Significance of Assessment

and Evaluation of Learning in

Mathematics
MATHEMATICS 18
Assessment in the Classroom
The primary audiences for this chapter are
classroom teachers and teacher educators. The
chapter offers a guiding framework to use
when considering everyday assessments and
then discusses the roles and responsibilities of
teachers and students in improving assessment
• Assessment is commonly associated with an end-of-unit test, a
quarterly report card, a state-level testing of basic abilities, or the
letter grade for a final laboratory report.
• However, these recognized components of assessment do not convey
the entire scope or nuances of how assessment operates every day in
the classroom.
• The classroom assessment addressed in this chapter focuses on the
everyday opportunities and interactions provided to teachers and
students for gathering information regarding student work and
understandings, which is then used to improve both teaching and
learning. It is a natural aspect of classroom life that is vastly different
from formal examinations—both in spirit and intent.
• During the school day, opportunities often arise for producing
useful assessment information for teachers and students. In a
class discussion, for example, remarks by some of the
students may lead the teacher to believe that theydo not
understand the concept of energy conservation. The teacher
decides that the class will revisit an earlier completed
laboratory activity and, in the process, examine the
connections between that activity and the discussion at hand.
As groups of students conduct experiments, the teacher
circulates around the room and questions individuals about
the conclusions drawn from their data
• Students can reflect on and exhibit their
reasoning. By attempting to identify their
sources of evidence, the instructor better
understands where their issues occur and
may modify their teaching accordingly,
leading the students toward a greater
understanding of the subject.
• Mathematics and Numeracy assessment

Assessment in mathematics and

numeracy is more than forming
judgements about a learner’s
ability. It monitors the learner’s
understanding of the mathematical
language, concepts and skills and
what they need to do to succeed.
• This requires:
An understanding of how learning develops
what skills and knowledge learners need to
progress
 the common misunderstandings that can
delay learning.
 Assessment tools
Using assessment tools and techniques that show student thinking requires:
An understanding what different student responses might mean
practical ideas to address the learning needs identified.
School based assessment may also contribute to building a clear picture of the
learner. Examples of assessment in mathematics and numeracy include:
 feedback and reflection
student self-assessments student portfolios
 validated tools anecdotal evidence
 teacher moderated student assessment tasks
 student self-reflections, interests and surveys
• Numeracy learning progressions
The Victorian Numeracy Learning Progressions
outline a sequence of observable indicators of
increasingly sophisticated understanding and skills in 15
key numeracy concepts.
• Assessment theory and practice within the teaching and
learning cycle
Guidance and advice for high-quality assessment practices.
Provides teachers with specific information to target the
learning needs of students.
 Assessment in principle - promotes further learning and
achievement when the practitioner works collaboratively with
the learner, the learner’s family, peers and colleagues to plan
the learning program.
 Assessment in practice - teaching and learning practices
integrate ongoing assessment and feedback with high quality
instructional practice.
Effective assessment – provides evidence for the
practitioner to make decisions about the next steps in the
learning program.
Feedback and reporting - determines a learner's level of
understanding and skill development in order to plan the
next steps towards achieving the learning intentions or
goals.
Analyzing and using data -including learners in the analysis
of their assessment results which encourages them to take
ownership of their learning and to set and achieve their
own learning intentions.
What are the learning skills?
The 21stcentury learning skills are often called the 4 C’s:
critical thinking,
creative thinking,
communicating, and
collaborating.
These skills help students learn, and so they are vital to
success in school and beyond
• Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is focused, careful

analysis of something to better
understand it. When people speak of
“left brain” activity, they are usually
referring to critical thinking.
• Here are some of the main critical-thinking abilities
1. Analyzing is breaking something down into its parts, examining
each part, and noting how the parts fit together.
2. Arguing is using a series of statements connected logically
together, backed by evidence, to reach a conclusion.
3. Classifying is identifying the types or groups of something, showing
how each category is distinct from the others.
4. Comparing and contrasting is pointing out the similarities and
differences between two or more subjects.
5. Defining is explaining the meaning of a term using denotation,
connotation, example, etymology, synonyms, and antonyms.
 • Here are some of the main critical-thinking
abilities
6. Describing is explaining the traits of something, such as size, shape,
weight, color, use, origin, value, condition, location, and so on.
7. Evaluating is deciding on the worth of something by comparing it
against an accepted standard of value.
8. Explaining is telling what something is or how it works so that
others can understand it.
9. Problem solving is analyzing the causes and effects of a problem
and finding a way to stop the causes or the effects.
10.Tracking cause and effect is determining why something is
happening and what results from it.
THANK YOU!