levels:
1. Write down five whole numbers between 178 and 202.
2. List five 3-digit numbers that have digit 6 in the tens place.
3. List two sets of five numbers that have a sum of 100.
4. Draw a shape where the sum of all the sides is 36 cm.

5. Gilbert and Hazel have 40 postcards. After Gilbert gives a few

postcards to Hazel, how many postcards does Hazel have? Explain
your answer.
6. Draw a triangle. Write a number in the centre of the triangle. Write
three numbers in the corners of the triangle that add up to the number
in the centre. Now challenge yourself by choosing greater numbers.
Draw and write as many triangles and numbers as you can.
Such open-ended tasks emphasize the importance of thoroughly

understanding concepts and carefully communicating mathematics, rather
than short-answer items that ask pupils to simply practice rote memorization
of mathematical facts. In lower primary mathematics classroom, after the
teacher has taught some mathematical concepts or skills, the open-ended
task is intended to elicit pupils‘ understanding of the concepts or ability to use
the skills. These open-ended tasks expect pupils to generate examples that fit
certain criteria and enable teachers to get a better vision of pupils'
understanding of mathematical topics. Pupils need to develop their own
methods for getting the right answers. One criterion for a good open-ended
task is that it will elicit responses that are amenable to partial credit according
to some established rubric. One interesting development in assessment in
recent years has been the use of scoring rubrics with a greater emphasis on
making more holistic judgments on pupil‘s work, with less emphasis on
counting up ―rights and wrongs‖. Rubrics are brief outlines that describe the
content and quality of work needed to achieve a specific grade in an open-
ended task and enable the teacher assessing the piece of work to determine
the evidence of pupils‘ understanding and mathematical communication. Such
an approach would focus on ―big ideas‖, rather than simply facts and
procedures.
These four alternative assessment practices exemplify how teachers
and pupils could benefit from implementing alternative assessment in the
lower primary mathematics classroom. The different alternative assessment
practices highlight the different learning experiences that pupils will gain when
they work on diverse types of tasks. This is only possible when the
assessment tasks that teachers use in their classrooms go beyond

computation and rote algorithms. The four alternative assessment practices

are just the first steps towards making the use of alternative assessment in
the classroom a meaningful one where emphasis is on the process (reasoning
and thinking) rather than the product (final answer).
Summary
This chapter has examined four ways in which mathematics
assessments at the lower primary level might encourage more flexible, active
and mindful learning. These ways may shift the focus of our present
assessment that is highly dependent on paper and pencil to authentic
assessments. This means that assessment tools can be built around the
mathematical task that would enable teachers to gather evidence of pupil
learning and use such evidence to further improve lessons. Implementing
alternative assessment practices is only the first step; they are only valuable
when teachers can use the assessment information to improve pupils‘
learning. This implies that teachers use the assessment information to change
curriculum and instruction, so that what they teach and how they teach
enhances what and how pupils learn. There should also be a balance
between assessments that provide feedback and do not count towards a final
grade and assessments that are graded to check for mastery of learning.
Furthermore, teachers need to spread out alternative assessments
appropriately so that their young pupils are not overwhelmed. The most
effective teachers are likely to be those who approach assessment as an
opportunity for pupils to show what they know and can do.
There are, however, numerous challenges if alternative assessment is
to become a reality in the classroom. Undoubtedly it will require highly
competent teachers who have mastered the complexity of the lesson where
the pupils are continuously being actively engaged in constructing and
applying the mathematical ideas and skills. Teachers‘ skills and knowledge
are important to consider as well as the level of support and resources from
the school administration. One main challenge therefore is to develop
teachers‘ skills, knowledge and attitude to implement alternative assessment
in the lower primary mathematics classroom. While formal training through
workshops and seminars may be able to impart new knowledge to teachers,

more discussions between teachers and mathematics educators would be

required to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Teachers need
support to acquire the skills and confidence to implement alternative
assessments at the classroom level.
Enrichment
1. For more information and details about Authentic Assessment, you can
visit these links:
a. http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/
b. https://www.pd4maths.com.au/authentic-assessment-in-
mathematics.html
c. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ9L9f7OpS8
d. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZomm-1BbYQ
e. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-85QM_DYBY
2. Conduct a survey among Mathematics teachers that you know in
elementary and high schools and check the extent of their use of the
alternative assessment. You need to present report as to what percent of
them are using them, and how is the distribution of these common
alternative tools. You can also ask them about its effectiveness and other
issues.
Assessment
1. Define authentic or alternative assessment.
2. Discuss the characteristics of the following alternative assessment
practices: practical tests, oral presentation, journal writing, and open-
ended tasks.
3. Why do Mathematics teachers need to utilize alternative assessment?
4. Prepare a sample for each alternative assessment.
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a Knowledge –Based Era (Vol. 2, pp. 33-39). Singapore: Association of
Mathematics Educators.
Sullivan, P. & Lilburn, P. (2005). Open-Ended Maths Activities: Using ‘Good’
Questions to Enhance Learning. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Waywood, A. (1992). Journal writing and learning mathematics. For the
Learning of Mathematics, 12(2), 34-43.
Wiggins, G. (1989). A true test: Towards more authentic and equitable
assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 76(9), 703-713.
Yazilah, A., & Fan, L. (2002). Exploring how to implement journal writing
effectively in primary mathematics in Singapore. In D. Edge & B. H. Yeap
(Eds.), Mathematics Education for a Knowledge-based Era (Vol. 2, pp. 56-
62). Singapore: Association of Mathematics Educators.

CHAPTER 6
USING JOURNAL WRITING TO EMPOWER LEARNING
Overview
Amongst the number of alternative assessment methods that
mathematics teachers can use, journal writing apparently can be said to be
the easiest assessment method to carry out in the mathematics classroom
without having to compromise significantly the teachers‘ formal teaching time.
Because of its flexibility and ease of use and the benefits that can be reaped
towards achieving learning outcomes, journal writing should be seriously
considered as having a place in the mathematics classroom.
This chapter illustrates with the use of students‘ sample responses to
journal prompts how students may be engaged in writing about their
understanding of what they are taught, mathematical content, processes,
application, and attitude. In addition, it looks at how journal writing may be
evaluated so that constructive feedback is given to the students. Finally, some
pitfalls to avoid when implementing journal writing are discussed.
Objective
At the end of the chapter, the pre-service teachers are expected to
consider journal writing as an instructional alternative and tool in assessing
mathematics learning.
Lesson 1. Journal Writing and Assessment in Mathematics
Pre-discussion
Essentially, assessment is a means of gathering information about
students‘ progress with respect to achieving learning goals and providing
feedback to inform instruction. Assessment has gone beyond the traditional
sense of ―testing‖ where a test score or grade is seen as final. Today, it is
viewed as a dynamic process that includes a range of assessment strategies
that will provide a repertoire of evidence to suggest students’ learning and
growth on a timely basis (NCTM, 1995; MOE, 2000). With emphasis on

mathematical thinking and communication, there is a need to describe,

explain, argue, and interpret in reformed classrooms. In such classrooms,
alternative forms of assessment are seen as providing a more complete and
accurate picture of students‘ learning and performances. The Ministry of
Education (MOE) in Singapore has embraced this shift in focus towards a
holistic perspective to assessment that includes assessment modes such as
mathematical investigation, journal writing, classroom observation, self-
assessment and portfolio assessment. This chapter focuses on journal writing
as an alternative assessment strategy.
What to Expect?
1. explain the nature of journal writing and its purpose;
2. compare free writing and writing from a prompt of a journal;
3. write a personal journal for the course;
4. prepare a scoring rubrics for a journal; and
5. characterize the potential pitfalls of journal writing.
Journal Writing: A Literature Review
Journal writing involves students writing about their mathematics

learning. It is a systematic way of documenting learning and collecting
information for self-analysis and reflection. According to the Assessment
Guides to Primary Mathematics and Lower Secondary Mathematics, it is a
platform where ―students write about a mathematics-related situation in a way
that reveals their learning of certain mathematics concepts, how it was taught,
the difficulties encountered, and their feelings and attitudes towards the
learning‖ (MOE, 2004a, p. 57 and 2004b, p. 54). In the Principles and
Standards for School Mathematics of the US it is emphasised that‖
―…reflection and communication are intertwined processes in
mathematics learning…Writing in mathematics can also help
students consolidate their thinking because it requires them to reflect

on their work and clarify their thoughts about the ideas.‖ (National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2000, p. 61)
According to Ernig (1977), writing provides information processing at

the motor level (hand moving the pen), the sensory level (eyes reading), and
the cognitive level (intellectual and analytical processing of the message).
Studies have documented positive effects of journal writing in
mathematics classrooms with respect to achievement (Evans, 1984; Shepard,
1993), mathematical reasoning (Pugalee, 2005) and problem solving (Bell and
Bell, 1985; Pugalee, 2005). Borasi and Rose (1989) asserted that journal
writing in mathematics teaching had beneficial therapeutic effect on the
feelings and attitudes of the students, as well as positive effect on their
learning of mathematical concepts and problem solving skills. They also
asserted that the interaction of students and teachers through journal writing
may produce a beneficial supportive class atmosphere. Burns (2004) in her
work with students on writing in mathematics noted that:
“Not only did I see how writing helped students think more deeply
and clearly about mathematics, but I also discovered that students’
writing was an invaluable tool to help me assess their learning.‖ (p.
30)
Studies in Singapore on the use of journal writing in mathematics

lessons too revealed positive outcomes such as an effective way to increase
teacher‘s understanding of students‘ learning in mathematics, attitudes and
dispositions towards mathematics (Chai, 2004) and higher gains in
mathematics test results (Ng, 2004; Yeo, 2008).
Clarke, Waywood, and Stephens (1993) studied the use of journal
writing in mathematics to foster the development of metacognitive processes.
A major finding of their long-term journal writing study was that students
convincingly explained why they used journal writing:
Sixty percent of the students gave as the main reason for writing in
their journal, because it helps me (…), the most popular justification
for journal use was to help me learn (…). Half of the student sample

reported that the most important thing learned from journal

completion was to be able to explain what I think. (p. 241)
In a three year assessment project (2005-2008) led by Professor

Magdalena Mok (Mok, 2010) in Hong Kong, parents too realised the value of
journal writing by their children. One parent stated that ―after two years, I
gradually realise the benefits of the Mathematics Journal‖ (Mok, 2010, p. 73).
The parent also stated the following benefits:
 Mathematics Journal is actually a cognitive training: students can
reflect on the principles and methods of computation while they write
the Mathematics Journal, such that mathematics understanding is
consolidated.
 Mathematics Journal can help early reflection on one‘s mistakes: Very
often, students would think that if they get the answer correct then they
know how to do mathematics. In reality, they are discouraged or give
up when they meet complicated items requiring comprehension. Only
through the Mathematics Journal do they know how to reflect on their
mistakes and put deep thoughts to the items. (pp.73-74)
Two Types of Journal Writing in the Mathematics Classroom
Selecting an appropriate assessment method depends on the purpose

of the assessment. The brief review of literature in the previous section has
provided a sense of what journal writing can be intended for. This section
exemplifies free writing and writing from a prompt as two possible ways to
engage students in journal writing.
1. Free writing
Students may be asked to write journals at regular intervals to keep
track of their thoughts and experiences during mathematics lessons. The
teachers may not provide them with any specific instructions or guides. In
such cases, students are free to write about any aspect of their mathematics
learning. Three such journals written by a secondary 2 student are shown in
the following three figures: Figures 1, 2 and 3. The student created her own

template for the journals and penned her thoughts periodically about her
algebra lessons. The teacher‘s comments are also evident in the figures.
Figure 1. Sample A of a free writing type of journal

Figure 2. Sample B of a free writing type of journal

Figure 3. Sample C of a free writing type of journal
2. Writing from a prompt

Alternatively, students may be given prompts to help them write
journals. Through carefully chosen prompts, teachers can encourage students
to connect new knowledge with prior knowledge and to develop new
understandings about concepts. Kaur et al., (2004) and Kaur, Chan and Edge
(2006) described three main categories of prompts, namely
affective/attitudinal, mathematical content, and process and application. A
prompt might be a sentence to complete, a question to respond to, or a quote
to explain. The three categories of prompts follow.

Affect/Attitudinal (How do you feel?)

Examples of prompts in this category are as follows:
 This year mathematics is …
 What I like most about mathematics …
 The most difficult part of mathematics is …
 What kind of mathematics figure are you? (circle, square, triangle,
parallelogram, etc.) Explain;
 This is how I used mathematics this week, outside of school….
Examples of journals in this category
 Primary 3 students were given the following prompt to write a short story
about Mr and Mrs Square living in Squaresville. Figure 4 shows a
journal written by a student.
In the journal shown in Figure 4, the student wrote about things

associated with squares since the characters were squares. Apparently the
student drew on his or her personal knowledge such as a square TV, and the
cartoon character Spongebox Squarepants that is a square-shaped creature.
The student also named other characters using names of shapes such as Mr
Triangle, Mrs Circle and Mr Pentagon to be consistent with the way Mr and
Mrs Square are used. The composition, although short, paints a happy
shopping occasion and a meeting of friends.

A class of secondary 2 students were asked to complete the following:

My worst experience with mathematics was…. Figure 5 show the response
of one student in the class. This student appears to have found it difficult,
when she was in primary 5, to accept that in mathematics, letters may be
used instead of numbers to represent variables.
Figure 5. A student’s journal on worst experience with mathematics
Mathematical Content (What is it about?)

Examples of prompts in this category are as follows:
 How would you describe a…?
 Write your own definition of …
 Write and solve a problem whose solution involves …
 Why can‘t you divide a number by zero?
 Compare and contrast….
To determine if students had comprehended the difference between
area and perimeter, they were asked to write a letter to an imaginary friend
who had missed a lesson on area and perimeter. Figure 6 shows a journal
entry of a Primary 4 student (student A).

From the journal, in Figure 6, it can be ascertained that student A has a

good understanding of the two measurement ideas. The student is able to
describe area as ―the amount of space in a shape‖ and perimeter as ―the
length around a shape‖. The descriptions are enhanced with the illustrations.
The square on the left is drawn and labeled with ―6‖ on each side. The line
drawn round the square shows that the perimeter is the sum of the lengths of
the four sides. In addition, the statement ―4 × 6 = perimeter‖ is written to show
how the perimeter can be found. The square on the right is divided into
smaller squares illustrating an understanding of the concept that leads to the
formula: area = length × breadth. The statement ―6 × 6 = area‖ is written to
show how the area can be found. Figure 7 shows the journal entry of another
Primary 4 student (student B).

Figure 7. Student B’s journal showing the difference between area

and perimeter
From Figure 7, it is apparent that student B was able to describe the

difference between area and perimeter in a slightly different way from student
A. Student B conveyed perimeter as the ―outline of the figure‖ and area as the
―space taken by the figure‖. The descriptions are aided by a diagram. The
descriptions and diagram are complementary in showing what the student
knew about the different ideas. The student also highlighted the unit of
measurement for perimeter and area but did not show how perimeter or area
of shapes may be computed.
Similarly to assess if students had understood the role of variables in
algebraic expressions, a class of secondary 3 students were asked ―Which is
larger in magnitude? 5 + N or 5N, explain your answer clearly.‖ Figure 8
shows a response of a student in the class. This student had a good
understanding of the concept of a variable but had not considered all possible
values for N.

Figure 8. A student’s journal on the comparison of two algebraic

expressions
Process and Application

Examples of prompts in this category are:
 The most important part of solving a problem is …
 Do you use tables or diagrams when solving a problem? Why or why
not?
 When I study for a test, I …
 Describe any computational procedure that you have invented;
 Write a letter to your teacher explaining to him / her how best you learn
mathematics.

As pupils have the tendency to get some mathematical terms like
factors and multiples mixed up, a class of Primary 4 students were asked to
write about how they differentiated one from the other. Figure 9 shows one
student‘s way of thinking in preventing the mixed-up. The student considered
―factors of a number that can be divided by the factors equally‖. Although not

eloquently phrased, the mathematical example shown helps to make sense of

the description. The student used division as a test to see if it results in any
remainder. The student was able to list all the factors of a particular number
and knew that these numbers can be divided equally by the number. To know
what multiples are, the student multiplied a number with another natural
number. Again, the ability to use a mathematical example suggests what the
student knew about multiples. In a sense, the student used ―division‖ and
―multiplication‖ in differentiating between the two terms.
Figure 10 shows a journal entry written by a secondary 3 student in

response to a writing prompt to elicit students‘ thinking processes when
solving problems. The journal was submitted to the teacher electronically as
part of work assignment during e-learning week.

Rubrics for Grading Journals

Journal writing meant for the development of the affective domain of
learners is often not graded. However, journals that are related to specific
objectives of content, processes and applications may merit some form of
grading as the feedback is relevant for both the teacher and the learner. As
there is often no right or wrong answer to any journal entry, the use of scoring
rubrics may be the most appropriate means of grading journals. Scoring
rubrics provide at least two benefits in the evaluation process (Moskal, 2000).
Firstly, they support the examination of the extent to which the specified
criteria have been reached. Secondly, they provide feedback to students
concerning how to improve their performances. Depending on the needs of
the evaluator, an Analytic Scoring Rubric or a Holistic Scoring Rubric may be
used.
1. Analytic scoring rubric

The Analytic Scoring Rubric allows for separate evaluation of areas
such as:
 Mathematics content
 Organisation of ideas
 Expression
Figure 11 shows an Analytical Scoring Rubric from the Mathematics
Assessment Guide (MOE, 2004b, p. 55).

2. Holistic scoring rubric

At times, it is not possible to separate an evaluation into independent
areas. When there is an overlap between the criteria set for evaluation of the
different areas, a Holistic Scoring Rubric may be preferable to an Analytic
Scoring Rubric. Figure 12 shows a Holistic Scoring Rubric from Kaur, Chan
and Edge (2006, p. 16).
The rubric, shown in Figure 12, is applied to two samples of students‘

journals that address the prompt ―the best way to find the sum of the interior
angles of a pentagon is...‖ As part of the prompt, a pentagon is drawn for the
students. Figure 13 shows student A‘s response to the prompt.

The student had interpreted the interior angles as the angles at the
centre of the pentagon and drew lines from the vertices to the centre of the
pentagon. The student referred to the five angles as ―corners‖. The student
knew that since the sum of the 5 angles makes up 360 o, so each angle is
found by dividing 360o by 5 to get 72o.
To apply the rubric, it is noted that the student did not quite know what
interior angles are. Furthermore, 72o as the value of an interior angle did not
answer the prompt to find the sum of the interior angles. Hence, the student‘s
response was incomplete, but it showed partial understanding and warrants a
C grade. Detailed qualitative feedback may be given by the teacher to the
student suggesting that he failed to identify all the interior angles and how the
angle with measure 720 may be used to work further towards the complete
solution. Figure 14 shows student B‘s response to the same prompt.
Figure 14. Student B’s journal on how to find the interior angles of a
pentagon
Student B showed understanding of interior angles very clearly by

marking out all the interior angles. To find the sum of the interior angles, the
student divided the pentagon into three triangles. The student stated a
property of triangles, i.e., the sum of the angles in a triangle is 180 o. Using the
property the student found the sum of the interior angles of the pentagon.
According to the rubric, this response was complete and very clearly
communicated. The student had used her geometrical knowledge correctly.

