Analysis of Year Four Mathematic Week 35 and Week 36 Assessment Task

The following essay will analyse the Year Four Mathematic Week 35 and Week 36
Assessment Task in reference to topics covered throughout ETP425 as to consider its
effectiveness to a Year 4 class within an international school setting using The Australian
Mathematics Curriculum (2013) and its outcomes. Analysis of the assessment task will be
based upon readings and research undertaken.
The Context of Assessment
Sound and effective assessment practices, based contextually are integral components
of the educational process. Good assessment practices allow teachers and students to assess
their progress as to charter a course for effective learning. Recently there has been a push
towards external examinations to increased accountability. Attached with a push for external
assessment, there has been a drive for uniform national curriculums, with learning outcomes
and statements. These learning outcomes and statements hold both teachers and schools
accountable for student learning outcomes (Brady and Kennedy, 2012, p. 10). Principles of
effective learning and teaching support the use of outcomes as they provide focus on student
centred learning, and accurate levels of achievement can be determined (Victorian
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, 2013b). Additionally, learning
outcomes allow educators to create a context for learning and assessment, hence providing
relevance and authenticity as cited in Luke and Woods (2008, p.17). Student learning
identified in the assessment item will be assessed using Australian Mathematic Outcomes.
What are the purposes and principles of assessment?
The purpose of assessment is to arrive at a point to make judgements regarding the
performance of a student, and from those judgements, students are directed in ways as to
improve their learning. Stiggins assert if assessments are to support improvements in
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students learning, their results must inform students how to do better next time (2006, p4).
The Year 4 Mathematic Assessment tool, a weekly test fails to do this adequately. Using the
assessment task as either as a summative assessment; to gain an insight into students abilities
and determine what has been learnt, or as a formative assessment; to guide and direct future
student learning, the assessment provides inconclusive results and direction.
What is evident after reviewing and matching Australian Mathematical Outcomes
(ACARA, 2013) to questions answered correctly, incorrectly and not attempted in the
assessment is that a broad range of outcomes from a variety of strands and sub-strands were
assessed, spaning a number of year levels as can be seen in Table 1 within the attached
appendix. For effective assessment to occur, specific learning outcomes must be assessed as
Rust (2002, p. 3) indicates. The assessment task has no specific outcomes assessed. The
assessment task is aimed at Year Four, but it contained assessment items that are taught
explicitly in Year Five and Six, and at the other end of the spectrum, in Year Two and Three
as well.
In the analysis of the students performance in Table 1 within the appendix,
unanswered and incorrect answers are classified together as outcome not achieved, while
correct answers are placed in the outcome-achieved column. Since the test is aimed at Year
Four, outcomes and standards for this level will be discussed in relation to what the student is
able to achieve and areas the student may need additional assistance at year level. The student
is able to recognize, represent and order numbers to at least tens of thousands at year level
outcome expectations for the Mathematic Stand Number and Algebra and sub-stand Number
and Place Value. Additionally, the student is able to recall multiplication facts up to 10 ! 10
and related division facts. Under the strand Measurement and Geometry: Shape, the student
is able to compare and describe two-dimensional shapes that result from combining and
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splitting common shapes. Also under the strand Measurement and Geometry: Using units of
measurement, the student is able to convert between units of time (ACARA, 2013, pp. 30-33)

At year level expectations for Year 4, the student is experiencing difficulty with the
Mathematic stand Number and Algebra: Fractions and Decimals, with a particular focus on
investigating equivalent fractions, and recognising that the place value system can be
extended to tenths and hundredths. The student is also experiencing difficulty solving
problems involving purchases and the calculation of change to the nearest five cents.
Additionally, under the stand Measurement and Geometry: Location and Transformation; the
student has trouble converting simple scale (ACARA, 2013, pp. 30-33).
What forms of assessment are available to educators? What constitutes good
assessments?
There are many forms of assessment available to teachers to use to allow students to
demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of topics taught. Assessments must
demonstrate the qualities of validity, reliability and fairness as to be considered a good
assessment, as cited by Budd (n.d.), Brady et al. (2012, p31) and Rust (2002, p2). The
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (2013a) elaborates on the
qualities by outlining characteristics of good assessment practices. Table 2 on the following
page compares the characteristic of good assessment practices with that of the Year 4
Assessment Task.







