Assessment of Mathematical Understanding Especially as it Relates to CMP :: Education Educational Papers

judgment of Mathematical Understanding Especially as it Relates to CMPIntroduction Assessment has become a very hot topic in fosterage circles lately. Or at least, it is talked roughly more often and with more passion. T all(prenominal)ers atomic number 18 being judged on their students performance, based on estimate scores. It is the assessment by which we are judged. The reauthorization of ESEA and the No Child Left Behind act shows the existences (or is it the politicians?) faith in standardized tests as a school improvement instrument. But I also distinguish that the once-a-year test can not provide incessant data about student achievement. The traditional assessments of computation exercises, short answer questions, and word problems leave not suffice any more. Typically, standardized tests measure factual have sexledge, not conceptual understanding. I believe that conceptual understanding is not still what students know, but what they can do with what they know. Assessments are alter from teacher to teacher, district to district, and state to state. I did an informal survey with some of my colleagues, asking them their reasons for assessing students, and the results varied greatly. I am interested in assessment and alternative assessments in order to help further my students understanding of mathematical concepts. I strongly believe that the purpose of assessment to inform my instruction, which in turn pull up stakes further my students understanding. BackgroundAccording to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Principles and Standards 2000 Assessment Principle, assessment should support the learning of important mathematics and furnish useful schooling to both teachers and students. Assessment should be designed to increase student learning and support the learning of important mathematics and furnish useful information to both teachers and students.The National Education Association suggests that assessment is a continuo us flow of evidence that can only be provided by classroom assessment. (NEA, 2003) Balanced assessments can actually promote student learning and achievement. To maximize student success, assessment must be seen as an instructional barb for use while learning is occurring, and as an accountability tool to make if learning has occurred. (NEA, 2003)The 1995 NCTM Standards acknowledged that assessment should1.Reflect the mathematics that students show they know and what they are able to do.2.Enhance mathematics learning.3.Promote equity.4.Be an surface process.5.Promote valid inference.6.Be a coherent process.The Assessment seat from NCTM (2000) includes four phases of the assessment process includes planning, gathering, interpreting, and using data. The table below shows how each phase influences the next.