EDMA310 Mathematics: Learning and Teaching Mathematics 2, 2017 – Assignment 1

Rational Number Assessment

Lucinda Goring S00160744

Australian Catholic University

Report for the teacher or parent to describe your insights about the student’s
mathematical knowledge (fractions, decimals, and percentages) and identify any
misconceptions (approximately 400 words).

Sam had a strong foundation of fraction knowledge however struggled to answer

questions correctly if there were no visuals. He liked to look at something and ‘play’
around with it before coming to his final answer. Sam had a basic understanding of
iterating as he was able to identify fractions being 1/4 , however had more difficulty
identifying 1/6 of a circle, this answer was only achieved after I asked him to count
how many times the circle could be cut on the other half as well. Sam individually
counted the dots, he was unable to simply look at them and formulate the answer in
his head. He used the process of partitioning when working out the whole of a
fraction. The ‘draw me a whole’ question provided difficult as he could show the
whole shape of the 2/3 however could not complete question B. He said he could
not visualise it and didn’t know how to work it out in his head. The iPod question
was answered with ease as Sam simply looked at the two offers and pointed to the
Pod tunes, telling me that’s 4 more songs for only $4.00 additional dollars. Sam had
a good knowledge of ordering decimals, only becoming stuck on one after I asked
him if his ordering was correct. He used his skills of decimal places to help him with
this question. Sam was unable to understand quotients when he was asked about
the pizza question. Again he was unsure on how to group and piece the groups
together, this is an area that needs focus. A question that sparked some interest in
me was the ‘cheese please’ where Sam told me that he rounded $12.59 up to $13,
being the highest dollar and then roughly divided it by 3, giving him a rough estimate
of $5.00. Whilst the answer was roughly $4.20, I can see what Sam was trying to do
in rounding the numbers up to a whole number to make it easier to work out. When
I questioned Sam’s techniques on the ‘cordial’ question he told me that he divided
600 by 5, I asked by he used 5 and he told he that he added the two rations together
1,4 which makes 5. Sam really struggled with question 12, the language threw him
off as he started to play around with the numbers and looking at me for guidance
when he picked every number card up.

Critically evaluate (affordances and constraints) the usefulness of interviews as an

assessment strategy for gaining knowledge about a student’s current
mathematical understandings and proficiencies. Be sure to draw on relevant
research literature to support your evaluation (approximately 400 words)

“What students can learn from an interview is far beyond the reach of any textbook”
(Rogovin, 2004), this statement has been drawn into classrooms around the world
EDMA310 Mathematics: Learning and Teaching Mathematics 2, 2017 – Assignment 1

for many years, hence the importance of interviews between students and their
mentors. The information gained in an one-on-one interview can be vital in ensuring
each student is learning to the best of their ability and receiving the appropriate
support and guidance from those around them. An interview provides an instant
snapshot for a teacher as they can see student’s reactions, body language,
explanations and written notes. There is no space for the student to hide as they sit
under the microscopically intellectual lens of their teacher. However whilst many see
the positives of an interview outweighing the negatives there are “certain limitations
that require careful consideration” (R h o d e s , O c h o a , & O r t i z , 2 0 0 5 ) . I t is
essential to remember that information gathered from these interviews need to
work hand in hand with other work completed by the student. Formal and informal
assessments as well as observations must be taken into consideration when collating
the results from the interview. “Interviews are a tremendous way to gain child
specific, individualised information, however it is not standardised” (Rhodes, Orchoa,
Ortiz). Whilst the purpose of an interview is to gain information about the one
student there is no comparison to other students provided. Therefore it is up to the
knowledge of the teacher to know where this child sits in comparison to everyone
else in the class and understand the content areas that need to be focused on. Many
interviews can be seen as a stressful process, as student and teacher meet one-on-
one. In this pressurized environment it can be exceptionally difficult for students
with learning difficulties to demonstrate their level of understanding. Kormos and
Smith (2012) add to this as they explain the difficulty these students face in not
having the time to answer a question or the ability to explore and be creative. This is
due to the difficult constraints of an interview such as limited time, resources and
ability to lean on other students for support. It is important to understand too the
preparation needed prior to an interview, the teacher must think about goals and
current achievements when interviewing their students. An interesting point to
consider is the potential language barriers a teacher may face when completing an
interview, Minas, Shimeld and Bingham (2013) state that this difficult can result in a
confused student and mismatched results. In order to avoid this confusion teachers
must provide tools and equipment to help explain the questions and allow for time
and understanding from the student. McClam and Woodside (2015) tell us that it is
essential that student and teacher have a god enough rapport, so that results are not
misinterpreted. However above all of this H e r m a n , R e i n k e , F r e y , &
S h e p a r d , ( 2 0 1 4 ) draws our attention to the insights gained from an one-on-one
interview. Not only is this insightful for the teacher but also for the family members
and curriculum planners as they work towards planning appropriate mathematical
content targeted specifically for this child.