The calculations were accurate and complete. Hence, the response of student
B merits grade A.
Potential Pitfalls of Journal Writing in the Classroom
Like all forms of assessment, journal writing too may cause more harm
than good if implemented mindlessly and carelessly. The followings are some
pitfalls for teachers to take note of and avoid.
1. The potential for teacher to hurt student’s feelings

Teachers must avoid criticizing what the students‘ write. They have to
be positive, personal, accepting, encouraging and sensitive when responding
to what students write in their journals. However this does not mean that
teachers should avoid probing the students. It is improper for teachers to
discuss journals of students in the teachers‘ room or quote from them during
lesson time, especially if the journals are telling of some signs that are not
favourable. However, the teacher may with the consent of the students
concerned, occasionally share with the class very interesting or novel
journals.
2. Possible loss of instructional time to teach the syllabuses

As the saying goes ―water not drunk in moderation is harmful to the
body‖, teachers have to be mindful of not going overboard with journal writing.
A good planned programme is necessary to induct students into writing about
their learning of mathematics and mathematical ideas. If the programme is
well structured it will not bite significantly into instructional time. Also, the
writing must be progressive. It should start with simple, short and focused
tasks and progress to longer and more challenging (demanding the skills of
analyses, synthesis and evaluation) tasks. Students may be asked to do their
journal writing during lesson time or after school hours.

3. Tremendous increase in the marking load of the teacher

Certainly, when a teacher requires her students to write a journal after
every lesson and grades all of them, her marking load would increase many
folds. To avoid such a situation the teacher must:
 not go overboard with journal writing,
 be mindful that it is not necessary to grade all the journals all the time,
and
 when grading journals, it is appropriate to focus on one or two areas
rather than all possible areas.
4. What to grade? Language or mathematics content

When grading journals, teachers may be in a dilemma, as what to
grade – the mathematics or the language of communication. Some teachers
may be uncomfortable with the idea of grading writing and this is justified.
Teachers should place emphasis on the mathematics content, organization of
ideas and expression (MOE, 2004a and 2004b) when grading journals.
Students can express themselves through diagrams, symbols and
mathematical terminology. Teachers must not penalize students for errors in
language of communication, i.e., grammar and punctuation.
Summary
In this chapter, we have demonstrated that journal writing as an
alternative mode of assessment for learning has many virtues. Bearing in
mind the potential pitfalls, teachers are encouraged to engage their students
in reflecting and writing about their mathematics learning, i.e., using journal
writing to empower learning.
Enrichment
Read the following research articles on how journal writing affects
achievement in Mathematics through the given links.
 http://www.ascd.org/publications/researchbrief/v3n13/toc.aspx
 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1035&conte
xt=mathmidsummative

 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/15332276.2013.1167841
2?needAccess=true
 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/47714881_THE_EFFECTS_
OF_JOURNAL_WRITING_ON_STUDENT_ATTITUDES_AND_PERF
ORMANCE_IN_PROBLEM_SOLVING
 http://www.otterbein.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/williams.pdf
Assessment
1. What is journal writing?
2. What is the purpose of journal writing?
3. What are research findings on journal writing and mathematics learning?
4. Make a comparison between free writing and writing from a prompt when
preparing a journal.
5. Develop a simple journal for this Lesson using free writing mode.
6. Prepare your own holistic and analytic scoring rubrics for journal writing.
Be ready to present in class.
7. Discuss the pitfalls of journal writing.
8. Assess yourself on the following competencies. Put a check on the column
(√) to indicate mastery or not:

Mastered
1. I can explain the nature of journal writing
and its purpose
2. I can explain what is free writing
3. I can write from a prompt
4. I can write a personal journal for the course
5. I can prepare a scoring rubrics for a journal
6. I can evaluate a journal using a scoring rubric
7. I can describe each of the potential pitfalls of
journal writing
References
Bell, S. B. & Bell, R. N. (1985). Writing and mathematical problem-solving:
arguments in favour of synthesis. School Science and Mathematics, 85(3),
210-221.

Borasi, R. and Rose, B. J. (1989). Journal writing and mathematical

instruction. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 20, 347-365.
Burns, M. (2004). Writing in math. Educational Leadership, 62(2), 30-33.
Chai, H. L. (2004). The Effects of Using Journal Writing as an Alternative
Assessment in a Primary Four Mathematics Classroom. Unpublished MEd
thesis. Singapore: National Institute of Education.
Clarke, D. J., Waywood, A., & Stephens, M. (1993). Probing the structure of
mathematical writing. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 25(3), 235-250.
Evans, C. S. (1984). Writing to learn in math. Language Arts, 61, 828-835.
Kaur, B., Ang, C. T., Kang, Y. F .F., Ng, L. Y., Ng, T. C., Phua, C. G .R.,
Ibrahim, R., Seow, A. Y . J., & Tan, L. K. (2004). Journal Writing in the
Mathematics Classroom (Secondary). Singapore: National Institute of
Education.
Ministry of Education. (2000b). Mathematics Syllabus – Lower Secondary.
Singapore: Author.
Mok, M. C. M. (2010). Self-Directed Learning Oriented Assessment:
Assessment that Informs Learning and Empowers the Learner. Hong
Kong: Pace Publishing Ltd.
Ng, L. S. (2004). Using a Mathematics Dictionary to Improve Students’
Performance in Geometry. Unpublished Med thesis. Singapore: National
Institute of Education.
Yeo, S. M. (2008). Using Journal Writing and Oral Presentation as Alternative
Assessment Strategies in Mathematics Instruction: An Empirical Study in
Singapore Secondary Schools. Unpublished doctoral thesis. Singapore:
National Institute of Education.

CHAPTER 7
OPEN-ENDED TASKS AND ASSESSMENT
Overview
The focus of this chapter is the use of open-ended tasks in
mathematics assessment. It is argued that the international mathematics
education community has had access to a wide range of open-ended tasks for
at least 20 years. The instructional utility of such tasks has been variously
realised in different school systems around the world, however the role that
open-ended tasks might play in assessment has not been explored
sufficiently.
Research findings are reported to highlight issues associated with the
inclusion of open-ended tasks for the assessment of mathematics. Both
positive and negative considerations are identified and it is argued that the
assessment potential of open-ended tasks will only be achieved where
teachers, schools and school systems are prepared to systematically address
each consideration in developing programs of mathematics assessment that
accommodate the complex array of behaviours that make up sophisticated
mathematical practice and thinking. We have the tools but lack the
assessment structures through which to employ them to model, monitor and
inform valued mathematical performances.
Recent curriculum innovations in Australia, China, Korea and
Singapore will only achieve the intended transformation of classroom practice
and student outcome if they can be matched equally by visionary assessment
schemes. Open-ended tasks could be the key to such sophisticated
assessment.
Objective
At the end of the chapter, the pre-service teachers can demonstrate
knowledge, understanding and skills in developing open-ended tasks and
problems in mathematics.

Lesson 1. Developing and Assessing Open-Ended Tasks and Problems

in Mathematics
Pre-discussion
Wait, so, what is the RIGHT answer?‖ ―Sarah got a different answer
than I did…how can we BOTH be right?‖ You will most likely hear all kinds of
responses like this when you start to incorporate open-ended math activities
into your classroom. At first, they would probably make your students look at
you as if you have two heads. But, these kinds of reactions will begin to
subside once your students have been exposed to the idea that there are
many ways to solve problems, even math problems! Encouraging this kind of
―endless possibility‖ thinking is an effective way to teach your students to
challenge themselves and think outside of the ―normal‖ problem solving
thinking.
What to Expect?
1. describe what open-ended math problems are
2. compare the closed and open-ended tasks or problems in
mathematics;
3. differentiate closed routine from closed non-routine problems;
4. create open-ended tasks for assessment in mathematics;
5. convert a given closed task into an open-ended task applying
applicable strategy; and
6. list down the advantages and disadvantages of open-ended tasks.
Open-Ended Mathematics Problems

Open-ended math problems are problems that have more than one
possible answer. These problems might present an end result and then ask
students to work backward to figure out how that end result might have been
achieved or they might ask students to compare two concepts that can be
compared in a variety of different ways. But whatever way they are presented,
the purpose of open-ended math problems is always to encourage students to

use higher order thinking skills to solve problems and understand that some
problems can be solved in many ways, with many outcomes.
Features of Open-ended Problems

 There is no fixed answer (many possible answers)
 Solved in different ways and on different levels (accessible to mixed
abilities)
 Empower students to make their own mathematical decisions and
make room for own mathematical thinking
 Develop reasoning and communication skills
Creating Open-ended tasks

Usually, in order to create open-ended questions or problems, the
teacher has to work backwards:
 Identify a mathematical topic or concept.

 Think of a closed question and write down the answer.
 Make up a new question that includes (or addresses) the answer.
Closed vs. Open-Ended Tasks

One way to differentiate in math class is creating open-ended tasks
and questions.
Figure 1. Scheme of Mathematical Problems

(from https://cristinamilos.education/2014/09/13/open-ended-tasks-and-questions-in-
mathematics/)
1. Closed Problems are well-structured problems in terms of clearly

formulated tasks where the one correct answer can always be determined
in some fixed ways from the necessary data given in the problem situation.
A. Routine closed problems – are usually multi-step challenging problems

that require the use of a specific procedure to arrive to the correct,
unique, answer.
B. Non-routine closed problems – imply the use of heuristics strategies *
in order to determine, again, a single correct answer.
*Problem-solving heuristics: work systematically, tabulate the data, try simpler
examples, look for a pattern, generalize a rule etc.
Examples
Routine problem: Minah had a bag of rice. Her family ate an equal amount of
rice each day. After 3 days, she had 1/3 of the rice left. After another 7 days,
she had 24 kg of rice left. How much rice was in the bag at first?
Non-routine problem: How many squares are there in a chess board?
2. Open-Ended Problems – are often named ―ill-structured‖ problems as

they involve a higher degree of ambiguity and may allow for several
correct solutions. Real-life mathematical problems or mathematical
investigations are of this type – e.g. ―How much water can our school save
on a period of four months?‖ or ―Design a better gym room considering the
amount of money we can spend.‖
Strategies to Convert Closed Problems/Questions
1. Turning around a question

CLOSED: What is half of 20?
OPEN: 10 is the fraction of a number. What could the fraction and the
number be? Explain.
CLOSED: Find the difference between 23 and 7.

OPEN: The difference between two numbers is 16. What might the
numbers be? Explain your thinking.
CLOSED: Round this decimal to the decimal place 5.7347
OPEN: A number has been rounded to 5.8. What might the number be?
CLOSED: There are 12 apples on the table and some in a basket. In all
there are 50 apples. How many apples are in the basket?
OPEN: There are some apples on the table and some in a basket. In all
there are 50 apples. How many apples might be on the table? Explain your
thinking.
2. Asking for similarities and differences

Choose two numbers, shapes, graphs, probabilities, measurements etc.
and ask students how they are alike and how they are different.
Example: How are 95 and 100 alike? How are they different?
Possible answers:
 They are alike because you can skip count by 5s, both are less than
200, both are greater than 90 etc.
 They are different because one is a three-digit number, only one
ends in 5, only one is greater than 99 etc.
Example: How are the numbers 6.001 and 1.006 alike? How are they
different?
3. Asking for explanations

Example: Compare two fractions with different denominators. Tell how you
compare them.
Example: 4 is a factor for two different numbers. What else might be true
about both numbers?

4. Creating a sentence
Students are asked to create a mathematical sentence that includes
certain numbers and words.
Example: Create a sentence that includes numbers 3 and 4 along with the
words ―more‖ and ―and‖.
Possible answers:
 3 and 4 are more than 2
 3 and 4 together are more than 6
 34 and 26 are more than 34 and 20 etc.
Example: Create a question involving multiplication or division of decimals

where the digits 4, 9, and 2 appear somewhere.
Example: Create a sentence involving ½ and 64 and the words ―less‖ and
―twice as much‖.
5. Using “soft” words

Using the word ―close‖ (or other equivalents) allows for a richer, more
interesting mathematical discussion.
Example: You multiply two numbers and the product is almost 600. What
could the numbers have been? Explain.
Example: Add two numbers whose sum is close to 750. What can the
numbers be? Explain.
Example: Create two triangles with different but close areas. (*Instead of,
―Create a triangle with an area of 20 square inches.‖)
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

A few important considerations are to be made when creating open-ended

problems or questions.
1. Know your mathematical focus.

2. Develop questions with the right degree of ambiguity (vague enough
to be interesting and to allow for different responses, but not too vague so
as students get frustrated).
3. Plan for two types of prompts:
 enabling prompts (for students who seem unable to start working)
 extension prompts (for students who finish quickly)
High quality responses from students have the following features:

 Are systematic (e.g. may record responses in a table or pattern).
 If the solutions are finite, all solutions are found.
 If patterns can be found, then they are evident in the response.
 Where a student has challenged themselves and
shown complex examples which satisfy the constraints.
 Make connections to other content areas.
Using Open-ended Math problems in the Classroom

There are many benefits to incorporating these kinds of problems into
your students‘ daily routine, but here are a few of the most obvious and
effective ones:
1. Open-ended problems encourage higher order thinking skills. Students will
not only be ―recognizing‖, ―identifying‖, or ―describing‖ their thinking; they‘ll
be ―justifying‖, ―defending‖, and ―evaluating‖ their problem solving skills
and how they arrived at their answers.
2. Open-ended problems build confidence in your students. Once students
recognize that there are many possibilities for correct answers and
thinking, they begin to participate more readily because they can bring to
the table. Students who normally struggle with math might solve the
problem on a very basic level, using a basic strategy, but they‘ll be correct!
And your advanced students can solve it on their advanced level and be
just as correct as the student who struggles. Simply knowing that the way

that they specifically thought and solved the problem was considered
correct builds confidence for students.
3. Open-ended problems are engaging! Students are immediately engaged
in these kinds of problems because they recognize that there are so many
different ways to solve it. Whether students are working in small groups or
independently, there is possibility for so many different ideas and answers
to be correct that everyone wants in on it. This engagement, in turn,
encourages collaboration among students and soon, they‘re sharing their
thinking and learning from each other to solve problems.
4. Open-ended problems encourage creativity. Students are capable of using
so many strategies that they‘ve learned over the years to solve problems
and, given the space and time, they can even come up with some of their
own strategies for solving problems. Open-ended problems give students
permission to be creative in their thinking and problem solving.
5. Open-ended problems make it easy for teachers to see what levels
students are working at. Simply by walking around the room while students
are working to solve an open-ended math problem, you‘ll be able to
informally assess what kind of level they are independently working on.
This can be extremely beneficial as you are collecting data, forming
groups, or simply getting a feel for what kind of skills each student is
working with.
PROS and CONS of Open-Ended Math Problems

https://jodidurgin.com/open-ended-math-problems/
An open-ended math problem is a real world math situation presented
to students in a word problem format where there is more than one solution,
approach, and representation. This instructional strategy is more than reciting
a fact or repeating a procedure. It requires students to apply what they have
learned while using their problem solving, reasoning, critical thinking, and
communication skills to solve a given problem. This strategy naturally allows
for differentiation because of it is open-ended nature.
Moreover, it is a valuable formative assessment tool that allows
teachers to assess accuracy in computation and abilities to think of and
flexibly apply more than one strategy. Aside from the teacher being able to

learn about their students from this tool, the students can thoughtfully extend
their learning and reflect on their own thinking through whole group
discussions or partner talks.
Pros:
 Provides valuable and specific information to the teacher about student
understanding and application of learning.
 Allows the teacher to assess accuracy in computation and abilities to
think of and flexibly apply more than one strategy.
 Permits the teacher to see flexibility in student thinking.
 Gives students the opportunity to practice and fine tune their problems
solving, reasoning, critical thinking, and communication skills.
 Creates opportunities for real-world application.
 Empowers students to extend their learning and reflect on their
thinking.
 Fosters creativity, collaboration, and engagement in students.
 Facilitates a differentiated learning experience where all students can
access the task.
Cons:
 Increases time in collecting data.
 Provides a higher complexity of data.
 Requires the implementation and practice of routines.
Summary
Open-ended tasks and mathematics questions are apparently new
approach. Hence, detailed planning is required in order to provide your
students with activities and resources that encourage deep thinking and allow
every student to participate. Deciding what standards and concept you want
to focus on and choosing the best way to practice skills related to that concept
before having students complete an activity is crucial to creating an effective
learning time.
Now, if you choose to implement open-ended kind of assessment in
your classroom, your students are sure to grow in their problem-solving

abilities and confidence. Creating a space that is safe for your students to
take chances and risks with their learning is one of the greatest gifts you can
give them. By incorporating ways for your students to express their individual
ways of thinking, like open-ended math problems, you will foster a love of
creative thinking and confidence in problem-solving skills.
Enrichment
1. Read the articles and researches on the use of open-ended questions in
mathematics classroom:
1.1. Using Short Open-ended Mathematics Questions to Promote
Thinking and Understanding. Retrieved from
http://math.unipa.it/~grim/SiFoong.PDF
1.2. The use of open-ended question pictures in the mathematics
classroom. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322510259_The_use_of_
open-ended_question_pictures_in_the_mathematics_classroom
1.3. Open-Ended Math Questions Reveal Student Thinking. Retrieved
from http://ttacwm.blogs.wm.edu/open-ended-math-questions-
reveal-student-thinking/
2. Watching the following videos can provide you additional idea on open-
ended mathematics problems.
2.1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1puQxclB2aw#t=10
2.2. https://youtu.be/lr4qsU30QXY
2.3. https://youtu.be/GWHu-znRdmo
2.4. https://youtu.be/8VDhMzJny0M
2.5. https://vimeo.com/76884124
Assessment
1. Describe open-ended questions or tasks in a mathematics classroom.
2. Differentiate open-ended with closed-ended questions. Support your
answer by giving at least 1 example for each type.
3. What is the difference of closed routine and closed non-routine question in
mathematics? Provide examples.

4. List down the advantages and disadvantages of open-ended problems in

mathematics classroom.
5. Convert the following closed-ended problems into open-ended:
5.1. Dante collected P240 from Alex, P 345 from Ronald, P200 from
Lino, and P540 from Alvin. What was his total collection?
5.2. Find the perimeter of a rectangle with the sides of 9 cm and 4 cm in
length.
5.3. The cyclist has travelled 65 km and 4 hours. What is his average
speed?
5.4. Mr. Santos paid P1800 for his pair of shoes marked with 30%
discount. What is the original price?
6. Assess yourself on the following competencies. Place a check (√) mark on
the space to indicate your honest answer.
mastered
1. I can describe an open-ended math problem or
task.
2. I can compare the closed and open-ended tasks
or problems in mathematics.
3. I can recognize a closed-ended from an open-
ended task.
4. I can differentiate closed routine from closed
non-routine problem.
5. I can create open-ended tasks for assessment in
mathematics.
6. I can change a given closed task into an open-
ended task applying applicable strategy.
7. I can list down the advantages and
disadvantages of open-ended tasks.
8. I can explain why open-ended task is needed in
assessing math learning.
References
Al-Absi, Mohammad (March 21, 2013). The effect of open-ended tasks as an

assessment tool on Fourth Graders‘ mathematics achievement, and
assessing students‘ perspectives about it. Jordan Journal of Educational
Sciences, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp 345-351.
BULKOVÁ, Kristína and ČERETKOVÁ , Soňa (2017). Rubrics as Assessment
Tool of Mathematical Open-Ended Problems. Available at

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334416219_RUBRICS_AS_ASS
ESSMENT_TOOL_OF_MATHEMATICAL_OPEN-ENDED_PROBLEMS
Clarke, David (2011). Open-Ended Tasks and Assessment: The Nettle or the
Rose. In Assessment in the Mathematics Classroom. USA: World
Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.
Open-Ended Math Problems. Retrieved from https://jodidurgin.com/open-
ended-math-problems/
Open-Ended Math Tasks. Retrieved from
https://www.teachertreasures.com/2017/11/05/open-ended-math-tasks/
Open-ended Questions for Mathematics. Retrieved from
https://www.uky.edu/OtherOrgs/ARSI/www.uky.edu/pub/arsi/openrespons
equestions/mathorq.pdf
Open-Ended Tasks and Questions in Mathematics. Retrieved from
https://cristinamilos.education/2014/09/13/open-ended-tasks-and-
questions-in-mathematics/
Opening Minds with Open Ended Math Problems in the Primary Classroom.
Retrieved from https://www.modelteaching.com/education-articles/math-
instruction/open-ended-math-problems-in-the-primary-classroom
Sullivan, Peter (1999). The Potential of Open-Ended Mathematics Tasks for
Overcoming Barriers to Learning. Retrieved from
https://www2.merga.net.au/publications/counter.php?pub=pub_conf&id=13
30

CHAPTER 8
ERRORS IN MATHEMATICS ASSESSMENT ITEMS
Overview
Learning to write good test items is an important aspect of the
teacher preparation programmes in Singapore. This chapter highlights the
types of errors in mathematics test items made by student teachers who
were following their pre-service course for teaching at primary level. An
analysis of the errors reveals that these student teachers demonstrate
some key shortcomings when writing test items: use of language, mastery
of content knowledge, use of diagrams as scaffolds, and the use of
appropriate context.
Objective
At the end of the chapter, the students are expected to gain sufficient
insights about the common errors committed by teachers in writing
assessment items.
Lesson 1. Common Errors in Writing Assessment Items in Mathematics
Pre-discussion
It is often claimed that assessment drives the curriculum. The National
Research Council (1989) in the United States acknowledged this fact by
stating that ―what is tested is what gets taught‖ (p. 69). It is not surprising that
teachers who implement the school curriculum are often teaching to the test.
Traditional paper and pencil tests are still the norm for assessing students‘
learning in schools. Thus, assessment is high on the agenda of any school
mathematics teacher, in an examination-oriented system such as Singapore.
They have to look very carefully into both formative and summative aspects of
assessment as parents and the community at large, are very sensitive to any
form of assessment in which students are involved. Any shortcoming in
assessment practices can entail serious consequences for teachers and their
schools

School assessments are only as good as the individual test items that
make up these assessments. When teaching mathematics, teachers use a
large number of problems as test items. Some of the items are copied from
textbooks and past examination papers, whereas others are modified from
similar sources to match the specific nature of their classes. In addition, a
fairly large number of items for tests are originally written by the teachers
themselves. Hence, it is imperative that mathematics teachers take extreme
care in writing their test items. In this chapter, the types of errors that were
noted when a group of pre-service primary teachers wrote test items are
presented. Four categories of errors were likewise identified and these are
described in detail in the latter part of the discussion.
What to Expect?
1. characterize a good mathematical task or problem;
2. compare the 4 common errors in mathematics assessment items,
namely: language-related, content-related, errors related to diagram
as support, and context-related;
3. explain each specific error that are considered language-related,
content-related, errors related to diagram as support, and context-
related
4. identify the error present in a given task;
5. avoid these common errors when writing assessment items or
mathematics tasks.
Mathematical Tasks
Lester (1983) referred to mathematical problems as tasks. Good tasks
are the ones that do not separate mathematical thinking from mathematical
concepts or skills, they capture students‘ curiosity, and they invite the
students to speculate and to pursue their hunches (National Council of
Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM], 1991). The typical test includes several
items or problems. A problem can be considered as a TASK which elicits
some activity on the part of students and through which they learn

mathematics during the problem solving activity. Several factors can be

identified that differentiate one problem from another. Amongst others,
problems differ by: the content domain, the objectives to be tested, the exact
wording of the problem, the context of the problem, the support and structure
provided, the types of numbers involved, the resources to be used during the
solution process, the expected time for a solution, and the closeness or
openness of the problem (see Dindyal, 2009).
Mason and Johnston-Wilder (2006) highlighted the various ways in
which a mathematical task is perceived: (1) the task as imagined by the task
author, (2) the task as intended by the teacher, (3) the task as specified by the
teacher-author instructions, (4) the task as construed by the learners, and (5)
the task as carried out by the learners. It is to be noted that whether a
problem task is originally written down by a teacher or is taken or modified
from a secondary source, it carries an implicit intent that the assigner of the
task (in this case the teacher) wishes to achieve by assigning the problem
task to the solver (in this case the student). There are bound to be
mismatches between what the assigner wishes to achieve and what actually
is achieved during the solving process. Accordingly, we must aim to reduce if
not eliminate these mismatches. One of the ways to reduce the mismatches is
to produce items that would be construed and carried out by the learners in a
way that was initially intended. This implies writing good assessment items.
Some of the issues we have with assessment items involve
deficiencies in the technical aspects of writing the problems. Unless an
assessment item is written carefully, there are bound to be inconsistencies in
the way these items are perceived by the students who work on them in their
tests. Noddings (1988) has claimed that structural features in the problems
themselves account for some student difficulty.
Verschaffel, Greer, and De Corte (2000), who were referring to word
problems, claimed that several components can be distinguished in a word
problem:
 The mathematical structure: i.e., the nature of the given and unknown
quantities involved in the problem, as well as the kind of mathematical
operation(s) by which the unknown quantities can be derived from the
givens.

 The semantic structure: i.e., the way in which an interpretation of the

text points to particular mathematical relationships – for example, when
the text implies a change from an initial quantity to a subsequent
quantity by addition or subtraction, or a combination of disjoint subsets
into a superset, or the additive comparison between two collections,
then in each case operations of addition or subtraction are indicated.
 The context: What is the problem about, e.g., whether, in the case of an
additive problem involving combination of disjoint sets, it deals with
groups of people joining each other, with collections of objects, etc.
 The format: i.e., how the problem is formulated and presented, involving
such factors as the placement of the question, the complexity of the
lexical and grammatical structures, the presence of superfluous
information, etc.
The mathematical structure, the semantic structure, the context and the
format can provide a framework to look at particular problems that primary
students solve. Verschaffel et al. (2000) characterization of word problems is
quite similar to Kulm‘s (1979) categories of task variables. Kulm commented
that task variables can be broadly categorized as those that: (1) describe the
problem syntax, (2) characterize the problem‘s mathematical content and non-
mathematical context, (3) describe the structure of the problem, and (4)
characterize the heuristic process evoked by the problem. Although word
problems at the primary level are traditionally discussed within the domain of
numbers, the points mentioned above are generally applicable to problems
from other domains. The framework can also provide a lens for looking at
deficiencies in items. A poorly written test item can be defective in one or
more of the above categories.
Errors in Mathematics Assessment Items

The errors in the mathematics assessment items that are described in
this chapter were identified in the test construction task which is a major
assignment of pre-service teachers following the final year of the degree
programme for teaching at the primary level. In their first year of study, these
pre-service teachers have covered two content courses: one on number and

algebra and the other one on geometry and data. In each of their next three
years of study, the student teachers take a course on the teaching and
learning of mathematics at the primary level. The last of these courses in their
fourth year of study is split over two semesters, of which in the last semester
the students take a course on assessment in mathematics and the planning
and construction of test items for mathematics tests and examinations.
Student teachers learn how to construct a table of specifications (TOS) for
constructing a test and how to develop test items based on the TOS. Issues
about test objectives, types of items, difficulty level of items, types of marks
and marking schemes are discussed during this course. They are also
exposed to alternative modes of assessment. The items discussed here were
collected from the test that the degree pre-service teachers developed after
following the course as part of their final project. As a marking scheme had to
be provided, the pre-service teachers‘ solutions were helpful in categorizing
the items and providing a window on their thinking when they developed the
items. Often, there were mismatches between what these pre-service
teachers wrote as items and what they actually solved. An analysis of the test
items, together with the proposed solutions, was helpful in categorizing the
types of errors in the test items. The errors in the mathematics test items are
divided into four groups: errors in the use of language, errors due to a poor
mastery of content knowledge, errors due to poor diagrams as support, and
errors due to an inappropriate context.
1. Language-related errors
It was noted that errors in assessment items due to the language were
of several types:
1. Unclear Instructions
These types of errors do not give a clear indication about what to do in the
item. For example, in the item described in Figure 1, the writer was not clear
about finding the sum of 9.7 and 0.5 and then dividing by 100. This type of
errors can be generally attributed to a lack of mastery of the language of
communication. Hence, it leads to a mismatch between what the writer
intends and what is actually written down.

2. Missing Keyword or Phrase

This type of error occurs when certain key words or phrases are omitted from
the instructions in the item. For example, in the item described in Figure 2, the
key word ―equal‖ was omitted which makes it impossible to solve as the
problem was not meant to be open ended. Unless it is clearly stated that there
are 8 equal parts, the problem cannot be solved.
3. Using the Incorrect Direction Verb

This type of error occurs when the incorrect direction verb (words such as
find, calculate, show, estimate, draw, prove, etc.) is used. In the item
described in Figure 3, it does not make sense to say ―prove your answer
clearly‖. For students at the primary level this term can be quite confusing.

4. Incorrect Description of the Context

This type of error is due to a poor description of the context. Usually it is also
due to a poor grasp of the language of communication. In the item in Figure 4,
the sentence ―You have a clock that is spoilt from 12 pm onwards‖, very
poorly describes what the writer of the item actually meant.
2. Content-related Errors
Some of the errors in the assessment items are identified as being due
to a lack of content knowledge.
1. Over-defined Conditions
These types of errors are noted particularly in geometry items. Typically the
writers of these items disregard some of the constraints under which a
geometrical figure may or may not exist. One such item is shown in Figure 5,
in which the lengths of the sides of the largest triangle clearly determine the
height of the triangle. By giving the height of the triangle as 5 m, the writer
ignores this fundamental geometrical property.

Figure 5. Over-defined conditions 1

In the item in Figure 6, a similar situation arises. The sides of the

equilateral triangle amply define the height of the triangle. By giving an
arbitrary value to this height, the writer of this item provided an artificial
context in which many students would be tempted to give the area of one of
the equilateral triangles as ―half of the base times height‖.
Figure 6. Over-defined conditions 2
For the item in Figure 7, there was no requirement for the triangle to be
right-angled if the skill that the writer of the item was looking for was, to find
the perimeter when three sides of a triangle were given. However, by showing
the triangle to be right-angled, the writer overlooked the fact that the
conditions no longer satisfy Pythagoras theorem.
Figure 7. Over-defined conditions

2. Mathematical Concepts
This type of errors are noticed when the writers demonstrate a lack of
knowledge about certain basic mathematical concepts. For example, in the
item in Figure 8, the writer is not clear about what the figure was or what the
whole is. Is one circular shape the required figure or do the two circular
shapes together constitute the figure? As the two possible responses can be
found in the options for the answers, this multiple choice item is misleading.
Another such item is shown in Figure 9. The writer was trying to

compare length and area which does not make sense in this context.

In the multiple choice item in Figure 10, the writer was not clear about
the term ―estimate‖. The exact value 1.2 appears as one of the options which
was the expected answer. This error may also be categorized as a language
error in which an incorrect direction verb is used.
In the multiple choice test item described in Figure 11, the expected
answer is 250, when in actual practice the context does not allow this answer
unless we can cut the given cuboid into the small cubes.
3. Errors related to diagrams as support

The purpose of a diagram in a problem is to provide a support to the
students who are going to work on the problem. In geometry, a diagram helps
students to visualize the situation in which the problem is described by
showing all of the relevant information pertaining to the problem concisely. If a
diagram is not drawn properly, then there is a risk that it might be
counterproductive making the problem more abstract for the primary students.

In quite a few cases, the writers of the items produced diagrams which were
lacking in several ways.
1. Assuming Sides to be Perpendicular or Parallel

There were cases whereby the writers of the items assumed certain
sides to be parallel or perpendicular or certain angles to be right angles.
Students working on the items were expected to be able to visually identify
parallel and perpendicular sides. For example, in the test item described in
Figure 12, the writer assumes that the side AD of the trapezium is
perpendicular to the sides AB and DC. The stem of the item did not provide
relevant information about the figure.
The assumption of sides being parallel and angles being right angles
can be noticed in the test items described in Figures 13 and 14 below. Such
assumptions can mislead students to assume these conditions from a visual
examination of the figures.

2. Disproportionate Diagrams
In the test item in Figure 15 below, the writer used different dimensions
in the figure to represent the same length (radius of circle). Besides using the
term quadrant which is already a dificult term for primary students, the writer
made the diagram quite misleading for young students.

In the test item in Figure 16, the writer showed a diagram in which the
cubes look like cuboids. Although a solution can be found, a wrong idea may
be conveyed to primary students about what are cubes.
3. Complex Diagrams
In the test item in Figure 17, the diagram was clearly very complex and
misleading as well. A primary student trying to solve this problem will be
completely lost as to what has to be found.

Another item with a misleading diagram is shown in Figure 18. The

writer did not make clear about the number of rectangles in the diagram.
4. Context-related errors
The context of a problem is an important aspect that has to be carefully
chosen for the problem to make sense. In the item in Figure 19, we have a

very unrealistic situation whereby the 5000 m race is supposed to be run in 10

minutes and 25 seconds. It is well-known that the world record for the 5000 m
race is in excess of 10 minutes and 25 seconds (currently at 12 minutes and
53.32 seconds). The context should not give wrong information. Also note the
American spelling of the word meters used in this item.
In the item in Figure 20 below, the writer had ignored the fact that
wooden cubes will float in water.
For Figure 21, we may ask questions such as ―Is the piece of cloth
rectangular or not?‖ and ―How was the cut made?‖

Discussion
The four types of errors described above can be connected to the four
categories described by Verschaffel, Greer, and De Corte (2000). For
example, language-related errors can be connected to errors in the semantic
structure as well as errors in the format.
All the above items came from a group of pre-service teachers.
However, it is a truism that pre-service teachers are not full-fledged teachers
and hence we cannot rightfully expect them to produce test items that
experienced teachers will be able to produce fairly easily. Even at the end of
their courses, ―Pre-service teachers rarely exit their mathematics teacher
preparation program as experts‖ (Morris, 2006, p. 471). However, teachers
need to be able to recognize the qualities of an item that makes it a good
item.
The issues identified above point to several causes. Carter (1984)
claimed that while we wish to help students develop skills that will foster
higher test results, an equal emphasis on teachers‘ test-making skills has not
emerged. She added that:
(1) there is some insecurity among pre-service teachers in writing good
assessment items in a language that is still problematic for many of
them,
(2) the pre-service teachers tend to copy or paraphrase similar items
from textbooks and their lecture notes and often make mistakes in
doing so,
(3) the pre-service teachers spend very little time editing or revising
their test items.
We may also add that not all pre-service teachers demonstrate the
same level of content mastery as is required of them.
Regarding assessment, the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics (1991) has clearly mentioned that mathematics teachers should
engage in ongoing analysis of teaching and learning by observing, listening
to, and gathering other information about students to assess what they are
learning and as well examining effects of the tasks, discourse, and learning
environment on students‘ mathematical knowledge, skills and dispositions.

So, what kinds of knowledge do teachers need for assessing their students‘
learning?
Shulman (1987) stated that teaching is essentially a learned profession
and that teaching necessarily begins with a teacher‘s understanding of what is
to be learned and how it is to be taught. If we assume that a teacher knows
what is to be learned by the students, then the biggest issue is ―how it is to be
taught‖. This depends on several factors, of which the teacher‘s
understanding of students‘ mathematical learning is extremely important.
Furthermore, we can also ask: ―How do we know that we have been
successful in teaching?‖ This question has very important implications for
teacher education, and we have to carefully integrate in teacher education
courses knowledge about how to assess students‘ mathematical learning in
schools. Knowledge about writing good items for mathematical tests cuts
across many of the seven categories described by Shulman and most
importantly mathematical content knowledge (MCK) and mathematical
pedagogical content knowledge (MPCK) stand out of the lot.
If an item is poorly written, students may still feel that the item is correct
and then attempt to get an answer that may make some sense within the topic
area, despite the inherent flaws in the item. The assessment of students‘
performance based on such items is bound to be difficult to interpret. If the
students apply the correct procedures and rules that they would normally
apply for a well-designed test item and get the expected numerical answer, do
we penalize them for not spotting the flaw in the question? If a student does
not get the expected numerical answer, do we give the student the benefit of
the doubt that he or she could not attempt the problem because of the
inherent flaw in the problem? Thus, defective items in a test can become a
very serious issue. Proper monitoring mechanism should be put in place to
eliminate such items from school tests.
Pre-service teachers may improve the quality of their test items by
being more systematic. A few questions that they can ask themselves (see
Dindyal, 2006): What is the purpose of this item? What are the objectives to
be tested? What is the mathematical topic or content area on which the item
is based? Does the wording of the item correctly convey all necessary
information? Are the correct direction verbs used? Is the corresponding figure

associated with the item drawn correctly? Are all dimensions in the figure
possible within the imposed geometrical constraints? What are the resources
to be used in solving this problem? What is the expected answer? Does the
answer make sense? Who will work on the items? How much time is to be
spent on the solution of this problem? While this list is not exhaustive, it
provides some guidance for the teacher. It is advisable that test items be pilot
tested. Colleagues can also provide valuable suggestions on how to improve
any test item.
Summary
Assessment has a long history in education and will certainly be an
important aspect of teaching and learning at all levels of formal education.
Recent moves towards looking at assessment of learning, assessment and
assessment as learning point to an increasingly important role of assessment
in the curriculum. Accordingly, teachers of mathematics will continue to use
tests for gauging students‘ learning of mathematics. Teachers cannot rely only
on ready-made items from textbooks and other sources. They will have to
construct original test items. One way to help teachers in assessing their
students‘ learning would be to help them construct good assessment items.
Besides well-organized professional development courses, the best way to
ensure that teachers learn about tests and test construction, is to make it an
essential component of their teacher preparation courses. The mathematics
test items discussed in this chapter amply demonstrate that we should not
take these items at face value. The items need to be carefully vetted to
eliminate any shortcomings that may compromise their effectiveness. A
student‘s response to a poorly constructed item in a test is not very
informative to the teacher about what the student knows and is able to do.
Enrichment
 As supplementary activity, you can read the research article titled, ―The
impact of item-writing flaws and item complexity on examination item
difficulty and discrimination value‖ through this link:
https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-016-
0773-3

 Try also reading the book titled, ―Common Mistakes in Teaching

Elementary Mathematics-and How to Avoid Them‖ written Fuchang Liu. It
is very interesting, and awfully informative material to read for
Mathematics teachers. (to be posted in your G-classroom)
Assessment
1. Describe a good mathematical task or problem in not less than 2
sentences.
2. What are the 4 common errors in math item assessment? Describe them
briefly.
3. What are the specific errors classified as language-related? Explain each.
4. What are the specific errors classified as content-related? Explain each.
5. What are the specific errors related to diagram? Explain each.
6. What are the specific errors classified as context-related? Explain each.
7. Identify the specific error present in the given math tasks:
7.1. You have a clock at home that is spoilt from 12 pm onwards,
for every 5 minutes that it moves, the minute hand will slide
back 1 minute. If the clock shows 5pm, what is the actual
time?
7.2. A tank, 20 cm by 10cm is filled with ¼ with water. 4 wooden
cubes of the same size are placed into the tank and the
water level rose by 20%. When I poured in more water, the
water level rose by another 20%. What is the total volume of
the water and the 4 wooden cubes now?
7.3. The figure below is made up of 5 equilateral triangles. Find
the area.
15 cm
13 cm

8. Assess yourself for the following learning tasks. Put a check (√) on the
level of your mastery.
Learning Tasks Mastered Not
Mastered
1. I can characterize a good mathematical task or
problem
2. I can list the 4 common errors in item
assessment in mathematics
3. I can compare language-related to content-
related errors
4. I can compare the context-related to diagram-
related errors
5. I can enumerate the language-related errors
6. I can enumerate the errors related to diagram
7. I can enumerate the content-related errors
8. I can enumerate the context-related errors
9. I can explain each specific error
10. I can identify the error present in a given task
11. I can name the identified error in a given task
References
Carter, K. (1984). Do teachers understand principles for test writing? Journal
of Teacher Education, 35(6), 57-60.
Dindyal, J. (2006). Defective assessment items in mathematics. Maths Buzz,
6(2), 7-8. Dindyal, J. (2009). Mathematical problems for the secondary
classroom. In B. Kaur, B.
Lester, F. K. (1983). Trends and issues in mathematical problem-solving
research. In R. Lesh & M. Landau (Eds.), Acquisition of Mathematics
Concepts and Processes (pp. 229-261). Orlando, FL: Academic Press.
Mason, J., & Johnston-Wilder, S. (2006). Designing and Using Mathematical
Tasks. St Albans: Tarquin Publications.
Morris, A. K. (2006). Assessing pre-service teachers‘ skills for analyzing
teaching. JOURNAL OF MATHEMATICS TEACHER EDUCATION, 9,
471-505.
National Research Council. (1989). Everybody Counts. Washington, DC:
National Academy Press.
Shulman, L. S. (1987). Knowledge and teaching: Foundations of the
new reform. Harvard Educational Review, 57(1), 1-22.
Verschaffel, L., Greer, B., & De Corte, E. (2000). Making Sense of Word
Problems. Lisse, The Netherlands: Swets & Zeitlinger Publishers.