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Table 2. Comparison of Characteristic of Good Assessment Practices and Grade 4
Assessment Week 35/36

Characteristic of Good Assessment Practices Grade 4 Mathematics Assessment Week
35/36
The primary purpose of assessment is to
improve student performance
There is no evidence the assessment piece is
used to improve student performance.
Assessment should be based on an
understanding of how students learn
Questions asked of the student to apply
knowledge learned for the student answer
questions abstractly, with no concrete
material. Application of learning required.
Assessment should be an integral
component of course design and not
something to add afterwards
The assessment task is a commercially
designed activity. It may contain questions
not indicative of learning that took place
within the classroom.
Good assessment provides useful
information to report credibly to parents on
student achievement
If the assessment is taken home for parents
or caregivers to review, it may provide
evidence of what the student is able to
achieve.
Good assessment requires clarity of purpose,
goals, standards and criteria
There is no purpose, goals, standards or
criteria attached to assessment task.
When matching Australian Mathematical
Outcomes to the assessment piece, range of
outcomes from a variety of year levels are
assessed. The test has no clear direction or
specific aims.
Good assessment requires a variety of
measures
There is only one measure attached to the
assessment, a numeric grade. Questions are
not grouped according to specific outcomes.
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Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, (2013a) and R.I.C.
Publications (n.d.).
The assessment task is a short answer test, a traditional instrument used throughout
many classrooms to determine the levels of understanding of students learning; advantages of
this form of assessment is that it is relatively quick to grade, comparison of performance can
be made, and the teacher can norm-referenced, or rank students performance. By using this
form of assessment the teacher is able to inform the student, the students family and school
of the position of where the student is placed within the class or year level (Brady et al.,
2012, p.52).
However, a number of issues with the choice of assessment task can be noted; as can
be seen in Table 2 above. Short answer tests limits the chances of assessing the students
problem solving abilities, and questions are generally focused on the students knowledge,
with limited questions focusing on skills or application, as described in Brady et al. (2012, p.
52). The assessment task contains these flaws.
Best practices of assessment as identified by the Australian Capital Territory
Department of Education (2011, p.8) and Rust (2002, p.2) recognise the need for assessment
to be contextual and specific. As the assessment piece was commercially produced, it is a
poor reflection of the learning context of the classroom. The results of the assessment, as
outlined in Table 1 indicates the student was not prepared, and the assessment is not
indicative of what has been taught inside the classroom.
Assessment methods used should be valid,
reliable and consistent
When testing for validity, reliability and
fairness, the test is poorly constructed.
Assessment requires attention to outcomes
and processes
The assessment task is not aligned to specific
learning outcomes, the test covers a range of
Assessment for improved performance
involves feedback and reflection
May include some, depending on the
strategies employed by the teacher
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Rust (2002, p.2) asserts explicitness in terms of learning outcomes and assessment
criteria is essential in attempting to achieve reliability; and Brady et al. identify the need for
the classroom learning content and assessment to align as to achieve fairness (2012, p.35).
The assessment task was unreliable and unfair; it asked a Year Four student to demonstrate
knowledge beyond what was mandated within the curriculum. The broadness of the test, as
can be seen from the spread of outcomes across a number of year levels in Table 1 within the
appendix. It is essential to match assessment tasks up against learning outcomes as to
provide an avenue for the teacher to provide focus for students learning and understanding as
highlighted by the Australian Capital Territory Department of Education and Training (2011,
p.9).



What is Feedback and what role does it play in creating productive learning?
Feedback is an integral component of the learning process, as it improves student
performance. Hattie and Timperley (2007, p.82) state for feedback to be effective there must
be a learning context to which feedback addresses. By providing a context, feedback becomes
relevant, student centred and focussed. As the assessment task was commercial produced,
learning outcomes were not attached to the task; it is difficult for the teacher to pinpoint areas
of improvement and to provide quality specific feedback to student. If outcomes were explicit
and specific within the assessment, this issue would be rectified.
As the student demonstrates low levels of understanding and knowledge across a
number of outcomes, the most efficient form of feedback for the student would be to provide
elaborations through instructions rather than to provide feedback on a poorly understood
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concept as Hattie et al. (2007, p. 104) identifies. Additionally, it is imperative the teachers
feedback builds the confidence of the student, as to encourage effort for future endeavours.
Creating motivation and effort is a vital ingredient to lift students academic levels. For this
to occur, it is important for the teacher to develop student autonomy, as it builds motivation
(Sarwar, Zerpa, Hachey, Simon, & van Barneveld (2012, p.92).
Can this internal Assessment aid students NAPLAN results?
There is little advantage to use this form of assessment to aid and prepare the student
for an external assessment such as the NAPLAN. Luke et al. (2008, p17) state, the best
approaches to prepare students and increase learning outcomes of students, is for learning to
be contextual, and educators to use sound pedagogical practices. Perso (2009) and Quinnell
and Carter (2011, p.47) highlight best practices to prepare student for NAPLAN is for the
teacher to develop subject vocabulary and language. NAPLAN is rich in language, and
knowledge of subject vocabulary aids student to answer questions.


Reporting
A teachers role is to report on student learning to key stakeholders, such as parents.
This assessment provides little evidence of student learning; again this is due to nonalignment
of outcomes and the broadness of the assessment task as seen in Table 1 within the appendix.
For accurate reporting, the assessment task needs to be aligned with specific outcomes, as to
provide useful and relevant information to key stakeholders as identified by the Australian
Capital Territory Department of Education and Training (2011), the Victorian Department of
Education and Early Childhood Development. (2013a) and Brady et al. (2012).

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Part Two: Reflections and Questions
Reflecting back upon the past weeks of learning about assessment a number of core
truths come to mind. Assessment is an integral component of the learning cycle, as outlined
by Rust (2002) and Brady et al. (2012). Assessment provides a the vital picture of what
students are able to achieve, and also areas needing further assistance and revision,
additionally assessments allow teachers to review the effectiveness of their pedagogical
practices within a classroom as highlighted by Killen (2005). Assessment is effective if
aligned to specific learning outcomes, at times, assessment aims at times clash with external
stakeholders demands of the need for accountability (Luke et al., 2008).

Brady et al. (2012), Shute (2008) and Rust (2002) highlight effective assessments
provide avenues to allow focus and specific feedback. For my own professional growth and
develop, I still have questions regarding what constitutes effective feedback? and how to
provide effective feedback within an English as Second Language learning contexts?




References:

ACARA Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2013). The
Australian curriculum: Mathematics. Retrieved from http://
www.australiancurriculum.edu.au

Australian Capital Territory Department of Education and Training (2011). Teachers guide to
assessment. Retrieved from website: http://www.det.act.gov.au/__data/assets/
pdf_file/0011/297182/Teachers_Guide_to_Assessment_Web.pdf
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Brady, L., & Kennedy, K. (2012). Assessment and reporting: Celebrating student
achievement. (4th ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Person Australia.

Budd, Y. What does good assessment look like? (PowerPoint slides). Retrieved from ETP
425 Module 2, Week 3 learning material: https://online.cdu.edu.au/webapps/
portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_4_1&url=%2Fwebapps
%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id
%3D_30419_1%26url%3D
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research,
77(1), 81-112.
Killen, R. (2005). Programming and assessment for quality teaching and learning. (pp.
204-231). Southbank, Victoria: Thomson Learning. Retrieved from https://
ereadings.cdu.edu.au/view/cdu:33067

Luke , A., & Wood, A. (2008). Accountability as testing: Are there lessons about assessment
and outcomes to be learnt from 'no child left behind'. Learning: The Middle
Years, 16(3), 11-19.
Perso, T. (2009). Cracking the NAPLAN code: Numeracy and literacy demands. Australian
Primary Mathematics Classroom, 14(3), 14-18.

Quinnell, L., & Carter, L. (2011) Cracking the language code : NAPLAN numeracy tests in
years 7 and 9. Literacy Learning : the Middle Years, 19(1), pp. 45-53.

R.I.C. Publications. (n.d.) Year 4 Assessment Friday Test Week 35 and Friday Test Week 36.
New wave maths mentals, 99. Retrieved from https://online.cdu.edu.au/
webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_4_1&url=%2Fwebapps
%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id
%3D_30419_1%26url%3D

Rust, C. (2002). Purpose and principles of assessment. Retrieved from http://
www.brookes.ac.uk/services/ocsld/resources/briefing_papers/
p_p_assessment.pdf
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Sarwar, G. S., Zerpa, C., Hachey, K., Simon, M., & van Barneveld, C. (2012). Teaching
practices and student motivation that influence student achievement on large-
scale assessments. International Journal of Education, 4(3), 88-107.
Shute, V. T. (2008). Focus on formative feedback. Review of Educational Research, 78(1),
153-189.

Stiggins, R. J. (2006). Assessment for learning: A key to motivation and achievement. Edge,
2(2), 3-19. Retrieved from http://ati.pearson.com/downloads/edgev2n2_0.pdf

Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2013a, September
23). Assessment advice. Retrieved from http://www.education.vic.gov.au/
school/teachers/support/pages/advice.aspx
Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2013b, September
28). Principles of Learning and Teaching P-12. Retrieved from http://
www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/support/Pages/principles12.aspx









Appendix
Outcomes Achieved Outcomes not Achieved
Year 2

Year 2
Measurement and Geometry; Shape
(ACMMG042)
Measurement and Geometry: Using units of
measurement
(ACMMG040)
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Table. 1 Comparison between Students Year 4 Mathematics Assessment and Australian
Curriculum Outcomes
(ACARA 2013, pp 22-44) and R.I.C. Publications (n.d.).

Year 3
Number and Algebra: Number and Place Value;
(ACMNA053)
(ACMNA055)
Measurement and Geometry: Using units of
Measurements Measure
(ACMMG061)
Statistics and Probability: Data
Representation and Interpretation (ACMSP070)
Year 3
Number and Algebra: Number and Place Value;
(ACMNA053)
Statistics and Probability: Data
Representation and Interpretation (ACMSP070)
Year 4
Number and Algebra: Number and Place Value:
(ACMNA072)
(ACMNA075)
Measurement and Geometry: Shape
(ACMMG088)
Measurement and Geometry: Using units of
measurement;
(ACMMG085)

Year 4
Number and Algebra: Number and Place Value:
(ACMNA072)
Number and Algebra: Fractions and Decimals
(ACMNA077)
(ACMNA079)
Number and Algebra: Money and financial
mathematics
(ACMNA080)
Measurement and Geometry: Location and
Transformation;
(ACMMG090)
Year 5
Number and Algebra: Number and Place Value
(ACMNA098)
(ACMNA100)
Measurement and Geometry: Using units of
measurements
(ACMMG110)

Year 5
Number and Algebra: Fractions and Decimals;
(ACMNA102)
(ACMNA103)
(ACMNA104)
(ACMNA105)
Number and Algebra: Number and Place
Value (ACMNA099)
Number and Algebra: Number and Place Value
(ACMNA100)
(ACMNA101)
Number and Algebra: Patterns and Algebra
(ACMNA121)
Year 6

Measurement and Geometry: Location and
Transformation; (ACMMG113)
Year 6
Number and Algebra: Fractions and Decimals;
(ACMNA128)
(ACMNA130)
Measurement and Geometry: Using units of
measurements
(ACMMG135)
Measurement and Geometry: Location and
transformation
(ACMMG113)
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