Alexandra Blake S00152997

EDMA360 Assignment 1.

Rational Number Assessment

[Alexandra Blake]
Australian Catholic University
Teacher report on your students Rational Number Knowledge and any
misconceptions.
The Rational Number Interview provided some useful information on the content knowledge that
Alyssia currently has on rational numbers. The student demonstrated that she has a clear
understanding of iterating and partitioning fractions as she could draw clear images of how you
would partition and iterate a fraction. She is also competent at placing fractions on a number line in
the correct order. However, it is clear that her understanding of the value of fractions is still
developing as she was not able to order some different fractions from lowest to highest, misplacing
just some of the numbers from the list. The student shows her ability to apply a solution to an open
task by using prior knowledge. She was able to use division to solve this fractional problem and
therefore was able to share something equally amongst a certain amount of people. Some
misconceptions that the interview data revealed include the confusion of converting fractions,
decimals and percentages. Although for one problem in the interview she answered a fractional
problem with a decimal answer (when it was not required), the student showed that she had
difficulty with converting fractions into decimals and percentages. This was clearly due to the fact
that she has a misconception of place value and more specifically with decimal numbers. On more
than one occasion, she placed an extra zero after the decimal point where it was not required
therefore changing the whole value of the number, even though she knew the correct number
following that zero. Alyssia demonstrated that she has a developing understanding of rational
numbers with some clear understandings of the content knowledge as well as some common
misconceptions that need further exploration so that she can gain deeper understandings for future
practices.

Alexandra Blake S00152997

EDMA360 Assignment 1.

Critical evaluation of the usefulness of mathematics interviews for gaining

knowledge about students current mathematical knowledge that can be used to
plan future learning opportunities. Be sure to draw on relevant research
literature to support your evaluation.
There are many ways that teachers can assess their students mathematical content knowledge. An
individual one-to-one structured interview is one assessment strategy that educators can use to gain
insights of their students understanding on specific content areas. Sullivan (2011) ensures that such
interview assessments have great potential for informing teachers about the teaching and learning of
numeracy and mathematics. This facilitates the planning of future lessons for each students
individual needs and understandings. Interviews such as the Mathematics Assessment Interview or
the Rational Number Interview allow teachers to have that essential one-on-one time with their
individual students where they can orally communicate their ideas whilst also having the
opportunity to physically manipulate equipment to demonstrate how they understand and approach
particular mathematical problems.
This assessment approach also benefits the teacher-student classroom interaction. The teacher gains
a sense of typical learning styles from the interview and is also provided with the opportunity to
collect for individual and group understandings of mathematics to inform curriculum policy and
guidelines (Clarke, Mitchell & Roche, 2005). Research shows that children may have a strong
conceptual knowledge of a topic (revealed in a one-to-one interview) but may be unable to
demonstrate that during a written assessment (Clarke, Mitchell & Roche, 2005, p. 1). This can be
unfortunate for students who are given written tests to assess their knowledge as they are not able to
demonstrate their understanding in a way that applies to their learning style. The tests results may
hinder the teachers understanding of each students abilities as they may only focus on the results of
the tests and will therefore not communicate with the student directly as they would in an interview,
thus not gaining an in depth understanding of what the student knows.
Tapper (2012) denotes that a Student Interview could create the best professional development
experiences a teacher can have at a personal level with their students (Tapper, 2012), however,
utilizing the interview approach for assessment purposes also comes issues that educators must
consider for some diverse learners before conducting it. Conducting the interview as a one-on-one
experience may disrupt some students thinking processes as they may feel reluctant to attempt the
problem with a teacher watching their every move. Significant research has proved that self-concept
is a key determinant of learning outcomes for all students, and that negative self-concept is
especially harmful to a students academic performance (Sullivan, 2011).

Alexandra Blake S00152997

EDMA360 Assignment 1.
This is relevant to the interview process in the case such as a student who may be having trouble
with the topic. The student may become stressed from the pressure of the eyes of the teacher and
their self-concept may be impaired thus reducing their overall confidence levels on that topic in
future times. This is an especially important issue that needs to be considered by the teacher when
conducting a mathematics interview and therefore may be approached differently for those
particular students.