CHAPTER 9
AFFECTIVE ASSESSMENT IN THE MATHEMATICS CLASSROOM
Overview
This chapter discusses the nature and rationale of affective
assessment in the mathematics classroom, and introduces mathematics
teachers to three techniques of affective assessment as a quick start: (1) a
summated scale; (2) an interest inventory; and (3) a semantic differential. It is
useful for teachers who wish to take up the challenge of assessing affects. A
list for further reading is also provided for interested readers.
Objective
At the end of the chapter, the pre-service teachers can thoroughly
examine the nature and rationale of affective assessment in mathematics
classroom.
Lesson 1. Making Use of Affective Assessment as Supplementary Tool

in Evaluating Mathematics Learning
Pre-discussion
Student assessment in the mathematics classroom often focuses on
cognitive learning outcomes. However, teachers are as concerned that
students develop positive attitudes towards mathematics as they are about
their attainment of cognitive objectives. They lament the poor attitudes
students have towards mathematics, especially those of students who do not
do well in mathematics. Unfortunately, more often than not, teachers can
hardly afford much time for affective development and its assessment in the
classrooms. Affective learning outcomes have taken a backseat to the
cognitive ones, as teachers concentrate on preparing students to do well in
high-stakes examinations. It would be a challenge to carve some time out
from a lesson to attend to affective learning outcomes. It would be a greater
challenge if teachers are to assess for affective development in a planned or
systematic manner. Instead, teachers rely on their interactions with students,

the manner in which students complete the assigned work, or students‘

willingness to participate in learning activities, for evidence of students‘
attitudes towards mathematics. In fairness, even when teachers are willing, it
is an unfamiliar assessment territory that they find themselves in. Compared
to cognitive assessment, teachers do not talk much about techniques for
assessing affect. Also, the nature of affect - consisting of abstract entities
which describe behaviours characterized by feelings, emotions, interests or
values - presents an assessment challenge: What is affect, precisely, and
how can it be adequately measured and assessed? Would affective
assessment helps or suffices the true measure of students‘ learning?
What to Expect?
1. recognize the need to measure affect in mathematics;
2. identify the reasons for assessing affective outcomes;
3. discuss the affect variables to be assessed;
4. compare the nature of affective assessment relative to the cognitive
way; and
5. use some techniques in assessing affect.
Affective Development
In recent years, more attention has been paid to the assessment of
affective learning outcomes. The Singapore Ministry of Education positions
‗attitudes‘ as one of its five cornerstones - concepts, skills, process,
metacognition and attitudes - supporting the overarching curricular goal of
developing the ability of students to solve mathematics problems. Here,
attitudes refer to the affective aspects of mathematics learning such as
 Beliefs about mathematics and its usefulness
 Interest and enjoyment in learning mathematics
 Appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics
 Confidence in using mathematics
 Perseverance in solving a problem (Ministry of Education, 2006)

The development of favourable attitudes towards mathematics is

recognized as a crucial aim of a mathematical education. The NCTM
advocates the assessment of students‘ mathematical disposition. In fact, two
of the five general educational goals for precollege students listed in the
Curriculum Standards (NCTM, 1989, pp. 5-6) are affective goals. Such
assessment should seek information about students on affective objectives
such as confidence in using mathematics, willingness to persevere in
mathematical tasks, interest and curiosity in doing mathematics, and valuing
of the application of mathematics. The Council also recommends that the
evaluation of teaching should also include evidence of teachers fostering
students‘ mathematical disposition. For example, do teachers model a
disposition to do mathematics, show the value of mathematics or promote
students‘ confidence, perseverance and curiosity in mathematics related
activities?
In this chapter, we will set out some reasons for wanting to promote
affective development and for assessing affect, before going on to propose
some ways in which the classroom teacher can carry out affective
assessment in the classroom. Along the way, we will briefly discuss the nature
of affect and the challenges it presents to assessment. There are all sorts of
affective targets that can be assessed; those listed in the Singapore
mathematics curriculum document should suffice. Now, we know that our
students know we assess what we value. By suggesting that affective
assessment should be an integral part of classroom life, we hope to raise the
awareness of teachers and students alike to the crucial role of affect in
learning mathematics. This chapter offers the readers a small step forward to
more serious dialogue among members of the mathematics education
community. Readers are reminded that the sections in this chapter may be
read in any order and they may proceed to the section a few techniques of
assessing affect if they wish.
Some Reasons for Assessing Affective Outcomes

 ―My class did not do well in the final exams because it has such bad
attitude towards maths.‖

 ―Your son failed because he is interested in history but not maths.‖

 ―This class is very enthusiastic when it comes to maths.‖
 (Student) ―I don‘t see any use in learning factorisation of quadratic
expressions; it‘s meaningless!‖
These utterances point to the affective status of students. We use the
concept or construct of attitude, interest, or value to explain the behaviours of
our students or their performance in mathematics exams. Popham (2006),
who has written extensively about educational assessment and evaluation,
uses the term affect to refer to students‘ attitudes, interests and values.
An immediate answer to the question of why we should assess affect
is: ―Students‘ affect should be assessed so that both teachers and students
can do something about it.‖ Affect impacts not only the immediate but also the
long-term learning of mathematics. Researches have shown the influence of
affective conditions of students on students‘ cognitive learning. Most learning
outcomes may be classified under three domains, namely, cognitive, affective
and psychomotor. However, we should avoid thinking of these domains as if
they are independent of each other. Positive or negative feelings, for
example, can facilitate or inhibit, respectively, cognitive or psychomotor
learning. This influence on learning is one reason for promoting affective
learning outcomes and their assessment. A teacher who wishes to adjust the
instructional approach or modify the classroom environment in order to foster
the desired attitudes towards mathematics in students would in general do
better with evidence from a planned assessment of attitude than from
perchance observations.
The feelings and emotions one has in solving a mathematics problem,
influence not only the students‘ immediate attainment of cognitive learning
outcomes, but also their using mathematics confidently in future to solve real-
world problems. Indeed, in the daily mathematics lesson, when a student is
confronted with a mathematical problem (in contrast to a problem for
exercise), it is a feeling of challenge or of despair that strikes the student first.
It is then a matter of ―fight or flight‖. Of course, there is a third reaction—total
disinterest - which still is in the realm of affect.

Popham (2006) argues convincingly that a student‘s current affective

status predicts that student‘s future behaviour and that our students‘ future is
what we teachers are concerned about in schools. In other words, the positive
feelings a student has towards solving non-routine or novel mathematics
problems will predispose him or her to solve such problems in the future,
which is any mathematics teacher‘s wish for their students‘ behaviour towards
mathematics. In short, promoting positive affect towards mathematics is an
important curricular goal for the discipline!
Teachers would want affective assessment evidence that has been
systematically collected for guidance, counselling and diagnosis purposes.
From experience, we know too well that a student with excellent grades in
mathematics may not like mathematics enough to pursue further study. And,
while we may have diagnosed the misconceptions a student has about a
particular concept (think fractions) to its mathematical roots, part of our ―cure‖
may have to address the affective aspects of learning mathematics.
Hence, affective learning outcomes are an educational goal in its own
right and one which should be assessed. Affective assessment of the planned
and systematic variant is important for another reason. Now, being human, a
teacher may think that the attitude of a certain group of students towards
mathematics to be less than desirable (e.g., not persevering or interested
enough). To these students, however, they are trying their utmost to do well
and are frustrated by their lack of success. Simple cues from students in
mathematics classrooms may suggest students‘ feeling towards the subject.
For example, their sullen faces which, unfortunately and by chance, may
happen to be caught by a teacher, may inadvertently give the impression of a
dislike for mathematics. Such a mismatch between teacher‘s and students‘
perception of affective status can be detrimental to both parties.
As professionals, teachers should want to ensure that our very own
attitude towards our students is based on more reliable evidence than just
impressions derived from unplanned observations. We want to be as certain
as we can about our assessment of the students‘ attitude. We do not want to
unwittingly suggest to them that we think badly of their attitude towards
mathematics, perhaps in a somewhat bi-directional fashion, our students‘
attitude towards mathematics may be shaped by what they think their

mathematics teacher‘s attitude towards them as learners of mathematics is.

Finally, affective assessment evidence is needed in the evaluation of the
mathematics curriculum in which effectiveness is measured not only in terms
of cognitive attainments but also attitudinal changes.
Affect: Disposition, Beliefs, Attitudes, Interests, Values and What Else?
We have to admit that we have been using the terms affect,

disposition, beliefs, attitudes, interests, and values rather loosely. These
concepts overlap in many ways but they are distinguishable at times. Instead
of trying to define these terms using a string of words which call for further
definition, we feel it will be useful at this point of our learning journey, to look
into the nature of these ideas by means of examples in the next few sections.
Another reason for not attempting to discuss these ideas in detail is because
many people have debated and written books about them. Thus, we
recommend some further readings at the end of chapter, and leave it to the
interested teachers or students to investigate them thoroughly.
We would call it a belief about mathematics rather than an interest if
the student reports to us ―I think mathematics is useful‖. Similarly, when the
student tells us that he or she enjoys doing challenging mathematics
problems, it is more an attitude towards learning mathematics rather than a
belief about mathematics. If the student says that he is struggling, it would be
a value rather than an indication of beliefs or interests.
Such statements are often used as prompts in a self-report or in a
checklist of behaviours to reflect a particular affect. Examples of statements
used in self-reports to elicit assessment evidence on the various affective
targets are in the textbox.

Next, we must bear in mind that attitude is always directed at an object

or an idea. Quite often, when we talk about someone‘s attitude, we actually
mean his or her attitude towards something. Hence, in the mathematics
classroom, we may be interested in students‘ attitude towards self in learning
mathematics (I am not good at Maths) or students‘ attitude towards a topic
(Algebra is cool!) and so on. There are many aspects of mathematics and its
teaching and learning that can be targets for a student to have an attitude
towards. We will use the term ―attitudinal object‖ or simply ―object‖ when we
want to talk about it in general.
Finally, we cannot observe an attitude or belief directly. Beliefs,
attitudes, interests, and values, being conceptual, are inferences made from
observed or self-reported behaviours. We do not observe a student‘s attitude
towards mathematics. All we do is to infer (soundly or not) from what the
student does and says about or reacts to mathematics. This poses a problem:
How can we be sure that our inferences from students‘ overt behaviours to
their affective status are dependable? We shall now discuss, again briefly, the
nature of affective assessment.
Nature of Affective Assessment

Affective assessment may involve students‘ opinions, preferences,
attitudes, interests, and values in connection with mathematics, a topic in
mathematics, learning mathematics, a particular learning activity, the
mathematics teacher, or the student himself or herself as a learner of the

subject. Affective assessments, compared to their cognitive counterparts,

have more inherent technical and interpretative challenges. We reiterate that
attitudes, interests, and values, being conceptual, are inferences made from
observed or self-reported behaviours Thus, to measure and assess them, we
can obtain observed evidence of affect. This can be done by observing, by
using checklist, the student‘s behaviour related to the object (e.g.,
mathematics, non-routine problems), or by asking the student to report on his
or her behaviour related to, or feelings towards, or views on the object. Note
that we can do both but, for a busy teacher, self-reports may be more
practical than direct observation of every student.
In cognitive assessments, our focus is mainly on students‘ optimal
performance in tests or other assessment tasks. We assume that the students
will try their best in the test within the given time. An athlete‘s performance in
the Olympics is an example of optimal or maximal performance. For affective
assessments we are more concerned about students‘ typical behaviour
towards something, say, mathematics learning. Students who are positive
towards self (positive self-concept) in relation to mathematics learning will
have a tendency to respond favourably to learning mathematics. These
behaviours are characterized by feelings, emotions, or values. Such students
may, for example, show enthusiasm or engagement (covert behaviours, not
observable) during the daily mathematics lesson by asking questions or
volunteering to look up answers (overt behaviours, observable). Where a
student typically or normally responds enthusiastically, we are inclined to say
that they have a positive disposition towards mathematics. Teachers may use
this information to predict how students will be predisposed to behave in the
future in mathematics lessons. Likewise, students whose affect is negative
(away from something, say, homework) have a tendency to respond
unfavourably towards that something (e.g., dislike homework, avoid doing it).
Transient or one-time feelings or emotions are of lesser concern in affective
assessments, and we should guard against labelling students as having a
poor attitude towards mathematics based on their atypical responses.
A technical challenge is the difficulty in linking the observed behaviours
or self-reports to the concept of attitude, interest, or values. In the first place,
unlike mathematics tests, there are no ―right‖ or ―wrong‖ answers in the

assessment of affect. Depending on the manner in which the affective

responses are captured, a student may react in a socially desirable way so as
to project the expected image, especially where persons of authority such as
their teachers are involved. Does a student‘s smile when solving a
mathematics problem indicate enjoyment of mathematics? Well, he may be
thinking what a silly question the mathematics teacher has set; or he has seen
the solution of the question before. Some students may fake answers or
behave untypically for some reasons, e.g., fear that their responses might be
held against them. So we want students to be honest in supplying us with
information about their affect. Then, it is of utmost importance that anonymity
and/or confidentiality be assured in order to collect accurate affective
assessment evidence.
This brings us to another aspect of affective assessment that is
different from cognitive assessment for the classroom teacher. We agree with
Popham (2006) that the focus of affective assessment should be on the status
of the students as a class than as individuals. The requirement of anonymity
and/or confidentiality, as well as respect for sensitivity of the nature of affect,
necessitates a treatment of affective measures at a group or class level.
Therefore we suggest, based on what we know about the nature of affect and
the purpose we have for its assessment that teachers carry out affective
assessment at the classroom level. We recommend that their inferences
about students‘ affective status to be directed at students as a group rather
than at a student, at least until we know how to do it more accurately.
A technical challenge in student assessment is the accuracy of the
inference from the assessment evidence to the construct being assessed. For
example, in a written test to assess understanding, a student‘s written solution
may indicate memory work (hence rote-learning) rather than understanding.
Hence for affective assessment, it would also be challenging to link the
evidence (observed behaviours) for affective assessment to the constructs of
beliefs, attitudes, interests, and values. The correlation between overt
behaviours and covert attitudes or interests is far from being perfect in that we
may not be able to predict accurately how a student will be disposed to
respond. Being situation-specific, a student‘s reaction will depend on both
internal (within the student, e.g., tiredness, unhappiness) and external (in the

surroundings, e.g., hot day) factors at play at the time when the assessment
evidence is being collected. In the prediction of behaviour from attitude, we
have to constantly remind ourselves that it is a tendency or predisposition to
behave in a particular way. Hence, we should avoid using once-off behaviours
of students related to mathematics as their attitude towards mathematics.
Techniques of Assessing Affect

Self-report by students and observation by teachers are two ways of
obtaining affective assessment evidence. There are other ways but we
recommend the self-report for classroom use, to be realistic and practical.
Bear in mind that there is already little curriculum time left for affective
development and affective assessment, and a teacher‘s work seems never
done. For example, the self-report can be completed by students within a
short time at the end of a lesson or taken home to complete.
1. Crafting your own summative scale

The summated scale is the most convenient technique to use in the
classroom. To craft your own summated scale, follow the steps below:
1. Gather or write a number of statements relevant to the affect we have in
mind. Use only statements that seem to be either definitely favourable
or unfavourable to the affect object. Check your collection of statements
for coherence, in the sense that the statements are all about that
particular affect, so that it makes some sense to add up or ―sum‖ the
scores to each statement later. The following are statements about the
affect ―Attitude towards learning mathematics‖.
2. Present the statements along with an agreement-disagreement scale to

the students. Depending on a number of factors such as age of your
students, and purpose of gathering the affective evidence, the scale
may consist of only two categories (Agree - Disagree) or five categories

(Strongly Disagree – Disagree – Undecided – Agree - Strongly Agree).

Give each category of the scale a score. For example, for a two-point
scale, a score of 0 for ―Disagree‖, and 1 for ―Agree‖. For a 5-point scale,
a score of 1 for Strongly Disagree, 2 for Disagree, 3 for Undecided, 4 for
Agree, and 5 for Strongly Agree. So long as it is consistent in terms of
the attitudinal direction, it makes no difference which end of the scale is
given a higher score. You may have heard of the Likert scale. It usually
uses the score of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 for the Strongly Disagree to Strongly
Agree categories.
3. Obtain the total score for a student by computing the student‘s score to
each statement. Before doing so, make sure that the scores reflect the
attitudinal direction. For example, if favourable statements are scored 5
for strongly agree, and unfavourable statements are scored 1, before
computing the total score, we reverse a student‘s score of 1 on an
unfavourable statement to 5, score 2 to 4, and leave the score of 3
unchanged, i.e., mathematically, we change a score of X to 6−X.
Remember to be consistent in the choice of attitudinal direction.
4. The total score for a student gives an indication of his or her affective
status. However, recall that we should be looking at the overall affective
status of the students as a group or class. Interpret the scores
accordingly.
5. You may have decided to assess several aspects of affect (say,

interests and values) in one go, and so put the statements about the
attitudinal objects in the same self-report forms. When summing the
scores, remember to add separately the scores to statements relating to
a particular affect (e.g., interests) to reflect the ―amount‖ of that
particular affect; a summing up of all statements across a few affects
can be misleading.
Perhaps, we may have over-simplified the process of crafting your

own summated scale. We need to evaluate the suitability of the statements

as indicators of the attitude we are assessing. We also have to check that

the statements use a language appropriate to the target students (e.g.,
primary or secondary school). We should give students the instructions on
how to complete and submit the self-report (here we recommend anonymity
and confidentiality).
Now, you may ask: How many statements should we use? To be
usable in the classroom, we recommend not having too many items. A
Likert scale consists of 8 to 15 statements. However, choose a number
which you think will meet your informational need. Now you can improve on
the scale somewhat by carrying out what is called ―item analysis‖. We use
the idea of item discrimination which is outlined below. Generally speaking,
an item or a statement must distinguish between students with positive
attitude from those with negative attitude towards an object.
Form contrast groups by taking the high-scoring quarter (or half, if you
must) and the lower-scoring quarter (or half) of the students who responded
to the attitude scale. If there are too many students, you may reduce this to
the top and bottom one third. For each statement, compare the distribution
of responses of the high-group and low-group. Select statements which
discriminate between the two groups. Re-write or discard the other
statements. Here are some examples.
Since about the same number in both groups agree or disagree with
the second statement, that statement is NOT discriminating and should be
revised or discarded. Some of you may be able to get the computer software

generate these figures. Finally, if you already have your suspicions that
certain students are positive in that attitude and certain others are negative,
you can check if many of the students in the positive group are found in the
high-scoring group, and many in the negative group are found in the low-
scoring group.
Now, there can be variation in writing the attitudinal statements.
Depending on the attitude or affect we are assessing, it can be interesting and
relevant to use other possible response modes, such as frequency, potency,
recency, or utility (Soh and Tan, 2008). Examples of the variants to the agree-
disagree category are shown next:

2. Generating your own interest inventory
Students are asked to indicate or check the relevant mathematics

activities they are keenly interested in. They may also be asked to rank the
activities in order of preference. Checking is used when the list of activities is
long and ranking is suitable only when the list is short. Scoring, which
depends on the purpose and nature of the measure, can be frequency counts
or weighted summation.
Here is an example of asking students to rank the activities according
to their preference, using 1 for most preferred and 4 for least preferred (no
ties allowed).

When given a maths problem, what would you prefer to do?
3. Crafting your own semantic differential

For variety, you may want to consider a semantic differential. Osgood,
Suci, and Tannenbaum (1957) give a list of adjectives for constructing a
semantic differential. We will explain this technique by means of an example.
Suppose you have just completed the topic of factorisation of quadratic
expressions (secondary school mathematics) or pictorial graphs (primary
school mathematics).
Choose a few pairs of diametrically opposite adjectives (or, if we may
take liberties here, short phrases) that reflect the affect of interest. Ask
students to mark an X in the space between each adjective pair that best
indicates perception of the topic. For example
You may wish to use more spaces in between the adjectives, but to be
practical for classroom use, we recommend three, with X in the middle as
indicating ―undecided‖ or ―no difference‖. Score by adding up the number of
X‘s in each column and report counts or percentages to get an idea of how
the topic went down for the students. Remember to ensure that all the
adjectives are in the same direction; the adjectives above are mixed, so just
adding down the columns will give the wrong answer.

Here is another example of a semantic differential with 10 items and

five points used by Wong and Quek (2009).
Instruction to Students: For each pair of words, circle the line that is closest to
what you think or feel mathematics is.
Summary
If we go by the results of international comparisons such as the TIMSS
and PISA, Singapore mathematics teachers have been successful in helping
students attain the cognitive goals of the curriculum. It is timely now for the
mathematics teachers to attend to the relatively neglected curricular
component of attitude by exploring ways of assessing affective learning in the
classroom. We end here but we hope it is the beginning for mathematics
teachers and educators who wish to take up the challenge of clarifying the
fifth curricular cornerstone of attitude in the Singapore mathematics
curriculum and assessing this goal in the classroom.
Enrichment
 Here are some materials for further readings. There may be other better
reads and we will be happy to hear from you.
1. Aiken, L. R. (1996). Rating Scales and Checklists: Evaluating
Behavior, Personality and Attitude. New York: John Wiley.

2. Ajzen, I. (2005). Attitude, Personality, and Behavior. (2nd ed.).

Milton-Keynes, England: Open University Press.
3. DeVellis, R. J. (2003). Scale Development: Theory and
Applications. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
4. Popham, W. J. (2006). Assessing Students’ Affect. New York, NY:
Routledge. [Remark: Popham‘s Mastering Assessment : A Self-
service System for Educators is a set of fifteen practical easy-to-
use booklets on educational assessment]
Assessment
1. Why is there a need to measure affect in mathematics?
2. Discuss the reasons for assessing affective outcomes.
3. What are affect variables to be assessed in a mathematics classroom?
4. What is the difference between cognitive and affective assessment?
5. Enumerate the techniques in assessing affect. Describe each thoroughly.
References
Goldin, G. A. (2000). Affective pathways and representations in mathematical
problem solving. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 17, 209-219.
Development of Affective Assessment Tools. Retrieved from
http://www.ruelpositive.com/development-affective-assessment-tools
Leder, G. C., Pehkonen, E., & Törner, G. (Eds.). (2002). Beliefs: A Hidden
Variable in Mathematics Education? Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer
Academic Publishers.
McLeod, D. B. (1992). Research on affect in mathematics education: A
reconceptualization. In D.A Grouws (Ed.), Handbook of Research on
Mathematics Teaching and Learning (pp. 575-596). New York: Macmillan.
McLeod, D. B., & Adams, V. M. (Eds.). (1989). Affect and Mathematical
Problem Solving: A New Perspective. New York: Springer-Verlag.
McLeod, D., & McLeod, S. (2002). Synthesis - Beliefs and mathematics
education: Implications for learning, teaching and research. In G. Leder, E.
Pehkonen, & G. Törner (Eds.), Beleifs: A Hidden Variable in Mathematics
Education? (pp. 115-123). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic.
Osgood, C. E., Suci, G., & Tannenbaum, P. (1957). The Measurement of
Meaning. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.
Popham, W. J. (2006). Test Better, Teach Better: The Instructional Role of
Assessment. West Virginia, USA: ASCD.

CHAPTER 10
IMPLEMENTING SELF-ASSESSMENT IN MATHEMATICS
Overview
Drawing mainly on the author‘s experiences in conducting research
and offering courses for in-service teachers in the area of self-assessment,
this chapter addresses some key issues about self-assessment, including
the concepts, methods, and other related aspects about self-assessment.
An exploratory study in self-assessment conducted in Singapore
mathematics classrooms is also briefly presented.
Objective
At the end of the chapter, the students are expected to read and argue
some key issues about self-assessment, including the concepts, applications,
methods, and other related aspects.
Lesson 1. Self-Assessment Strategy in Mathematics Classrooms
Pre-discussion
Over the last two decades, self-assessment, as one of relatively new
assessment strategies, has received increasing attention from mathematics
education researchers and practitioners. In the case of Singapore, self-
assessment was treated as one of the four main new assessment strategies
in a major research project known as the Mathematics Assessment Project
(MAP). It was recently conducted under the Centre for Research in Pedagogy
and Practice of the National Institute of Education (NIE) in both primary and
secondary schools in the country. Moreover, self-assessment has also
become a key topic in in-service training courses in assessment provided at
NIE for school teachers over the last ten years.
This lesson will portray most of the author‘s experiences in conducting
research and offering courses for in-service teachers in the area of self-
assessment to discuss and explore some key issues about self-assessment,
including the concepts, methods, and other related aspects about self-

assessment. In addition, it will also introduce some research work done in this
area based on the MAP project. The discourse ends with a few notes on the
implementation of self-assessment.
What to Expect?
1. Discuss what is self-assessment;
2. Compare structured self-assessment, integrated self-assessment,
and instructional self-assessment from each other;
3. Implement these assessment methods in this course; and
4. Assess the exploratory study in self-assessment.
What is Self-Assessment?
To better understand the concept of self-assessment, we shall first
start with the concept of assessment. Assessment in mathematics is
commonly defined as a process of gathering students‘ evidence about their
knowledge of, ability to do, and disposition toward mathematics and making
inferences for various purposes, or simply, assessment is a process or act of
gathering information and making inferences.
Needless to say, self-assessment literally means that one assesses
him or herself (see Van de Walle, 2004). In teachers‘ assessment of students
in mathematics, students‘ self-assessment is instructed by teachers and
employed by teachers to serve the purpose of teachers‘ assessment. More
specifically, from the perspective of teachers‘ assessment, self-assessment is
an assessment strategy where teachers gather evidence about students
through their self-reviewing, self-reflecting, and self-reporting about their
learning in mathematics, and hence make inferences for a variety of
purposes.
For example, after a teacher has taught a chapter, say, quadratic
equations, he/she can use a standard classroom test, with a suitable Table of
Specifications, to check how much students have achieved about this topic.
Alternatively, the teacher can also use a questionnaire survey to ask students
to report to him/her whether they have understood the concepts of quadratic

equations, how to solve quadratic equations using different methods, and

what difficulties they still have. Both methods can serve the purposes of
teachers‘ assessment. The former is through a traditional written test, and the
latter through students‘ self-assessment.
The effectiveness or value of self-assessment is essentially related to
the fact that, in many cases, one knows himself/herself best. In mathematics
classrooms, what teachers can assess using self-assessment can be about
students‘ cognitive or affective domain, and their learning outcomes or
process (including their learning behavior).
The Singapore mathematics curriculum framework includes five inter-
related aspects with the primary goal being to develop students‘ ability in
mathematical problem solving. These five aspects are concepts, skills,
processes, attitudes, and metacognition, as shown in the following well-known
pentagonal structure (Figure 1).
Self-assessment can be used by teachers to gather evidence about

students‘ learning in mathematics in all the five aspects. It is particularly
effective to assess students‘ metacognition and attitudes, as metacognition
requires students‘ monitoring their own thinking and self-regulating their own
learning, about which the evidence cannot be easily gathered through other

assessment methods (for example, written test or observation). Similarly,

students‘ personal attitudes toward mathematics and mathematics learning,
for example, whether they appreciate the usefulness of mathematics, how
much they like mathematics, and how they perceive about mathematics, are
best known by themselves. It seems clear that self-assessment has unique
value in assessing students‘ metacognition and affect in the learning of
mathematics. Furthermore, teachers can also reflect on or assess their own
teaching, based on the information collected from students‘ self-assessment,
and hence develop reflective teaching.
The new concept of assessment requires that teachers pay attention to
not only the products (or outcomes) of learning, i.e., what students have
achieved, but also the process of learning, or how students have learned. For
the latter, self-assessment has also unique value, as the process of learning
is essentially personalized activity and teachers need to pay attention to
individual students, and for this purpose, self-assessment provides teachers
with an important tool for students to report about their learning process and
behavior.
Self-assessment can also help teachers better meet the challenges
that come with the use of modern or reformed pedagogy, which emphasizes
more student-centered learning, cooperative learning, and differentiated
learning. Under these pedagogical approaches, it is easy to see that it is not
effective and sometimes even impossible for teachers to gather evidence
about students‘ learning process or behaviors by using some other
assessment methods such as test and observation. Instead, self-assessment
can be used as an effective tool for teachers to understand students better
under these pedagogical approaches, as self-assessment allows students to
reveal their own learning process and behavior.
Compared to other assessment methods, self-assessment places more
responsibilities on students. It requires students to play a more active role and
be their own assessors during the process of assessment. It requires students
to be reflective learners by reflecting on their own mathematics knowledge,
confidence, perseverance and attitudes toward mathematics and mathematics
learning. In other words, not only can self-assessment help teachers, it can
also help students to know better about themselves, so they can take more

responsibility of their part and make necessary decision about their further
learning.
It should be pointed out that the above discussion about self-
assessment and its value is all from the perspective of teachers‘ assessment
of students, namely, for teachers to gather evidence about students‘ learning.
Hence, it is initiated and guided by teachers. However, from the perspective
of learning, learners can also do self-assessment about their learning in order
to make decision for their own purposes, that is, students can also be
engaged in self-assessment activities in their learning process, independent
of teachers‘ assessment. In this sense, self-assessment can be viewed as an
act of students‘ self-reviewing and self-reflecting about their own learning in
mathematics, which can lead to self-regulated learning. It appears reasonable
to argue that students‘ engagement in self-assessment initiated by teachers
will help students to develop their habit of doing self-assessment initiated by
themselves.
Methods of Self-Assessment in Mathematics
There are different ways for teachers to implement self-assessment in

mathematics classrooms. For convenience, we use structured self-
assessment, integrated self-assessment, and instructional self-assessment to
describe some important methods of implementing self-assessment in
mathematics classrooms. Also, the examples from the Mathematics
Assessment Project (MAP) shall be primarily used to illustrate the methods.
1. Structured self-assessment
Structured self-assessment here refers to the method that teachers
conduct specific self-assessment by using pre-designed self-assessment
survey forms. It is the most commonly used way for teachers to implement
self-assessment.
Self-assessment survey can be used for summative purposes. In other
words, it can be conducted at the end of a teaching period, for example, after
completing a chapter or a topic, for teachers to know how students have
learned about a chapter or topic.

In MAP, summative self-assessment is specifically implemented

through a self-assessment survey form. Figure 2 below shows a standard
template, called ―mathematics self-assessment sheet‖, for teachers to use in
classrooms.
Self-assessment survey can also be conducted for formative purposes,
in other words, during or prior to teachers‘ teaching of a chapter or a topic for
teachers to make informed instructional decision.
The following is a template, called ―mathematics self-reflection sheet‖
(Figure 3), used in the MAP to gather information about students‘ experience
in solving a particular mathematics task, and to nurture their self-reflection
habit and skills. Undoubtedly, teachers can make the necessary modifications
when using these templates as self-assessment survey forms, so the
assessment can be better suited to the practical situation and need in their
teaching.

Figure 2. Mathematics self-assessment sheet (Source: MAP)

Figure 3. Mathematics self-reflection sheet (Source: MAP)

2. Integrated self-assessment
Instead of being used as a specific or independent assessment activity,
integrated self-assessment refers to self-assessment that is integrated with
other assessment methods. In other words, it is an integral part of an
assessment package.
The recent years have seen the increasing use of many new
assessment methods other than traditional written tests in mathematics. In
Singapore, for example, project assessment and performance assessment
have received nation-wide attention. As is well known, projects or
performance tasks often require students to take an extended period of time
to complete, and some are done as team work. With these approaches, it is
often helpful for teachers to use self-assessment as part of the assessment
package to understand how students have done with these assessment
tasks.
Below is a self-assessment component (Figure 4), which is used as
part of a performance assessment package, for students to do self-reflection
after they have completed a performance task on mensuration at the
Secondary Two level.

A sample of student work for the self-assessment component above is

given in the appendix of this chapter. Readers who are interested to know
more about the performance task and its assessment rubrics can refer to Fan
(2011).
Similarly, self-assessment can also be integrated with other
assessment methods, for example, the whole or part of a journal writing
assessment task can be designed for students to write about their self-
assessment. It can also form part of the portfolio assessment about their
learning over a period of time. Nevertheless, a further discussion about this
aspect is beyond the intention of this chapter.
3. Instructional self-assessment
Instructional self-assessment is an ongoing self-assessment that is
embedded in teachers‘ classroom instruction. It can be treated as part of the
teachers‘ daily instructional activities, especially classroom discourse with the
whole class or individual students. It is usually not structured and pre-
designed. Instead, it is often impromptu and instantaneous in the context of
instructional practice.
In the MAP project, the following list of prompts (see Figure 5) is used
for teachers to engage students in self-assessment with different instructional
scenarios.
Exploratory Study in Self-Assessment
In the earlier sections, we have discussed the concepts, methods and

other related issues of self-assessment in mathematics classrooms. In this
section, we shall briefly introduce an exploratory study that was recently
completed on the use of self-assessment in mathematics classrooms in
Singapore. It should be pointed out that, as a recent review revealed, there
have been very few classroom-based studies available in the area of self-
assessment (see Fan, Quek, and Ng, et al., 2006).

Figure 5. A list of prompts for instructional self-assessment (Source: MAP)
The study was part of a larger research project, the Mathematics

Assessment Project (MAP), which involved a classroom-based intervention in
16 primary and secondary schools for about three school semesters. As
mentioned earlier, four relatively new assessment strategies were studied in
the MAP project. These four strategies included project assessment,
performance assessment, self-assessment, and communication-based
assessment. One of the main reasons for the researchers to include self-
assessment in the study was to let students be more responsible for their

learning, so they could be better motivated and be more reflective in their

learning.
The study had two main research questions. First, what were the
influences of using self-assessment strategies on students‘ learning of
mathematics in their cognitive domain? Second, what were the influences of
using self-assessment strategies on students‘ learning of mathematics in their
affective domain? By focusing on these two questions, the researchers hoped
to better understand how the use of self-assessment strategy can be
effectively integrated into mathematics classrooms in Singapore.
The study was carried out in eight mathematics classrooms, including
four Primary Three and four Secondary One classrooms in two primary and
two secondary schools (two classes in each participating school). For
convenience and to be more specific, below we shall focus on one secondary
school, which is a high-performing school in terms of the average students‘
achievements in GCE O-level examinations.
The intervention of self-assessment was mainly implemented through
the following tasks or activities:
1. Student self-evaluation, which requires students to evaluate their
own learning at the end of a period of teaching, usually once a week
or once a topic;
2. Student self-reflection, conducted as and when it was needed; a
3. Self-assessment prompts, which were designed to be used during
teachers‘ daily classroom discourse when appropriate and helpful
under different scenarios.
Figures 2, 3 and 5 given above show some intervention tools for

classroom use in these three aspects.
The research data, including both quantitative and qualitative, were
collected in a variety of ways, including pre- and post- questionnaire surveys,
school-based examinations, pre- and post- self-assessment tests, self-
assessment intervention tasks, classroom observation, and interviews with
participating students and teachers.
While the quantitative data showed that there appeared to be neutral or
statistically non-significant influence of the self-assessment on students‘

achievement on school-based examinations, the qualitative data, particularly

the interviews with both teachers and students, showed that self-assessment
can not only help teachers improve their teaching by responding to students‘
reflection and feedback, but also promote students‘ self-awareness and meta-
cognition in their learning of mathematics by making them think harder and
deeper about their own learning, and hence help them become better
reflective learners.
The study found that the participating teachers were very confident
about the use of self-assessment in their classroom teaching. They believe
that self-assessment is a good strategy that would benefit teaching and
learning of mathematics and it can be integrated into their mathematics
classrooms. In particular, teachers felt that self-reflection can be done
regularly as a routine activity. In fact, one of the participating teachers started
doing so with non-participating classes after gaining the necessary experience
during the study. Similarly, all of the students interviewed also supported the
idea of using the self-assessment strategy in their classrooms.
Regarding implementation issues, the results suggest that, while self-
assessment is quite feasible to implement with both teachers and students, it
should still be used wisely, including making the requirement of self-
assessment tasks clear to the students, giving students adequate instructions
and help, and using it regularly but not too frequently.
From the exploratory study, the researchers concluded that effectively
implementing self-assessment strategies in the mathematics classrooms can
not only help teachers understand better students‘ learning and their own
teaching, but also provide students with meaningful opportunities to reflect on
their own learning, and hence improve teachers‘ teaching and student‘
learning.
The overall findings from all the four schools implementing self-
assessment were quite consistent, particularly in students‘ and teachers‘
views and reactions about self-assessment, as shown in the qualitative data
collected. Based on the findings of the study, the researchers argued that
student self-assessment can and should be done as an integral or routine
activity in the teaching and learning of mathematics.

Summary
To close this chapter, it is pointed out that teachers must create a
positive and encouraging learning environment in order to effectively
implement self-assessment in mathematics teaching and learning. This will
encourage students to tell the truth about their learning in mathematics.
Obviously, this kind of learning environment is vital for teachers to understand
students‘ learning difficulties, frustrations, and needs for help through the use
of self-assessment.
Besides, teachers should also realize that the evidence gathered from
students through self-assessment is only one indicator about their learning in
mathematics. Due to different reasons, it is possible that sometimes students
might not be willing, or able, to tell the truth (e.g. students might not know
what they do not know, or they might over or underestimate their learning
difficulties). Therefore, it is important for teachers not only to design or use
effective self-assessment tools, but also to help students‘ develop reflective
skills. It is thus helpful, and sometimes even necessary, that teachers use
other assessment methods to gather evidences about students‘ learning for
validation purpose and, ultimately, for a more valid and reliable assessment.
Enrichment
1. For more ideas about self-assessment, watch the video from
https://youtu.be/Qo_5dJ-dlIQ.
2. Read also the following article and researches:
2.1. ―The effects of self-assessment on student learning of
Mathematics.‖ Available at
https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3945&co
ntext=gradschool_theses.
2.2. ―Why self-assessment by children is vital for learning‖ from
https://mathsnoproblem.com/blog/classroom-assessment/self-
assessment-by-children/
2.3. ―Enhancing self-reflection and mathematics achievement of at-risk
urban technical college students‖ from
http://www.gc.cuny.edu/cuny_gc/media/cuny-graduate-
center/pdf/centers/case/enhancing_self_reflection.pdf

Assessment
1. What is self-assessment?
2. Do we need self-assessment in mathematics classrooms? Explain.
3. List down the 3 ways of self-assessment? Differentiate them.
4. Having sufficient knowledge in self-assessment, choose one (1) of the
chapters that was discussed already in class. Prepare a self-
assessment incorporating the 3 ways.
References
Brookhart, S. M., Andolina, M., Zuza, M, & Furman, R. (2004). Minute Math:
An action research study of student self-assessment. Educational Studies
in Mathematics, 57, 213-227.
Csonger, J. E. (1992). Sharing teaching ideas: Mirror, mirror on the wall. . .
Teaching self-assessment to students. Mathematics Teacher, 85, 636-
640.
Fan, L. (2002). In-service training in alternative assessment with Singapore
mathematics teachers. The Mathematics Educator, 6, 77-94.
Fan, L., Quek, K. S., Ng., J. D., et al. (2006). New Assessment Strategies in
Mathematics: An Annotated Bibliography of Alternative Assessment in
Mathematics. Singapore: Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice
(CRPP), National Institute of Education.
Fan, L., Teo, S. W., & Pereira-Mendoza, L. (2009). Student Self-Assessment
for Better Learning in Mathematics: An Exploratory Study in Singapore
Classrooms. Paper presented at the 5th International Self Conference, Al
Ain, UAE.
Fan, L., Quek, K. S., Koay, P. L., Ng, J., Pereira-Mendoza, L., Yeo, S. M., et
al. (2008). Integrating New Assessment Strategies into Mathematics
Classrooms: An Exploratory Study in Singapore Primary and Secondary
Schools. Singapore: Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice,
National Institute of Education. Retrieved January 28, 2011, from
http://www.crpp.nie.edu.sg/~pubs/CRP24_03FLH_FinalResRpt.pdf
Fan, L. (Ed.) (2011). Performance Assessment in Mathematics: Concepts,
Methods, and Examples from Research and Practice in Singapore
Classrooms. Singapore: Pearson.
Stallings,V. & Tascione, C. (1996). Student self-assessment and self-
evaluation. Mathematics Teacher, 89, 548-554.

APPENDIX
A sample of student work on a self-assessment component in
performance assessment

CHAPTER 11
LARGE-SCALE AND CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT
Overview
Assessment is a part of the procedure of making inferences, some of
which are about students, some about curricula, and some about instruction
(Wiliam, 2015). Also, assessment is always a process of reasoning from
evidence. By its very nature, moreover, assessment is imprecise to some
degree. Assessment results are only estimates of what a person knows and
can do (Pellegrino et al., 2001). Assessment results in mathematics education
are and have been used in a variety of ways, particularly when we examine
the impact of large-scale assessment on policy, curriculum, classroom
practice, and individual student‘s careers. When large-scale assessments
focus on monitoring, they are at the system level and some might suggest that
there is no direct impact upon teachers and learners. Such large-scale
assessments are perceived as having little to say about individuals, because
they do not deliver sufficiently reliable results for individuals, but only on
higher levels of aggregation.
In countries like France, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, etc., however,
large-scale assessments include national examinations that all students must
take in order to progress to further studies. Such large-scale assessments are
exit assessments, whereby students cannot leave secondary school without
passing the national exams. The question arises as to what extent are large-
scale assessments for accountability for teachers and students used and how
might such use influence the nature of classroom instruction?
Objective
At the end of the lesson, the students can demonstrate knowledge and
understanding on the nature, characteristics, and purpose of large-scale, as
well as its relationship to classroom assessment.

Lesson 1. Interactions of Large-scale and Classroom Assessment
Pre-discussion
Large-scale assessment and classroom assessment have different
traditions, having been influenced in different ways by learning theories and
perspectives. By tradition, large-scale assessment emanates from a
psychometric or measurement perspective, and is primarily concerned with
scores of groups or individuals, rather than examining students‘ thinking and
communication processes. A psychometric perspective is concerned with
reliably measuring the outcome of learning, rather than the learning itself
(Baird et al., 2014). The types of formats traditionally used in large-scale
assessment are mathematics problems that quite often lead to a single,
correct answer. Some might see these types of questions as more aligned
with a behaviourist or cognitivist perspective as they typically focus on
independent components of knowledge. A focus on problems graded for the
one right answer is sometimes in conflict with classroom assessments that
encourage a range of responses and provide opportunities for students to
demonstrate their reasoning and creativity, and work is being done to
examine large-scale assessment items that encourage a range of responses.
Current approaches to classroom assessment have shifted from a view of
assessment as a series of events that objectively measure the acquisition of
knowledge toward a view of assessment as a social practice that provides
continual insights and information to support student learning and influence
teacher practice.
These views draw on cognitive, constructivist, and sociocultural views
of learning. Experts suggested that the dominant forms of large-scale
assessment did not seem to have a good fit with constructivist theories, yet
classroom assessment, particularly formative assessment, did. Further work
has moved towards socio-cultural theories as a way of theorizing work in
classroom assessment as well as understanding the role context plays in
international assessment results.

What to Expect?
1. define what large-scale assessment is;
2. give some of the examples of large-scale assessment;
3. list down the significance of large-scale assessment;
4. explain the intentions of undertaking large-scale assessment;
5. identify the impacts of large-scale assessment to classroom
assessment;
6. explain the practice of ―teaching to the test‖ in mathematics;
7. identify some examples of positive interaction between large-scale
assessment and classrooms; and
8. make use of the assessment results.
What is large-scale assessment?

Large-scale assessments are those designed with the purpose of
reporting results at the group level and, as such, generally rely on sampling
techniques, make use of sampling weights and replication methods, and
resort to item response theory for the calculation of scale scores. Examples of
large-scale assessments include but are not limited to IEA‘s TIMSS, PIRLS,
ICCS, and ICILS; U.S.-NAEP; OECD‘s PISA, PIAAC, IELS, TALIS, and TALIS
Starting Strong Survey; SACMEC, PASEC, and ERCE. Papers reporting on
very small subsets of respondents, or very specific local issues outside the
general goals of the assessment, will be considered out of scope.
Common Large-Scale Assessments

To provide you a good idea on large-scale assessments, a sample of
the major regional, national and international assessments are briefly
described. Other relevant information about these high-stake tests can be
explored through the given links.
1. TIMSS (https://nces.ed.gov/timss/)
The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)
provides reliable and timely data on the mathematics and science

achievement of U.S. students compared to that of students in other

countries. TIMSS data have been collected from students at grades 4 and
8 since 1995 every 4 years. In addition, TIMSS Advanced measures
advanced mathematics and physics achievement in the final year of
secondary school across countries. TIMSS Advanced data have been
collected internationally three times, in 1995, 2008 and 2015. The United
States participated in TIMSS Advanced in 1995 and 2015. TIMSS is
sponsored by the International Association for the Evaluation of
Educational Achievement (IEA) and conducted in the US by the National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
2. PIRLS (https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pirls/)
The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is an
international comparative assessment that measures student learning in
reading. Since 2001, PIRLS has been administered every 5 years. PIRLS
documents worldwide trends in the reading knowledge of 4th-graders as
well as school and teacher practices related to instruction. Fourth-grade
students complete a reading assessment and questionnaire that
addresses students' attitudes towards reading and their reading habits. In
addition, questionnaires are given to students' teachers and school
principals to gather information about students' school experiences in
developing reading literacy.
3. ICCS (https://www.iea.nl/studies/iea/iccs)
International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) is the
largest international, and only dedicated study of civic and citizenship
education. It makes a substantial contribution to our knowledge about civic
and citizenship education in schools and our understanding of how diverse
countries prepare their young people for citizenship.
Mindful of the new and emerging challenges evident in today‘s world, the
study aims to improve countries‘ understanding of issues such as
students‘ role with respect to global citizenship, environmental
sustainability, social interactions at school, the use of new social media for

civic engagement, digital citizenship, and migration and diversity.

Participating in ICCS provides countries with reliable, comparative data to
help shape educational policies in these critical areas. In addition,
participating in ICCS will help countries to monitor their progress towards
the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
4. ICILS (https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/icils/)
The International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) is
a computer-based international assessment of 8th-grade students'
capacities "to use information communications technologies (ICT)
productively for a range of different purposes, in ways that go beyond a
basic use of ICT" (Fraillon et al., 2018). First conducted in 2013, ICILS
assessed students‘ computer and information literacy (CIL) with an
emphasis on the use of computers as information-seeking, management,
and communication tools. Thereafter, increasing international recognition
of the importance of students‘ abilities to recognize and operationalize
real-world problems using computational formulations led to the
development of the computational thinking (CT) component within ICILS.
The second cycle of ICILS was administered in 2018; it continued to
assess CIL and in the newly added optional assessment component,
assessed CT. In addition, it investigated how these abilities relate both to
in-school and out-of-school contexts that support learning.
5. NAEP (https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/)
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only
assessment that measures what U.S. students know and can do in various
subjects across the nation, states, and in some urban districts. Also known
as The Nation‘s Report Card, NAEP has provided important information
about how students are performing academically since 1969.
NAEP is a congressionally mandated project administered by the National

Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of
Education, and the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).

NAEP is given to a representative sample of students across the country.

Results are reported for groups of students with similar characteristics
(e.g., gender, race and ethnicity, school location), not individual students.
National results are available for all subjects assessed by NAEP. State
and selected urban district results are available for mathematics, reading,
and (in some assessment years) science and writing.
6. PISA (https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pisa/)
The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an
international assessment that measures 15-year-old students' reading,
mathematics, and science literacy every three years. First conducted in
2000, the major domain of study rotates between reading, mathematics,
and science in each cycle. PISA also includes measures of general or
cross-curricular competencies, such as collaborative problem solving. By
design, PISA emphasizes functional skills that students have acquired as
they near the end of compulsory schooling. PISA is coordinated by the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an
intergovernmental organization of industrialized countries, and is
conducted in the United States by NCES. Data collection for the most
recent assessment was completed in Fall 2018.
7. IELS (https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/iels/)
The International Early Learning Study (IELS) is an international play-
based assessment of five-year-olds‘ knowledge and skills in four key
areas: emergent literacy, emergent numeracy, self-regulation, and social
emotional skills. In 2018, the IELS began with a pilot study to inform future
cycles. IELS aims to provide U.S. educators, policy makers, and parents
the opportunity to better understand the skills and competencies of
American children at the beginning of primary school and how they
compare to the skill profiles of 5-year-olds in other countries. This
innovative new study fills important gaps in the international comparisons
of education systems and helps countries to better understand how their
early childhood education and care systems prepare children for primary
school.

Reform in Assessments
One issue is whether the results of large-scale assessment should
drive curriculum and instructional reform (Barnes et al., 2000). Standings on
international assessments of mathematics often drive political and educational
agendas and there have been several examples of this in situations in recent
years. In particular, if countries have nationally organised exit examinations,
these may drive or hinder reform. Some suggest that externally imposed
assessments have been used in attempts to drive reform in some cases (Earl
and Torrance 2000; Mathematical Sciences Education Board [MSEB] and
National Research Council [NRC] 1993). For instance, in many countries the
OECD PISA results have affected curriculum in such a way to focus it more
specifically on particular topics, such as problem solving (De Lange 2007).
‗‗All of these efforts were based on the idea that assessment could be used to
sharpen the focus of teachers by providing a target for their instruction‘‘
(Graue and Smith 1996, p. 114).
Impact of Large-Scale Assessment on Classroom Assessment

The nature and design of assessment tasks and the results of
assessments often have an enormous influence on the instruction
orchestrated by teachers. Swan and Burkhardt (2012) note that the influence
of assessments is not just on the content of instruction, but on the types of
tasks that students often experience (e.g., multiple-choice versus more open
or non-routine problems). If students and teachers are judged based on the
results of large scale assessments, in particular in countries with national exit
examinations, there is a need for students to experience some classroom
assessments that are related to the types of tasks used on such assessments
so the enacted curriculum is aligned with the assessed curriculum and so that
results of the assessments provide useful and reliable evidence to the
educational system. Some have questioned whether large-scale assessments
that are used for accountability measures can be used or designed to
generate information useful for intervention by teachers (Care et al., 2014).
Also, as indicated by Swan and Burkhardt (2014) and Klieme et al., (2004)
there is a need for piloting of assessment tasks or empirical study of
competence levels before these are used in or applied to large-scale

assessments. Piloting provides opportunities for trying tasks in classroom

contexts. As Obersteiner et al. (2015) discuss, when items are developed to
assess competence at different levels and then students‘ solutions are
analysed for potential misconceptions from a psychological perspective,
teachers are able to use competency models in ways that can guide
instruction and help students move forward in their mathematical
understanding.
However, there is some caution about the use of large-scale
assessment types in classroom assessment. If teachers teach to tests
constructed using a psychometric model, they are likely to teach in a
superficial manner that has students learn in small chunks with performance
demonstrated in isolated and disconnected segments of knowledge. A study
by Walcott and colleagues challenges a practice of preparing students for
large-scale multiple-choice assessments by having the majority of classroom
assessments take a multiple choice format. The study results show that, in
fact, the students in classrooms where the teachers are using a variety of
assessments seem to have higher achievement (Walcott et al., 2015). Their
results do not necessarily demonstrate a causal relationship but provide
evidence that a constant use of multiple-choice tests as classroom
assessments may not necessarily lead to high achievement. Brunner and
colleagues provide further evidence of the effects of teaching to the test. They
report that, when students were taught using PISA materials, their
performance on the PISA assessment was similar to the control group in the
study (Brunner et al., 2007). Others have found that assessments that
accompany published materials teachers use in classrooms often fail to
address important process goals for mathematics, such as the ability to
engage in reasoning and proof, communicate about mathematics, solve non-
routine problems, or represent mathematical concepts in multiple ways.
Significance of Large-Scale Assessment

According to UNESCO (2018), the Sustainable Development Goal for
education (SDG 4) call for an increased focus on learning outcomes, with five
of the ten targets highlighting learning skills and outcomes of children and
adults. However, it is extremely difficult to monitor these educational

developments and meet the targets because not all countries conduct national
assessments or participate in regional and cross-national assessments of
learning. This poses a significant challenge in providing initial information for
SDG 4 monitoring and reporting.
In addition, many low-income countries are not or might not be
interested in participating in cross-national assessments, which they feel are
too difficult for their children and therefore do not provide relevant information
on the learning conditions in their countries. At the same time, the donor
community does not have relevant information and quality data to inform their
decisions on how best to support low-income countries improve the learning
outcomes of their children. It is therefore essential to provide the information
needed by the international community to understand the value of advocating
for and helping countries to develop and conduct national and cross-national
assessments.
Obviously, the UNESCO report explains how countries use data from
cross-national assessments in their educational practice and policy; the
implications on investment in education resources; and the challenges they
faced. The goal is to show countries and donors the impact of investing in
large-scale assessments.
Large-scale assessment data have inspired resource allocation in
various countries. Table 1 groups the examples of resource investment under
three main umbrellas:
1. Teachers, training, and professional development
Effective teaching depends on both the skills and motivation of teachers.
Because both can be strengthened and developed, greater resource
allocation to teachers has been a top policy priority as a result of
international assessments.
2. Education funding
Funding for education has been a constant concern and priority for
countries, especially as a result of the growing international awareness
stemming from assessments like PISA, which highlight the resources that
are dedicated to education systems. The World Bank (2018) suggests that
as countries increase their budgets for education, they should "shift

spending patterns‖ so that teachers gain the necessary resources they

require to improve student learning.
3. Educational materials and time resources

Infrastructure, the availability of materials, and use of time inside and
outside the classroom all have substantial influence on the learning
outcomes of students. Increased allocation of resources does not suffice in
improving learning: it must be combined or informed by better use of
resources.
In the Asia-Pacific region, Tobin et al. (2015) reported that the
objectives of large-scale assessments of students‘ learning include quality,
equity and accountability.

Quality
While large-scale assessments of students‘ learning are often used for
multiple purposes, the assessment programs that are linked to policy in the
Asia-Pacific region are more frequently intended to ensure the quality of the
education system. These assessments diagnose system strengths and
weaknesses over time through system monitoring. As an illustration:
 JAPAN used the Programme for International Student Assessment
(PISA) and the Japanese national assessment program to develop
an ‗evidence-based improvement cycle‘ to monitor the quality of its
education system over time (Wiseman, 2013). The Japanese
Ministry of Education (MEXT) was able to identify a suite of issues
for education reform through monitoring Japan‘s performance in
PISA over time, from 2000 to 2009. This monitoring was
complemented by the concurrent identification of issues through
Japan‘s national assessment program, starting in 2007. In order to
improve the targeting and implementation of the identified issues for
reform, MEXT developed an improvement cycle to specify how
reforms would be implemented and monitored at the national, local
and school levels (Suzuki, 2011).

Equity
Assessments can be used to ensure equity of the education system by
examining education outcomes for specified subgroups. Subgroups of interest
are often those which have historically experienced educational disadvantage,
such as girls, children in rural and remote areas, or children from low socio-
economic backgrounds. Assessments can monitor outcomes for these
subgroups, and inform initiatives that aim to address educational inequity. As
an illustration:
 AUSTRALIA‘S participation in international assessments, such as
PISA, has been used to monitor achievement differences between
students from different socioeconomic backgrounds (Dinham,
2013). The country‘s national assessment program has been used
to monitor achievement differences between Indigenous and non-
indigenous students (Ford, 2013).
Accountability
Assessments can also be used for accountability purposes, with the aim of
improving educational quality and equity by reporting assessment outcomes
to stakeholders who are internal or external to the education system. National
assessments, and the few sub-national assessments included in this review,
are more often associated with accountability goals than are international
assessments. In addition, assessments that use a census to test all students
in an education system at specified year levels are more frequently
associated with accountability goals than are sample-based assessments As
an illustration:
 SOUTH KOREA reintroduced its national assessment program in
2008, to be used as an accountability tool. The national assessment
program had been discontinued from 1998 to 2007, but in 2008 the
new government instituted an annual National Diagnostic Exam, a
census assessment of all students in year 3, and a National
Curriculum Exam of all students in years 6, 9 and 10. Aggregate
results are reported to internal stakeholders such as schools and
the federal government. Results are also reported to external

stakeholders, primarily the media and parents, so that teachers and

schools can be held accountable for students‘ learning (Sung &
Kang, 2012).
Teaching to the Test: An Issue

Many might argue or complain that assessments force too many
teachers to teach to the test. Some would argue against large-scale
assessments driving classroom instruction, as often the nature of the large-
scale assessment might narrow the curriculum. Swan and Burkhardt (2012)
argue that if the assessment is well designed and aligns with curriculum goals
then ‗teaching to the test‘ is a positive practice. They suggest that to make
progress, it must be recognised that high-stakes assessment plays three
roles, to wit:
1. Measuring performance across the range of task-types used.
2. Exemplifying performance objectives in an operational form that
teachers and students understand.
3. Determining the pattern of teaching and learning activities in most
classrooms.
They note that large-scale assessments provide messages to class-
room teachers about what is valued and have an impact on both instructional
and assessment activities within a classroom. Their work suggests a need to
develop assessments that pay attention to their implications and align not only
with mathematics content but also with mathematical processes and actions.
However, they add that if the assessments reflect what is important for
students to learn about mathematics, both in terms of content and
performance, then ―teachers who teach to the test are led to deliver a rich and
balanced curriculum.‖ They argue that if an assessment is perfectly balanced
and represents what is important to learn, then perhaps ‗teaching to the test‘
can be a good thing. This scheme of ‗teaching to the test‘ has been put
forward as a potential tool for innovation and has also been articulated by
other scholars (Van den Heuvel-Panhuizen and Becker, 2003). As De Lange
noted in (1992):

…[throughout the world] the teacher (or school) is judged by

how well the students perform on their final exam. This leads to
test-oriented learning and teaching. However, if the test is made
according to our principles, this disadvantage (test-oriented
teaching) will become an advantage. The problem then has
shifted to the producers of tests since it is very difficult and time
consuming to produce appropriate ones. (as cited in Van den
Heuvel-Panhuizen and Becker, p. 691)
An important question, then, is whether the assessment adheres to

design principles that engage students with tasks that provide opportunities to
engage with important mathematical processes or practices. However, even
the best-designed assessments cannot account for issues such as test
anxiety. When assessment activities mirror instructional activities, that anxiety
might be reduced and such assessments might be a more accurate indicator
of student achievement.
Positive Interaction Between Large-Scale Assessment and Classrooms
If the enacted curriculum of the classroom and the assessed curriculum

are to inform each other and to enhance student learning in positive and
productive ways, then large-scale external assessments cannot operate in
isolation from the classroom. A number of researchers from different parts of
the globe have documented the interplay of these two assessment contexts.
Shimizu (2011) discusses bridges within the Japanese educational
system between large-scale external assessments and actual classrooms. As
in many countries, he notes tensions between the purposes of external
assessments and those of classroom assessments and that teachers are
concerned about the influences of external assessments on their classroom
instructional practices and assessment. To assist teachers in using external
assessments to inform their classroom instruction, sample items are released
with documentation about the aims of the item as well as student results on
the item, and potential lesson plans that would enable such items to be used
in the classroom. For instance, on multiple-choice items, information can be
provided that suggests the types of thinking in which students may be
engaged based on answer choice, thus assisting teachers to understand the

nature of misconceptions in students‘ thinking based upon the incorrect

answer selected. As a result, external assessment tasks provide students with
opportunities for learning.
Given the expectation that the assessed curriculum reflects what
should be taught within the classroom, Shalem et al. (2012) describe the
benefits of having South African teachers engage in curriculum mapping of
large-scale assessments. The authors acknowledge that assessment
developers often engage in such activities, but that classroom teachers rarely
do. For a given test item, teachers identified the concept being assessed,
identified and justified the relevant assessment standard, and then
determined if the necessary content was taught explicitly or not and at what
grade. The results of the curriculum mapping helped to highlight
discrepancies between the intended curriculum assumed by assessment
designers and the actual enacted curriculum of the classroom. Specifically,
there were three important outcomes for teachers: teachers developed an
understanding of the content assessed at a particular grade and at what
cognitive demand; teachers could reflect on their own practice as they
identified whether the content was actually taught in classrooms; and teachers
developed a more robust understanding of the curriculum. All three of these
outcomes provided an important link between the external assessment and
actual classroom practice that could inform future instruction.
Brodie (2013) discusses an extension of the work of Shalem, Sapire,
and Huntley in the South African context. In the Data Informed Practice
Improvement Project, teachers work in professional learning communities to
analyse test items, interview students, map curriculum to assessments,
identify concepts underlying errors, and then read and discuss relevant
research. Within school based learning communities, teachers use school
level data to design and then reflect on lessons to address issues within the
data analysis.
As a final representative example of how external assessments might
be used to inform classroom instruction and assessment, we consider the
work of Paek (2012). She suggests that learning trajectories are one means
―to make an explicit and direct connection of high-level content standards,
what is measured on high-stakes large-scale assessments, and what

happens in classrooms‖. She argues that development of such trajectories

―requires deep understanding of the content, how students learn, and what to
do when students are struggling with different concepts‖ (p. 6712). Knowledge
of such trajectories can be used in the development of assessment items but
also can help to inform teachers about how students learn particular concepts.
In her project, she works with researchers, mathematics educators, and
national consultants to develop resources for teachers that connect learning
trajectories to big ideas within and across grades. It is hoped that by
becoming more familiar with learning trajectories, teachers can consider
developing classroom assessment items that focus on different aspects of the
learning continuum or that provide opportunities for transferring of skills or that
enable student work to be collected to monitor progress along the continuum.
Use of Assessment Results

Making use of assessment data is strongly connected to assessment
literacy. Webb (2002) defines assessment literacy as: the knowledge of
means for assessing what students know and can do, how to interpret the
results from these assessments, and how to apply these results to improve
student learning and program effectiveness.
This definition of assessment literacy can apply to the interpretation of
results from both classroom and large-scale assessments. In fact, the
challenges of making use of assessment results span both classroom
assessment results and large-scale assessment results. Making sense of
classroom assessment results is often seen as teachers‘ work. Wyatt-Smith et
al. (2014) acknowledge that, along with the task of designing assessments,
teachers need to know how to use assessment evidence to identify the
implications for changing teaching. However, interpreting classroom
assessment results is also the work of parents, students, and school
administrators. In terms of students, including students in the assessment
process has been shown to provide them with a stronger sense of what is
being assessed, why it is being assessed, and ways they can improve, thus
allowing them to make better use of assessment results. Developing students‘
ability to self-assess is an important aspect of this work (Fan 2011). Once
students have strong assessment literacy, they can assist their parents in

interpreting assessment results, but this should be supported with solid and
frequent communication between schools, teachers, students, and parents in
order to enhance the assessment literacy of all who are involved in
understanding assessment results.
Making sense of large-scale assessment results is often seen as the
purview of many education stakeholders, including teachers, administrators,
school district officials, state or provincial policy makers, national policy
makers or administrators, as well as the general public. Each group has its
own perspective on the results, sometimes multiple contrasting perspectives,
which can complicate interpretation. To the extent that large-scale
assessment results are useful for more than conversations across constituent
groups, the value will come in the application of suitable interpretations to
educational policy and practice. The question arises as to what do educators
need to know to make productive use of assessment results? The first priority
when examining test results is to consider the purpose of the test and to view
the results in light of the assessment‘s purpose. Those viewing the results
should also have some assessment literacy to be able to know what they can
and cannot infer from the results of the assessment.
Rankin (2015) places some of this responsibility on the assessment
developer and suggests that, in order to assist educators in making use of
assessment results, those responsible for conveying the results should
consider how they are organized and what information is provided to those
using the results. She suggests that data analysis problems often occur
because the data are not presented in an organized and meaningful manner.
Her work highlights several common types of errors that are made in the
interpretation of assessment results and she cautions educators to pay close
attention to the assessment frameworks and literature published in concert
with the assessment‘s results (often on a website). She presents a series of
recommendations for which she feels educators should advocate that include
improvements to data systems and tools that will facilitate easier and more
accurate use of data.
In the UNESCO Report, however, it was indicated that from the policy
point of view, the results from the review or large-scale assessment identify

significant benefits arising from the use of cross-national assessment data.

They include the use of data for:
1. comparative and benchmarking purposes;
2. improving country‘s overall educational system through directive policy;
3. enhancing access and equity;
4. improving teaching and learning practice;
5. curriculum reforms; and
6. utilizing strategies and indicators to monitor and evaluate educational
processes.
Figure 1. The Benefits of Using Large-scale Assessment Data

(http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/impact-large-scale-assessments-2018-en.pdf)
Summary
Undoubtedly, much can be learned from large-scale assessment.
Assessments help to highlight achievement gaps, point to areas where
adaptations to instruction might be required, and can lead to reforms in
curriculum and teaching. International assessments have helped to globalize
mathematics education and have created a forum for mathematics educators

to share their knowledge and experiences, and work together to resolve

common issues.
Obviously, large-scale and classroom assessment interact with one
another in different ways. Because they rest on similar principles of sound
assessment, ultimately having coherence between the two would help to
support all students to be successful. Wyatt-Smith et al. (2014) suggest
―better education for young people is achievable when educational policy and
practice give priority to learning improvement, thereby making assessment for
accountability a related, though secondary, concern‖ (p. 2).
Moreover, this chapter has raised many issues for future study. Some
research questions to consider may include:
 What are the challenges and or issues in attempting to bring all
stakeholders for assessment to the table - developers of large-scale
national or international assessments, textbook publishers or
developers, classroom teachers?
 What are issues in attempting to ensure that important mathematical
practices/processes are evident in assessments?
 What training or skills do teachers need to develop to be able to
analyse/critique assessments?
 Should policy decisions be made based on large-scale assessments,
given evidence that some assessments may not reflect students‘
achievement when the assessment has little impact on students‘
educational lives (e.g., some students do not give their best effort on
the assessment)?
Enrichment
A. Read the following articles or watch the given links of videos:
1. ―Large-scale Assessment and Mathematics Education‖ from
http://jdlange.nl/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/de-Lange-Handbook.pdf.
2. ―International Large-scale Assessments and Mathematics Textbooks in
a Curriculum Reform Process‖ from http://uu.diva-
portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1361629/FULLTEXT01.pdf

3. ―Importance of Rankings in Large-scale Assessments in Education‖ at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKZyBVw9cBU
4. ―International Large-scale Learning Assessments: Benefits and Risks‖
at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOf5E3YKk5Q
5. ―Appropriate Use of Large-Scale Assessment Data‖ at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViqFi3Om4Mc
6. ―Data and Effects of International Large-scale School Assessments‖ at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVFx5mSRXJs
B. Find out what large-scale assessment did the Philippines had participated
before. What was the performance?
C. For latest articles on Large-Scale Assessment in Education, visit regularly
this link: https://largescaleassessmentsineducation.springeropen.com/.
D. For latest research articles on Large-Scale Assessment in Education, visit
regularly this link: https://www.iea.nl/publications/series-journals/large-
scale-assessments-education
E. For latest statistical data on international assessment in education, visit
this link: https://nces.ed.gov/
Assessment
1. Describe large-scale assessment. Give examples.
2. Why reforms are introduced in our curriculum?
3. What is TIMMS?
4. What is PISA?
5. One of the intentions of undertaking large-scale assessment is quality.
Thus, it implies that when the performance rating of a country is poor it
would follow that the quality of education is likewise poor. What is your
comment on this?
6. Curriculum reform is one among the benefits of large-scale assessment
data. Does it mean changing the curriculum whenever the country‘s rating
is low with respect to others? Please react on this.
7. What are the impacts of large-scale assessment?
8. Do you agree with the practice of ―teaching to the test‖ in mathematics?
Support your answer.

References
Adler, J. (1998). A language of teaching dilemmas: Unlocking the complex
multilingual secondary mathematics classroom. For the Learning of
Mathematics, 18(1), 24–33.
Tobin et al. (September 2015). Using Large-scale Assessments of Students'
Learning to Inform Education Policy: Insights from the Asia-Pacific Region.
Available at https://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002354/235469e.pdf
Baird, J., Hopfenbeck, T. N., Newton, P., Stobart, G., & Steen-Utheim, A. T.
(2014). State of the field review: Assessment and learning. Norwegian
Knowledge Centre for Education. Oxford, England: Oxford University
Centre for Educational Assessment.
Boudett, K. P., & Steele, J. L. (2007). Data wise in action: Stories of schools
using data to improve teaching and learning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard
University Press.
Boudett, K. P., City, E. A., & Murnane, R. J. (2008). Data-wise: A step-by-step
guide to using assessment results to improve teaching and learning.
Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
Care, E., Griffin, P., Zhang, Z., & Hutchinson, D. (2014). Large-scale testing
and its contribution to learning. In C. Wyatt-Smith, V. Klenowski, & P.
Colbert (Eds.), Designing assessment for quality learning (pp. 55–72).
Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.
De Lange, J. (1992). Critical factors for real changes in mathematics learning.
In G. C. Leder (Ed.), Assessment and learning of mathematics (pp. 305–
329). Hawthorn, Victoria: Australian Council for Educational Research.
Graue, M. E., & Smith, S. Z. (1996). Shaping assessment through
instructional innovation. Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 15(2), 113–
136.
Kilpatrick, J. Swafford, J. & Findell, B. (Eds.), Mathematics Learning Study
Committee, Center for Education, Division of Behavior and Social
Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
Krzywacki, H., Koistinen, L., & Lavonen, J. (2012). Assessment in Finnish
mathematics education: Various ways, various needs. In Proceedings of
the 12th International Congress on Mathematical Education: Topic Study
Group 33 (pp. 6661–6670). Seoul, Korea.
Suurtamm & A. Roth-McDuffie (Eds.), Annual perspectives in mathematics
education: Assessment to enhance teaching and learning (pp. 157–165).
Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
UNESCO (March 2018). The Impact of Large-Scale Learning Assessments.
Available from http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/impact-
large-scale-assessments-2018-en.pdf

Republic of the Philippines

ACCESS, EJC Montilla, 9800 City of Tacurong
Province of Sultan Kudarat
College of Teacher Education
First Semester, Academic Year 2020-2021
UNIVERSITY VISION UNIVERSITY OBJECTIVES
A trailblazer in arts, science and technology in the region. a. Enhance competency development, commitment, professionalism, unity and true spirit of
service for public accountability, transparency and delivery of quality services;
UNIVERSITY MISSION
b. Provide relevant programs and professional trainings that will respond to the development
needs of the region;
The University shall primarily provide advanced instruction and professional
training in science and technology, agriculture, fisheries, education and other c. Strengthen local and international collaborations and partnerships for borderless
related fields of study. It shall undertake research and extension services, and programs;
provide progressive leadership in its area of specialization.
d. Develop a research culture among faculty and students;
UNIVERSITY GOAL e. Develop and promote environmentally-sound and market-driven knowledge and
technologies at par with international standards;
To produce graduates with excellence and dignity in arts, science and
f. Promote research-based information and technologies for sustainable development;
technology.
g. Enhance resource generation and mobilization to sustain financial viability of the
university.

Program Objectives and their relationships to University Objectives:

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES (PO) UNIVERSITY OBJECTIVES
A graduate of Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Mathematics can: a b c d e f g
a. Articulate and discuss the latest developments in mathematics teaching; / / / / / /
b. Effectively communicate in English and Filipino, both orally and in writing; / / /
c. Work effectively and collaboratively with a substantial degree of independence in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural / / / / / / /
teams;
d. Act in recognition of professional, social, and ethical responsibility; / / / /
e. Preserve and promote “Filipino historical and cultural heritage”; / / / /
f. Articulate the rootedness of education in philosophical, socio-cultural, historical, psychological, and political contexts; / /
g. Demonstrate mastery of subject matter/discipline; / /
h. Facilitate learning using a wide range of teaching methodologies and delivery modes appropriate to specific learners and / / / / /
their environments;
i. Develop innovative curricula, instructional plans, teaching approaches, and resources for diverse learners; / / / / / / /
j. Apply skills in the development and utilization of ICT to promote quality, relevant, and sustainable educational practices; / / / / /
k. Demonstrate a variety of thinking skills in planning, monitoring, assessing, and reporting learning processes and / /
outcomes;
l. Practice professional and ethical teaching standards sensitive to the local, national, and global realities; / / / / /
m. Pursue lifelong learning for personal and professional growth through varied experiential and field-based opportunities; / /
n. Exhibit competence in mathematical concepts and procedures; / / /
o. Exhibit proficiency in relating mathematics to other curricular programs ; / / / / / /
p. Manifest meaningful and comprehensive pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of mathematics ; / / / / / /
q. Demonstrate competence in designing, constructing, and utilizing different forms of assessment in mathematics; / / / /
r. Demonstrate proficiency in problem-solving by answering and creating routine and non-routine problems with different / / /
levels of complexity;
s. Use effectively appropriate approaches, methods, and techniques in teaching mathematics including technological tools; / / / /
and
t. Appreciate mathematics as an opportunity for creative work, moments of enlightenment, discovery and gaining insights / / / /
of the world.

