Assessing mathematical proficiency / edited by Alan H. Schoenfeld.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Schoenfeld, Alan H.

Series:

Mathematical Sciences Research Institute publications ; 53.

Mathematical Sciences Research Institute publications ; 53

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Mathematics--Study and teaching--United States--Evaluation.

Mathematics.

Mathematical ability--Testing.

Mathematical ability.

Mathematics--Study and teaching.

Evaluation.

United States.

Physical Description:

xix, 391 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2007.

Summary:

Testing matters! It can determine kids' and schools' futures. In a conference at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute, mathematicians, math education researchers, teachers, test developers, and policymakers gathered to work through critical issues related to mathematics assessment. They examined: the challenges of assessing student learning in ways that support instructional improvement; ethical issues related to assessment, including the impact of testing on urban and high-poverty schools; the different (and sometimes conflicting) needs of the different groups; and, different frameworks, tools, and methods for assessment, comparing the kinds of information they offer about students' mathematical proficiency.

This volume presents the results of the discussions. It highlights the kinds of information that different assessments can offer, including many examples of some of the best mathematics assessments worldwide. A special feature is an interview with a student about his knowledge of fractions, demonstrating what interviews (versus standardized tests) can reveal.

Contents:

Section 1 The Big Picture 1

1 Issues and Tensions in the Assessment of Mathematical Proficiency / Alan H. Schoenfeld 3

2 Aims of Mathematics Education / Judith A. Ramaley 17

3 The No Child Left Behind Act: Political Context and National Goals / Susan Sclafani 23

Section 2 Perspectives on Mathematical Proficiency 29

4 What Is Mathematical Proficiency? / R. James Milgram 31

5 What Is Mathematical Proficiency and How Can It Be Assessed? / Alan H. Schoenfeld 59

Section 3 What Docs Assessment Assess? Issues and Examples 75

6 Mathematical Proficiency: What Is Important? How Can It Be Measured? / Hugh Burkhardt 77

7 Aspects of the Art of Assessment Design / Jan de Lange 99

8 Mathematical Proficiency for Citizenship / Bernard L. Madison 113

9 Learning from Assessment / Richard Askey 125

10 When Assessment Guides Instruction: Silicon Valley's Mathematics Assessment Collaborative / David Foster, Pendred Noyce, Sara Spiegel 137

Section 4 The Case of Algebra 155

11 Assessing the Strands of Student Proficiency in Elementary Algebra / William G. McCallum 157

12 Making Meaning in Algebra: Examining Students' Understandings and Misconceptions / David Foster 163

13 Task Context and Assessment / Ann Shannon 177

Section 5 What Do Assessments Assess? The Case of Fractions 193

14 Learning About Fractions from Assessment / Linda Fisher 195

15 Assessing a Student's Mathematical Knowledge by Way of Interview / Deborah Loewenberg Ball with Brandon Peoples 213

16 Reflections on an Assessment Interview: What a Close Look at Student Understanding Can Reveal / Alan H. Schoenfeld 269

Section 6 The Importance of Societal Context 279

17 Assessment in France / Michele Artigue 283

18 Assessment to Improve Learning in Mathematics: The BEAR Assessment System / Mark Wilson, Claus Carstensen 311

19 English Learners and Mathematics Learning: Language Issues to Consider / Lily Wong Fillmore 333

20 Beyond Words to Mathematical Content: Assessing English Learners in the Mathematics Classroom / Judit Moschkovich 345

21 Assessment in the Real World: The Case of New York City / Elizabeth Taleporos 353

22 Perspectives on State Assessments in California: What You Release Is What Teachers Get / Elizabeth K. Stage 357

Epilogue: What Do We Need to Know? Items for a Research Agenda 365

Task Index 389.

Notes:

Papers from conference held in March 2004 by the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0521874920

9780521874922

0521697662

9780521697668

OCLC:

85692941