Design a specific one A4 page assessment rubric for this rich assessment task. You
are encouraged to use the template provided on EDMA310 LEO. The rubric should
have the capacity to be used by classroom teachers if they were to use the open
task with their Grade 5/6 students (approximately 300 words).
EDMA310 Mathematics: Learning and Teaching Mathematics 2, 2017 – Assignment 1

Critically evaluate (affordances and constraints) t h e usefulness of rich assessment

tasks and rubrics as an assessment strategy for gaining knowledge about a
student’s current mathematical understandings and proficiencies. Be sure to draw
on relevant research literature to support your evaluation (approximately 400
words)

Open rich tasks accounts for the possibility of multiple explanations and strategies,
therefore rubrics act as a great tool to grade varied components and summaries in a
fair and consistent manner. There are many arguments that support the use of
rubrics in a classroom, this is because “rubrics can guide students towards the
understandings that need to be developed” (T e n a m - Z e m a c h , 2 0 1 5 ) . Other
factors to consider when discussing the positives of a rubric is that the desired
attributes required for students to achieve are printed in black and white. They are
written out clearly for them to see, with students able to compare where they sit
against what is required of them. Blaz (2016) also goes on to mention that put simply
‘it is not a guessing game for students’ and the requirements of the task are not to
be guessed or assumed as they have been formulated in a rubric for them. There are
arguments that rubrics negatively impact student wellbeing and positivity in a
classroom as they feel they have been put into one box or limited to only achieve
‘higher’ on their marking guide. A r t e r a n d M c T i g h e , 2 0 0 5 mention that “a
rubric score only indicated achievement”, they emphasize on the point that a rubric
excludes effort or growth in personal development. In contrary to their above
argument (Tenam-Zamach, 2015) “found that a rubric can never truly measure
anything”. The markings of a rubric can create a conversation between student and
teacher on what needs to be developed however it can never be an ‘end’ in itself.
There is no argument that rubrics are ‘easy’ to use and are a convenience for
teachers when wanting to collect quick updates. Wilson (2006) mentions that rubrics
are a good alternative to other marking schemes that are out there but shouldn’t be
looked at on its own, instead used in conjunction with observations and individual
student development. It is pivotal to remember that a rubric must not be too broad,
“it might do little more than state the obvious, a trait is good because it is good”
(Benjamin, 2007). It must be clear and conscious and use effective terminology that
students understand and can apply to their own learning. Benjamin also mentions
that if a rubric is to have “instructive value”, it must be provided to students at the
commencement of the assessment task. This way they can refer back to it at all
times and use it to guide their work.
EDMA310 Mathematics: Learning and Teaching Mathematics 2, 2017 – Assignment 1

References:

Arter, J. A., & McTighe, J. (2005). Scoring rubrics in the classroom: using performance
criteria for assessing and improving student performance. Moorabbin, Vic.:
Hawker Brownlow Education.

Benjamin, A., & Oliva, T. (2007). Engaging grammar: practical advice for real
classrooms. Urbana, Ill: National Council of Teachers of English.

Blaz, D. (2016). Differentiated instruction: a guide for world language teachers. New
York: Routledge.

English, L. D., & Mulligan, J. T. (2015). Reconceptualizing early mathematics learning.

Berlin: Springer.

Minas, J., Shimeld, S., & Bingham, S. (2013). Using one-on-one Interviews in tax
teaching. Journal of the Australasian Tax Teachers Association, 8 (1), 58.
EDMA310 Mathematics: Learning and Teaching Mathematics 2, 2017 – Assignment 1

Herman, K. C., Reinke, W. M., Frey, A., & Shepard, S. (2014). Motivational
interviewing in schools: strategies for engaging parents, teachers, and
students. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC.

Kormos, J., & Smith, A. M. (2012). Teaching languages to students with specific
learning differences. Bristol: Multilingual matters.

Rhodes, R. L., Ochoa, S. H., & Ortiz, S. O. (2005). Assessing culturally and linguistically
diverse students: a practical guide. New York: Guilford Press.

Rogovin, P. (2004). Why cant you behave?: the teachers guide to creative classroom
management, K-3. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Tenam-Zemach, M. (2015). Rubric nation: critical inquiries on the impact of rubrics in

education. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Woodside, M., & McClam, T. (2015). An introduction to human services. Stamford,

CT: Cengage Learning

Wilson, M. (2006). Rethinking rubrics in writing assessment. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann.