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Rethinking the dreaded MATH TEST

Rethinking the dreaded MATH TEST. Heather A. Reyes. Why?. How do your students react when you announce a test ? Do you get answers like this? How do they react when they receive the graded test back ? Hope it's not like this!. What I noticed. Cramming and forgetting Lucky guessing

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Rethinking the dreaded MATH TEST

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  1. Rethinking the dreadedMATH TEST Heather A. Reyes

  2. Why? • How do your students react when you announce a test? Do you get answers like this? • How do they react when they receive the graded test back? Hope it's not like this!

  3. What I noticed • Cramming and forgetting • Lucky guessing • Grades seen as something that happen to the student • Viewing the test as disconnected from the learning process – “Oh well, I failed.”

  4. What research says: • http://www.nctm.org/news/content.aspx?id=11466 • Assessment can actually have positive impact on student attitudes and experiences, when done formatively and “for learning” • Formative assessment is most effective on shorter-term assessment (no more than about 4 weeks) • http://www.svitv.sccoe.org/depts/esb/docs/2008/Jan2008/InsideBlackBox.pdf • Implementing formative assessment produces substantial learning gains, particularly for “lower end” students

  5. So how can we do things differently? • Weekly Quizzes • Objective based • Open-note • Mastery-based scoring, 0-3 scale • Follow-up “quiz response” assignment • Last week’s objectives on the back of this week’s quiz to re-do

  6. Quiz Examples – a unit on Multiplying & Dividing Fractions • Objective: The student will be able to multiply fractions using both pictorial and algorithmic methods. • Instructions to the student: Show how to multiply . Then explain why this answer makes sense, mathematically. You may use drawings or diagrams to help your explanation.

  7. Mastery-Based Scoring • 3: demonstrated total mastery of the concept with no errors • 2: demonstrated a developing understanding of the concept with some small errors • 1: demonstrated a beginning understanding of the concept with major conceptual errors – or manipulated numbers with no demonstration of real understanding • 0: demonstrated no understanding of the concept

  8. Possible Work Examples for each scoring level

  9. Quiz Response Assignment • “Why didn’t I receive a 3?” • My mistake was… • This was wrong because… • I should have… • Because… • The right answer is… • Teacher feedback, opportunities to pull small groups for reteaching while students work • Extension/enrichment activities for students who showed mastery of all objectives

  10. A 2nd chance! • The next Friday brings a new set of objectives, BUT the old objectives are on the back of the quiz. • Students re-do any objectives that they didn’t master. • They receive the higher grade of the 2 weeks.

  11. But what about unit and chapter tests? • I’m now giving 20% of instructional time each week to assessment and response. The traditional test cycle would require at least 2-3 additional class periods given up for each unit – no way!

  12. The take-home test • Quizzes show ability to do basic learned tasks – but can they apply that knowledge? • Essay questions – 4-5 per unit • About one week to complete at home, with notes and resources • Opportunity to rewrite answers for 50% credit on the improvement

  13. Essay test example question – from same unit on fractions • Find a favorite recipe. Make sure that some of the ingredients have fractional amounts! You will need to include a copy of the recipe with your test. Suppose that you want to make 2½ batches of this recipe all at once. Show how to find the amount of each ingredient you will need to use. Make sure to explain your work mathematically, showing your knowledge from this unit.

  14. Student Essay Response samples • (I will add these in!)

  15. But how is this a test? • What do you really want to know when you give your students a math test? • Do they have to perform from memory, under pressure in order to show that?

  16. Implementation Difficulties - Quizzes • Some students wouldn’t bother to try hard on the front side of a quiz, figuring they’ll get it next time • Other students wouldn’t take advantage of the opportunity to bring up the grade • Students resisted the “response” portion of the assignment – it was hard to get them to really think about the sources of their errors • Bookkeeping challenges • Parent resistance – “but isn’t it better if they just get it the first time?”

  17. Implementation Difficulties - Tests • PROCRASTINATORS! • “Oops, I forgot it at home.” • Overzealous parent help • Plagiarism/cheating

  18. Encouraging outcomes • More students coming in to ask for help with homework • Students comparing their work with one another, talking together about sources of errors • More time in class to focus on individual student growth • Less complaining about weekly quizzes

  19. What do students think? • Here I’d love add a video clip of students talking about their opinions/experiences with this – but that can’t happen until the school year

  20. Questions/Discussion

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