Education Commons^™

Pisa In Brief : Highlights From The Full Australian Report : Challenges For Australian Education : Results From Pisa 2009 : The Pisa 2009 Assessment Of Students' Reading, Mathematical And Scientific Literacy., Sue Thomson, Lisa De Bortoli, Marina Nicholas, Kylie Hillman, Sarah Buckley

Kylie Hillman

No abstract provided.

Pisa In Brief : Highlights From The Full Australian Report : Challenges For Australian Education : Results From Pisa 2009 : The Pisa 2009 Assessment Of Students' Reading, Mathematical And Scientific Literacy., Sue Thomson, Lisa De Bortoli, Marina Nicholas, Kylie Hillman, Sarah Buckley

Kylie Hillman

No abstract provided.

Pisa In Brief : Highlights From The Full Australian Report : Challenges For Australian Education : Results From Pisa 2009 : The Pisa 2009 Assessment Of Students' Reading, Mathematical And Scientific Literacy., Sue Thomson, Lisa De Bortoli, Marina Nicholas, Kylie Hillman, Sarah Buckley

Kylie Hillman

No abstract provided.

Improving Consistency In Teacher Judgements : An Investigation For The Department Of Education, Victoria, Marion Meiers, Clare Ozolins, Phillip Mckenzie

Clare Ozolins

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) was commissioned by the Department of Education in Victoria to undertake an investigation of current best-practice approaches to ensuring consistency of teacher judgements against P-10 state-wide standards. The investigation encompassed national and international approaches that had been implemented or were under development. A key objective of the investigation was that the approaches identified should be based on current information, research and best practice, and that they should be supportive of the continued development of a learning and assessment culture in Victorian schools. The report of the investigation was required to provide key baseline …

National Assessment Program : Ict Literacy 2008 : Year 6 And Year 10 : Technical Report, Chris Freeman, John Ainley, Julian Fraillon, Eveline Gebhardt, Kate O'Malley, Wolfram Schulz

Dr Wolfram Schulz

This report describes the technical aspects of the National ICT Literacy Sample Assessment and summarises the main activities involved in the data collection, the data collection instruments and the analysis and reporting of the data. Chapter 2 summarises the development of the assessment domain and describes the process of item development and construction of the instruments. Chapter 3 reviews the sample design and describes the sampling process. Chapter 3 also describes the weighting procedures that were implemented to derive population estimates. Chapter 4 summarises the field administration and data management procedures, including quality control and the cleaning and coding of …

National Assessment Program : Ict Literacy 2008 : Year 6 And Year 10 : Technical Report, Chris Freeman, John Ainley, Julian Fraillon, Eveline Gebhardt, Kate O'Malley, Wolfram Schulz

Julian Fraillon

This report describes the technical aspects of the National ICT Literacy Sample Assessment and summarises the main activities involved in the data collection, the data collection instruments and the analysis and reporting of the data. Chapter 2 summarises the development of the assessment domain and describes the process of item development and construction of the instruments. Chapter 3 reviews the sample design and describes the sampling process. Chapter 3 also describes the weighting procedures that were implemented to derive population estimates. Chapter 4 summarises the field administration and data management procedures, including quality control and the cleaning and coding of …

Towards A Growth Mindset In Assessment, Geoff Masters

Prof Geoff Masters AO

Assessment and reporting processes shape student, parent and community beliefs about learning – sometimes in unintended ways.

Measuring Progress, Geoff Masters

Prof Geoff Masters AO

Geoff Masters discusses the need for a system of educational assessment that provides long-term pictures of student progress.

National Assessment Program : Ict Literacy 2008 : Year 6 And Year 10 : Technical Report, Chris Freeman, John Ainley, Julian Fraillon, Eveline Gebhardt, Kate O'Malley, Wolfram Schulz

Dr John Ainley

This report describes the technical aspects of the National ICT Literacy Sample Assessment and summarises the main activities involved in the data collection, the data collection instruments and the analysis and reporting of the data. Chapter 2 summarises the development of the assessment domain and describes the process of item development and construction of the instruments. Chapter 3 reviews the sample design and describes the sampling process. Chapter 3 also describes the weighting procedures that were implemented to derive population estimates. Chapter 4 summarises the field administration and data management procedures, including quality control and the cleaning and coding of …

Designing Online Assessment For Improved Student Learning And Experience, Roy Wybrow, Pauline Taylor, David Smorfitt

Associate Professor Pauline Taylor-Guy

Mathematical Thinking Of Preschool Children In Rural And Regional Australia : Research And Practice, Robert Hunting, Janette Bobis, Brian Doig, Judith Mousley, Lyn English, Joanne Mulligan, Marina Papic, Catherine Pearn, Bob Perry, Jill Robbins, Jenny Young-Loveridge

Catherine Pearn

Results of a research project that investigated: early childhood educators' thoughts on young children's mathematical thinking and development; reviewed recent research literature on the mathematical learning and thinking of young children; and made this information accessible to early childhood educators at all levels. Sixty-four early childhood educators from regional and rural New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria were interviewed for the project. Questions focused on: children's mathematics learning; support for mathematics teaching; use of technology; attitudes to mathematics; and assessment and record keeping. [p.1]

Pisa In Brief : Highlights From The Full Australian Report : Challenges For Australian Education : Results From Pisa 2009 : The Pisa 2009 Assessment Of Students' Reading, Mathematical And Scientific Literacy., Sue Thomson, Lisa De Bortoli, Marina Nicholas, Kylie Hillman, Sarah Buckley

Lisa De Bortoli

No abstract provided.