Alexandra Blake S00152997

EDMA360 Assignment 1.

Critical evaluation of the usefulness of Open Tasks with Rubrics for gaining
knowledge about students current mathematical knowledge that can be used to
plan future learning opportunities. Be sure to draw on relevant research
literature to support your evaluation.
Open ended tasks are becoming increasingly more common in the mathematics classrooms in
Australia today. In conjunction with open ended tasks is the use of a rubric. The two approaches
work hand in hand to support a teachers ability to assess their students and their ability to apply
mathematical thinking to the open ended tasks that they are provided with. According to Clarke,
Downton, Knight and Lewis (2013), a rubric can help teachers make appropriate on balance
judgements that is required in reporting processes. The use of an open ended task in a mathematics
lesson can have great potential for both the students and the teacher. In comparison to a closed task,
Sullivan (2002), states that open ended tasks create more actively engaged learners as they are
thinking about the situation therefore creating the potential of developing new understandings, it
also offers opportunities for extending mathematical thinking as students can explore a range of
options as well as the generalized response. Again, open ended tasks can be appropriately used for
assessment purposes as long as a predetermined rubric has been developed accordingly to the
mathematical task. Although the benefits of open ended tasks are clear, Sullivan (2002) also
explores a barrier that may have a negative impact on some students in the classroom. Research
shows a significant pattern in differing results from those students who are from low socioeconomic
status compared to those who are from high socioeconomic status. The data presents that those
students who are of low SES can relate to and attempt closed tasks where as those who are of high
SES tends to gravitate to open ended tasks (Sullivan, 2002). Sullivan (2002) explains how such
studies can raise some concern of the possibility that these new practices in the mathematics
classroom might privilege some students but create unintended barriers to success for others. In
response to this, Sullivan (2002) ensured that open ended tasks allow teachers to focus on the
individual needs of each student by asking open ended questions to prompt thinking and help
scaffold their learning therefore claiming that the barrier is almost irrelevant if approached
accordingly. Capraro, Capraro & Cifarelli (2007) agree with Sullivans (2002) idea stating that open
ended tasks allow for multiple solutions to be found therefore every student has the opportunity to
respond to the problem in some significant way according to their own understandings. In
conclusion, in combining the open ended tasks and the appropriate rubric, this approach can
evidently assist educators with assessing their students accordingly as it accommodates for all
diverse learners if approached attentively.

Alexandra Blake S00152997

EDMA360 Assignment 1.
REFERENCE LIST:
Capraro, M., Capraro, R., & Cifarelli, V. (2007). What are students thinking as they solve openended mathematics problems? International Conference of Mathematics Education in a
Global Community. Retrieved from
http://math.unipa.it/~grim/21_project/21_charlotte_CapraroPaperEdit.pdf
Clarke, D., Downton, A., Knight, R., & Lewis, G. (2013). Mathematics Assessment for Learning:
Rich Tasks and Work Samples (2nd ed., pp. 9-10). Melbourne: Mathematics Teaching and
Learning Research Centre.
Clarke, D., Mitchell, A., & Roche, A. (2005). Student one-to-one assessment interviews in
mathematics: A powerful tool for teachers. Retrieved from
https://www.mav.vic.edu.au/files/conferences/2005/doug-clarke.pdf
Sullivan, P. (2002). The Potential of Open-Ended Mathematical Tasks and Some Concerns. The
Potential of Open-Ended Mathematics Tasks for Overcoming Barriers to Learning.
Retrieved from http://www.merga.net.au/documents/_Symposium_2Sullivan.pdf
Sullivan, P. (2011). Teaching Mathematics: Using research-informed strategies. Australian
Education Review.
Tapper, J. (2012). Student Interviews. Solving For Why: Understanding, Assessing, and Teaching
Students Who Struggle With Math. Retrieved from
http://www.mathsolutions.com/documents/978-1-935099-33-8_excerpt.pdf