Three Foci of Mathematic Teachers' Considerations in Evaluation of School Students' Achievements

Abstract

As part of efforts to improve the quality of mathematics' teaching and evaluation, we examined the focus of math teachers' considerations in evaluating students’ achievements, as well as the links between these focuses, regarding differences between students and the validity and reliability of assessment methods and examinations. Based on the categorization of issues that concern math teachers while assessing their students, a self-report quantitative-questionnaire was constructed and validated. The questionnaire included three foci of consideration for mathematics evaluation: considerations regarding evaluating learners, considerations regarding the choice of assessment methods, and assessment considerations that are unique to mathematics; positive, high, and significant were found between them. The main conclusion is that math teachers aspire to evaluate their students on the basis of a broad picture, that considers the needs of students studying mathematics as a unique discipline, the available assessment methods and their ability to adapt them to a valid and reliable assessment in mathematics, and the overall need to focus on the challenges and difficulties which are unique to assessing the discipline of mathematics. The findings also strengthen the claim that assessing math learning has unique considerations that are distinguished from assessment considerations in other disciplines.