Highlighting The Similarities And Differences Of The Mathematical Knowledge And Strategies Of Year 4 Students, Catherine Pearn

Catherine Pearn

Research has shown that successful mathematics students use different types of strategies from those struggling with mathematics. Year 4 students were tested using the One Minute Tests of Basic Number Facts and a paper and pencil Number Screening Test developed by the author and colleagues. Observation of the students during the assessment procedures highlighted the vast difference in the students' speed and accuracy when recalling basic facts and the types of strategies they used when solving mathematical tasks. [Author abstract]

Differentiating The Curriculum : A Lot Of Effort For Little Gain, S Atkins, Gayl O'Connor, L Rowe

Gayl O'Connor

The Learning Federation (TLF) project employs emerging technologies to produce online curriculum content to encourage student learning and support teachers in Australian and New Zealand schools. Teachers and students in 20 schools participated in a field trial of a differentiated curriculum model that incorporated online curriculum content and associated assessment components. Teacher and student interviews were conducted to collect information in accordance with the study aims, which were to ascertain the extent to which the Differentiated Curriculum model resulted in increased knowledge by the teacher of individual student achievement; increased knowledge of the next appropriate activity for teaching and learning; …

Modelling Mathematics Problem Solving Item Responses Using A Multidimensional Irt Model, Margaret Wu, Ray Adams

Prof Ray Adams

This research examined students' responses to mathematics problem- solving tasks and applied a general multidimensional IRT model at the response category level. In doing so, cognitive processes were identified and modelled through item response modelling to extract more information than would be provided using conventional practices in scoring items. More specifically, the study consisted of two parts. The first part involved the development of a mathematics problem-solving framework that was theoretically grounded, drawing upon research in mathematics education and cognitive psychology. The framework was then used as the basis for item development. The second part of the research involved the …

A Thousand Resources For Science Teachers, Gayl O'Connor

Gayl O'Connor

The Science Education Assessment Resource (SEAR) project is an online resource bank of science assessment tasks for the compulsory years of schooling (P-10). The bank includes a variety of items that can be used for diagnostic, formative or summative assessment purposes. The Australian Council for Educational Research is responsible for the overall management of the project, working in collaboration with Curriculum Corporation and other organisations.

Better Than Beige : Designing Assessment Tasks To Enhance Learning And Measure Growth In The Early Years Of School, Prue Anderson, Marion Meiers

Prue Anderson

'I think of our school as beige. We tend to be the average of 'like' schools. Can we do better than that?' In order to promote growth in student learning and demonstrate achievement schools require rich assessment tasks that enhance the teaching and learning cycle and provide a valid and reliable measure of growth. This paper examines the five linked sets of assessment tasks that have been developed to progressively measure growth in literacy and numeracy in the first three years of school. The tasks were designed for the ACER Longitudinal Literacy and Numeracy Survey (LLANS). The tasks are based …

Enhanced Mathematics Learning: Does Technology Make A Difference?, Katherine Dix

Dr Katherine Dix

Empowering Classroom Teachers For The 21st Century: Meeting The Challenge Of Advancing Children's Mathematical Development, Catherine Pearn

Catherine Pearn

In this paper, the specific concerns for literacy and numeracy as we enter a new era are addressed through a discussion of an innovative mathematics early intervention program, which the author and classroom teachers have developed and applied. 'Mathematics Intervention' is an innovative program developed by three classroom teachers to identify, then assist, children in year 1 'at risk' of not coping with the current mathematics curriculum. The program incorporates assessment tools and learning activities based on recent research about children's early numerical learning. It develops the basic concepts of number upon which children build their understanding of mathematics. All …

The Importance Of Efficient Strategies In Developing Numeracy In The Early Years, Catherine Pearn

Catherine Pearn

A mathematics intervention program has been established at Elm Primary School for children at risk of not succeeding with Grade 1 mathematics. The program is based on current research that shows that children become numerate by progressing through five counting stages. The development and results of clinical interviews used for testing are discussed along with strategies that have been used to assist children overcome common difficulties identified by the testing. The importance for classroom teachers to be able to identify each child's strategies and thus their counting stage is stressed as a starting point for numeracy teaching in early years. …

Reforming The Assessment Of Student Achievement In The Senior Secondary School, Geoff Masters, P Hill

Prof Geoff Masters AO

The challenge that confronts agencies responsible for assessment and reporting in the senior secondary school is to extend systematic assessment procedures to broader range of learning outcomes than those currently assessed by public examination, to develop methods of reporting which are more descriptive of individual achievement and which provide a better basis for describing and maintaining standards, and to provide results which are sufficiently comparable across schools to enable fair comparisons of applicants for tertiary study. Some recent developments in assessment and reporting practice are considered with a view to identifying methods and approaches capable of satisfying this diverse set …