1. Course Code Math 127 5. Course Description:

2. Course Title Assessment and Evaluation in
Mathematics
3. Prerequisite Advanced Statistics This 3-unit course deals with traditional and authentic assessment methods for evaluating
4. Credits 3 Units mathematics learning. It covers the purposes of instruction and assessment, the relationship of
assessment to contents and performance standards, and discussions on the issues and trends in
assessment specifically in mathematics teaching.
6. Course Learning Outcomes and its Relationships to Program Objectives

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
At the end of the semester, the students can: a b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t
a. Show extensive knowledge and understanding of the course syllabus and basic academic policies / / / /
b. Demonstrate understanding and appreciation of assessment and evaluation concepts with the / / / / / / / / / / /
underpinning principles
c. Use multi-dimensional approach to understanding to assess students’ mathematics knowledge / / / / / / / / /
d. Discuss thoroughly the students’ ideas about the problem-solving curriculum and the assessment / / / / / / / /
framework
e. Explain comprehensively the use of concept mapping as an assessment tool in mathematics / / / / / / / / /
instruction
f. Recognize different alternative assessment practices that could be implemented in mathematics / / / / / / / /
classroom
g. Consider journal writing as an instructional alternative and tool in assessing mathematics learning / / / / / / / / /
h. Demonstrate knowledge, understanding and skills on developing open-ended tasks and problems / / / / / / / /
in mathematics
i. Gain sufficient insights about the common errors committed by teachers in writing assessment / / / / / / /
items
j. Examine the nature and rationale of affective assessment in mathematics classroom / / / / / / /
k. Read and argue some key issues about self-assessment, including the concepts, methods, and / / / / / / /
other related aspects
l. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding on the nature of large-scale and classroom / / / / / / / /
assessment as well as their relationships

7. Course Contents
Course Objectives, Desired Student Learning Outcomes Outcomes-Based Evidence of Course Program Values Integration
Topics, Time Allotment Assessment (OBA) Outcomes Learning Objectives
Activities Outcomes
CHAPTER 0. COURSE ORIENTATION (1.5 HOURS)
 Course Syllabus 1. Explain the vision and mission, and  Recite sincerely the Teacher a a, b, f. n Objectivity,
 Common Academic significant academic policies of the University Vision and Observation Excellence
Policies University Mission Sheet (TOBS)
2. Enumerate the course desired learning  Participate in class Class
outcomes discussion Participation
3. Use the syllabus as reference for Rating (CPR)
independent learning
4. Simulate the computation of one’s
grades given the criteria
CHAPTER 1. ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION: CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES (3 HOURS)
 Meaning of Assessment 1. Define what is assessment and  Participate in class Teacher b a, b, l Accountability,
and Evaluation evaluation discussion Observation Creativity,
 Differences of 2. Distinguish the characteristics of  Conduct of Interview Sheet (TOBS) Excellence
Assessment and assessment from evaluation  Accomplishing Module Case Report
Evaluation 3. Identify the functions of educational Exercises/Enrichment Rating (CRR)
 Principles of Mathematics evaluation Activity Quiz Rating
Assessment 4. Discuss the principles of assessment  Taking a Quiz
5. Appreciate the educational principles
in the evaluation of Mathematics
assessment, namely: content, learning,
and equity
CHAPTER 2. MULTI-DIMENSIONAL APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING TO ASSESS STUDENTS’ MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGE (3 HOURS)

 Multi-Dimensional 1. Discuss the multi-dimensional  Participate in class Teacher c a, b, c, d, f, l, Objectivity,
Approach to approach to understanding discussion Observation p, q, r, r. t Creativity
Understanding mathematics assessment  Conduct of Interview Sheet (TOBS)

 SPUR Approach 2. Appreciate the theoretical and  Accomplishing Module Case Report
 Achievements in SPUR philosophical perspective of the SPUR Exercises Rating (CRR)
approach  Taking a Quiz Module Activity
3. Apply SPUR in developing Rating (MAR)
mathematics assessment
CHAPTER 3. ASSESSING PROBLEM-SOLVING IN THE MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM (6 HOURS)

 Problem Solving and 1. Explain the significance of problem-  Participate in class Teacher d a, b, c, d, f, Creativity,
Mathematics Curriculum solving in Mathematics curriculum discussion Observation m, n, r Perseverance,
 Mathematical Problem- 2. Appreciate Polya’s problem-solving  Developing a Case Sheet (TOBS) Objectivity
Solving Model model  Accomplishing an Case Report
 Mathematics Practical - A 3. Apply mathematics practical in solving Enrichment Activity Rating (CRR)
New Paradigm problems  Taking a Quiz Module Activity
 Mathematics Practical 4. Use scoring rubric in assessing Rating (MAR)
Lessons problem-solving processes Case Report
 The Scoring Rubric Rating (CRR)
Quiz Rating
CHAPTER 4. ASSESSING CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING IN MATHEMATICS WITH CONCEPT MAPPING (6 HOURS)
 What and Why of 1. Explain concept map and its elements  Participate in class Teacher e a, b, f, k, l, n, Objectivity,
Concept Mapping 2. Identify the different types of concept discussion Observation o, p, r Accuracy
 Types of Concept mapping tasks  Conduct of Interview Sheet (TOBS)
Mapping Tasks 3. Perform the steps in the training of  Accomplishing Module Case Report
 Training on Concept concept mapping Exercises Rating (CRR)
Mapping 4. Apply concept mapping as an Module Activity
 Classroom Applications of assessment tool Rating (MAR)
Concept Map 5. Evaluate student-constructed concept Checklist
 Evaluation of Student- maps Rating (CLR)
Constructed Concept Excel
Maps Worksheet
CHAPTER 5. IMPLEMENTING ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT IN THE MATHEMATICS CLASSROOM (3 HOURS)

 Alternative Assessment 1. Articulate the need for alternative  Participate in class Teacher f a, b, f, g. n. Perseverance,

 Assessment Practices in assessment in mathematics classroom discussion Observation p, r, s Productivity,

Mathematics Classroom 2. Realize the limitations of traditional  Conduct of Interview Sheet (TOBS) Accountability
 Suggested Alternative assessment tools  Accomplishing an Case Report
Assessment Practices in 3. Identify some alternative assessment Enrichment Activity Rating (CRR)
Mathematics Classroom practices in mathematics classrooms  Taking a Quiz Module Activity
4. Apply these alternative assessment Rating (MAR)
tools during their internship Quiz Rating
MIDTERM EXAMINATION
CHAPTER 6. Using Journal Writing to Empower Learning (6 hours)
 Journal Writing 1. Explain the nature of journal writing  Participate in class Teacher G a, b, c, m, p. Fairness, Accuracy,
 Types of Journal Writing and its purpose discussion Observation q, r, s, T Perseverance,
in the Mathematics 2. Compare free writing and writing from  Journal writing Sheet (TOBS) Creativity
Classroom a prompt of a journal  Accomplishing Module Journal
 Rubrics for Grading 3. Write a personal journal for the course Exercises Checklist
Journals 4. Prepare a scoring rubrics for a journal  Demonstrate steps in Rating (CLR)
 Potential Pitfalls of 5. Characterize the potential pitfalls of preparing a rubric Quiz Rating
Journal Writing in the journal writing  Taking a Quiz
Classroom
CHAPTER 7. OPEN-ENDED TASKS AND ASSESSMENTS (6 HOURS)

 Open-Ended Mathematics 1. Compare the closed and open-ended  Participate in class Teacher h a, b, o, p, q, Fairness, Accuracy,
Problems tasks or problems in mathematics discussion Observation r. s, t Productivity,
 Comparison of Closed 2. Create open-ended tasks for  Accomplishing Module Sheet (TOBS) Responsibility
and Open-Ended Tasks assessment in mathematics Exercises Checklist
 Strategies to Convert 3. Apply the strategies in converting a  Taking a Quiz Rating (CLR)
Closed given closed task into an open-ended Quiz Rating
Problems/Questions task
 Pros and Cons of Open- 4. List down the advantages and
ended Mathematics disadvantages of open-ended tasks
Problems
CHAPTER 8. COMMON ERRORS IN MATHEMATICS ASSESSMENT ITEMS (4.5 HOURS)
 Mathematical Tasks 1. Describe and construct good  Participate in class Teacher i a, b, c, d, l, o, Honesty, Creativity,

 Errors in Mathematics mathematical tasks or problems discussion Observation t Nationalism

Assessment Items 2. Compare the 4 common errors in  Accomplishing Module Sheet (TOBS)
mathematics assessment items, Enrichment Activity Case Report
namely: language-related, content-  Test Item Critiquing Rating (CRR)
related, errors related to diagram as  Taking a Quiz Checklist
support, and context-related Rating (CLR)
3. Avoid these common errors when Quiz Rating
writing assessment items or
mathematics tasks
CHAPTER 9. AFFECTIVE ASSESSMENT IN THE MATHEMATICS CLASSROOM (4.5 HOURS)
 Affective Development 1. Recognize the need to measure affect  Participate in class Teacher j a, b, c, d, l, o, Honesty, Creativity,
 Some Reasons for in mathematics discussion Observation t Nationalism
Assessing Affective 2. Identify the reasons for assessing  Accomplishing Module Sheet (TOBS)
Outcomes affective outcomes Enrichment Activity Case Report
 Affect: Disposition, 3. Discuss the affect variables to be  Taking a Quiz Rating (CRR)
Beliefs, Attitudes, assessed Checklist
Interests, Values and 4. Compare the nature of affective Rating (CLR)
What Else? assessment relative to the cognitive Quiz Rating
 Nature of Affective way
Assessment 5. Use some techniques in assessing
 Techniques of Assessing affect
Affect
CHAPTER 10. IMPLEMENTING SELF-ASSESSMENT IN MATHEMATICS (4.5 HOURS)
 What is Self-Assessment? 1. Discuss what is self-assessment  Participate in class Teacher k a, b, c, d, l, o, Honesty, Creativity,
A Conceptualization 2. Compare structured self-assessment, discussion Observation t Nationalism
 Implementing Self- integrated self-assessment, and  Accomplishing Module Sheet (TOBS)
Assessment in instructional self-assessment Enrichment Activity Case Report
Mathematics: Methods 3. Implement these assessment methods  Taking a Quiz Rating (CRR)
and Examples in this course Checklist
 Exploratory Study in Self- 4. Assess the exploratory study in self- Rating (CLR)
Assessment assessment Quiz Rating
CHAPTER 11. LARGE-SCALE AND CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION (6 HOURS)

 Large-scale Assessment 1. Describe what large-scale  Participate in class Teacher l a, b, c, d, l, o, Honesty, Creativity,
 Common Examples assessments are, and provide discussion Observation s, t Nationalism
 Reform in Assessments examples  Accomplishing Module Sheet (TOBS)
 Impact of Large-Scale 2. Appreciate the driving forces in Enrichment Activity Case Report
Assessment on assessment reform  Conduct Interview Rating (CRR)
Classroom Assessment 3. Illustrate the significance of large-scale  Taking a Quiz Checklist
 Teaching to the Test assessment Rating (CLR)
 Use of Assessment 4. Explain the practice of “teaching to the Quiz Rating
Results test” in mathematics
5. Identify some examples of positive
interaction between large-scale
assessment and classrooms
6. Make use of the assessment results
FINAL EXAMINATION
8. Course Evaluation
Course The following are the course requirements: (a) Examinations (Midterm and Final); (b) Quizzes/Exercises; and, (c) Active Class Participation/involvement
Requirements
Course Policies All students must adhere to these class guidelines: (a) act politely, responsibly and with maturity; (b) arrive on time and be ready for instruction; (c) set
cell phones in silent mode and keep them inside the bags; (d) contribute to an orderly learning environment; (e) consult the professor when deemed
necessary; (f) establish good rapport with professors; (g) maintain silence during oral reports/presentations; and, (h) cooperate in classroom activities or
any task performances.
Grading System Midterm Grade Final Term Grade

Midterm Examination (50%); Quiz/Problem Sets (30%); Active Midterm Examination (50%); Quiz/Problem Sets (30%); Active
Participation/ Attendance (20%) Participation/ Attendance (20%)
Schedule of October 11-12, 2020* December 11-13, 2020*
Examination
*Tentative due to the unpredictability of the pandemic.
References

Book 1. Cusi, Annalisa and Wright, David (2018). Classroom Assessment in Mathematics: Perspectives from Around the Globe. Switzerland: Springer International
Publishing AG.
2. Department of Education (April 1, 2015). Policy Guidelines on Assessment for the K to 12 Basic Education Program. D.O. No. 8, s. 2015.
3. Department of Education (May 2016). K to 12 Mathematics Curriculum Guide May 2016. Available from http://lrmds.deped.gov.ph/.
4. Gareis, Christopher R. and Grant, Leslie W. (2015). Teacher-Made Assessments: How to Connect Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Learning, 2nd ed. New
York, USA: Taylor & Francis.
5. Gravells, Ann (2009). Principles and Practice of Assessment in the Lifelong Learning Sector. UK: Learning Matters Ltd.
6. Kaur, Berinderjeet and Yoong, Wong Khoon. (2011). Assessment in Mathematics Classroom. Singapore: Association of Mathematics Educators.
7. Minister of Education, Training and Youth (2001). Grades 5 to 8 Mathematics: Classroom-Based Assessment. Manitoba, Canada: Crown in Right of Manitoba.
8. National Research Council (1993). Measuring What Counts: A Conceptual Guide for Mathematics Assessment. Washington DC, USA: National Academy Press.
9. Niss, Mogens (1993). Investigations into Assessment in Mathematics Education. Denmark: Springer-Science+Business Media, B.V.
10. Romberg, Thomas A. (2004). Standards-Based Mathematics Assessment in Middle School. New York: Teachers College Press.
11. Schoenfeld, Alan H. (2007). Issues and Tensions in the Assessment of Mathematical Proficiency. MSRI Publications, Volume 53.
12. Suurtamm et al. (2016). Assessment in Mathematics Education: Large-Scale Assessment and Classroom Assessment. Switzerland: Springer International
Publishing AG.
13. Swartzlander, Diane (2007). Effects of Self-Assessment on Math Homework. Action Research Projects. Volume 25.
14. Thorndike, Robert M. and Thorndike-Christ, Tracy (2014). Measurement and Evaluation in Psychology and Education, 8th ed. United Kingdom: Pearson
Education Limited.
15. Association of Mathematics Educators (2011). Assessment in the Mathematics Classroom. USA: World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.
16. National Research Council (2001). Knowing what students know: The science and design of educational assessment. Washington, DC: National Academy
Press.
Online 1. 10 Key Differences between Assessment and Evaluation. Retrieved from https://www.marketing91.com/assessment-and-evaluation/
2. Alternative Assessment in Math. Retrieved from https://www.maneuveringthemiddle.com/alternative-assessments-math/
3. Authentic Assessment Methods for Mathematics. Retrieved from https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/authentic-assessment-methods-for-
mathematics/
4. Authentic Ways to Develop Performance-Based Activities. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/ideas-for-performance-based-activities-7686
5. Evaluation in Teaching and Learning Process. Retrieved from https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/statistics-2/evaluation-in-teaching-and-learning-process-
education/92476
6. Evaluation: Meaning, Principles and Functions. Retrieved from https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/education/evaluation/evaluation-meaning-principles-and-
functions-with-diagram/64716
7. How to Use Math Journals in Class. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-use-math-journals-2312417
8. Learning from Performance Assessments in Math. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec96/vol54/num04/Learning-from-

Performance-Assessments-in-Math.aspx
9. Math Journal Examples & Ideas. Retrieved from https://demmelearning.com/learning-blog/math-journals/
10. Mathematical Processes. Retrieved from http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/math/mathprocesses.html
11. Principles and Practice of Assessment. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/site/wongyauhsiung/edu-5033-principles-and-practice-of-assessment
12. Purpose of Assessment. Retrieved from https://cdip.merlot.org/facultyteaching/purposeofassessment.html
13. Purpose of Classroom Assessment. Retrieved from http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mewa/html/assessment/purpose.html
14. The Assessment Purpose Triangle: Balancing the Purposes of Educational Assessment. Retrieved from
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2017.00041/full
Rubric for Evaluation of Class Participation Performance

Criteria Inadequate Developing but below Accomplished/ Meets Exemplary/Displays leadership Score
(0 point) expectations (1 point) Expectations (2 points) (3 points)
Level of Engagement Student never contributes to Few contributions to class Proactively contributes to class Proactively and regularly
and active participation class discussion; fails to discussion; Seldom volunteers discussion, asking questions contributes to class discussion;
respond to direct questions but responds to direct and respond to direct questions Initiates discussion on issues
questions related to class topic
Listening Skills Does not listen when others Does not listen carefully and Listens and appropriately Listens without interrupting and
talk, interrupts, or makes comments are often non- responds to the contributions of incorporates and expands on the
inappropriate comments responsive to discussion others contributions of other students
Relevance of Contributions , when made, Contributions are sometimes Contributions are always Contributions are relevant and
Contribution to topic are off-topic or distract class off-topic or distracting relevant promote deeper analysis of the
under discussion from discussion topic
Preparation Student is not adequately Student has read the material Student has read and thought Student is consistently well
prepared; Does not appear to but not closely or has read about the material in advance of prepared; Frequently raises
have read the material in only some of the assigned class; questions or comments on material
advance of class material in advance of class outside

Case Study Reporting Rubric

Item Scores
1. Evidence of preparation (organized presentation, presentation/discussion flows well, no awkward pauses or confusion from the 1 2 3 4 5
group/individual, evidence you did your homework)
2. Content (group/individual presented accurate & relevant information, appeared knowledgeable about the case studies assigned and 1 2 3 4 5
the topic discussed, offered strategies for dealing with the problems identified in the case studies)
3. Enthusiasm/Audience Awareness (demonstrates strong enthusiasm about topic during entire presentation; significantly increases 1 2 3 4 5
audience understanding and knowledge of topic; convinces an audience to recognize the validity and importance of the subject)
4. Delivery (clear and logical organization, effective introduction and conclusion, creativity, transition between speakers, oral 1 2 3 4 5
communication skills - eye contact)
5. Discussion (group/individual initiates and maintains class discussion concerning assigned case studies, use of visual aids, good use 1 2 3 4 5
of time, involves classmates)
Problem Solving Rubric

Criteria Distinguished (4) Proficient (3) Apprentice (2) Novice (1) Score
Understands the Identifies special factors that Understands the problem Understands enough to solve Does not understand enough to
problem influences the approach before part of the problem or to get get started or make progress
starting the problem part of the solution
Uses information Explains why certain Uses all appropriate Uses some appropriate Uses inappropriate information
appropriately information is essential to the information correctly information correctly
solution
Applies appropriate Explains why procedures are Applies completely appropriate Applies some appropriate Applies inappropriate procedures
procedures appropriate for the problem procedures procedures
Uses representations Uses a representation that is Uses a representation that Uses a representation that Uses a representation that gives
unusual in its mathematical clearly depicts the problem gives some important little or no significant information
precision information about the problem about the problem
Answers the problem Correct solution of problem and Correct solution Copying error, computational No answer or wrong answer

made a general rule about the error, partial answer for problem based upon an inappropriate plan
solution or extended the with multiple answers, no
solution to a more complicated answer statement, answer
solution labeled incorrectly
Reflective Journal Writing Rubric
Criteria Complete (4) Generally Complete (3) Somewhat Complete (2) Incomplete Content (1)
Content All words in list accurately defined Some words in list accurately Few words in list defined focusing No words in list defined. Important
focusing on the most important defined focusing on important on important information. information relayed. Significant
information with interesting information with personal errors.
personal connections. connections.
Comprehensibility Understand all of the student Understand most of the student Understand less than half of the Understand little of the student
communication. communication. student communication. communication.
Organization Logical and effective. Generally logical and effective with Somewhat illogical and confusing Lacks logical order and
a few minor problems. in places. organization.
Effort Exceed the requirements of the Fulfill all of the requirements of the Fulfill some of the requirements of Fulfill few of the requirements of
assignment and have care and assignment. the assignment. the assignment.
effort.
Prepared by: Reviewed by: Approved by:
ERNIE C. CERADO, PhD ADRIAN V. PROTACIO, PhD NANCY B. ESPACIO, EdD

Professor BSED Chairperson Dean, College of Teacher Education


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SULTAN KUDARAT STATE UNIVERSITY

Ernie C. Cerado, PhD

i Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

ii Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

In the international scene, however, policy decisions, school

In any event, it is expected that this instructional material,

iii Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

Chapter 1 Evaluation and Assessment: Concepts and

iv Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

Potential Pitfalls of Journal Writing in the

v Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

vi Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION: CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES

Lesson 1: Assessment, Evaluation and its Principles

1 Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

2 Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

5. Assessment refers to the wide variety of methods or tools that educators

3 Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

 The process of ascertaining or judging the value or amount of something

Distinctions between Assessment and Evaluation

Inconsistent Use of the Terms

4 Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

5 Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

performer (assessee or evaluatee) is also vastly different. In the assessment

Table 1. Differences between Processes of Assessment and Evaluation

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Case 1: The person observing a performance believes he or she is assessing,

In-Class Assessment Exercises

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them. In order for assessment of student learning to work effectively, students

Figure 1. Comparison of Assessment and Evaluation

8 Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

Interim Feedback on Work Products

Expert Assessing a Novice

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Functions of Educational Evaluation

1. Evaluation helps in preparing instructional objectives.

10 Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

2. Evaluation process helps in assessing the learner’s needs.

11 Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

counsellor must have an objec-tive knowledge of the pupils abilities,

12 Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

an important element of assessment. This principle is congruent with

Principles for Assessing Mathematics Learning

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There are three fundamental educational principles that form the

The Content Principle

14 Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

The Learning Principle

The Equity Principle

15 Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

Equity also requires attention to how assessment results are used.

16 Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

very difficult test items that even the

8. Evaluate the extent of your knowledge and understanding about

17 Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

a. ―What's the Difference between Assessment and Evaluation?‖ from

18 Ernie C. Cerado [Assessment and Evaluation in Mathematics]

USING A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING TO