Task rationale:

This assessment task builds professional knowledge and understanding of the structure, sequencing and links between critical concepts and skills in content across the year levels in the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics (ACARA, 2014). The curriculum and how it is delivered informs assessment. To develop high quality assessment tasks, teachers require a deep knowledge of the mathematics content to be assessed and how it develops in learners. Identifying issues or challenges to student learning is critical to providing for a balance of question type. Quality assessment in Mathematics must also reflect the Key Ideas (Understanding, Fluency, Problem-Solving and Reasoning). To make judgements about student learning, teachers need an understanding of the curriculum, the standard statements that describe student achievement and a shared knowledge of what constitutes evidence of learning.

Task description:

This task requires you to examine the relationship between curriculum, pedagogy and assessment and apply your knowledge and understanding to develop, critique and enhance assessment tasks. The task comprises two parts. Both Part A and B must be completed.

PART A

To complete Part A, you will need to:

1.Peruse the Number and Algebra content strand of the Australian Curriculum, Mathematics from Foundation to Year 9.

2. Select one content description from one year level for deeper analysis, eg. Describe patterns with numbers and identify missing elements (ACMNA035) from the Year 2 curriculum. In a graphic organiser, record the progression and development of declarative and procedural knowledge in relation to this content description. In your analysis of the featured content description, explain how the four key ideas of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics (Understanding, Fluency, Problem-solving, Reasoning) are reflected in teaching and learning.

3. For the identified content description, describe the nature and origin of possible challenges or issues for teaching and learning. This analysis should consider barriers to learning for all students including students with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds and students with diverse socio-economic backgrounds.

4. Create a diagnostic assessment instrument to determine the readiness of students for a planned sequence of learning that will focus on the selected content description. Your diagnostic should reflect the development of declarative and procedural knowledge. The completed diagnostic tool will assist teachers in identifying misconceptions and inefficiencies in student learning.

5. Develop a diagnostic marking guide (not an A-E Standards marking guide) to accompany the diagnostic tool you have made. It should clearly show all required calculations and anticipated student responses to questions, exercises or problems you have designed. Make links from some anticipated responses to learning issues or challenges described earlier in your work.

6. Propose and discuss pedagogical responses to the challenges or issues identified in step 3 and justify using professional literature.

PART B

To complete Part B you will need to:

1. Critically analyse the summative assessment task available on the Unit Moodle site Assessment Task 1 link. Use the appropriate Standards Elaborations document from QCAA (Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority) to frame your analysis. Terms of the critique should include the following: appropriate alignment to the Australian Curriculum, suitable range and balance of question types, appropriate language and context for the intended learners, clear alignment of the marking guide (criteria sheet).

2. Using your critique, make modifications to the summative task and justify each modification. Modifications can take the form of changes, omissions or inclusions.

3. Design an A-E Standards marking guide (criteria sheet) with which to judge standards for the adjusted summative task.

Your response should include:

Title page

Contents page

Introduction - Brief outline of assessment in primary schools or middle schools.

Part A - discussion of numbers 3 and 6 above.

Part B - discussion of 1, 2 above

Conclusion - Reflection on assessment in primary school.

References - APA style

Appendix 1 - Graphic organiser for one content description of one year level (selected from the Number and Algebra content strand of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics)

Appendix 2 - Diagnostic assessment instrument

Appendix 3 - Diagnostic marking guide

Appendix 4 - Modified summative assessment task

Appendix 5 - Standards (A-E) marking guide (criteria sheet)

Criteria and descriptors

1.2 Understand how students learn

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.

1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds

Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.

1.4 Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds.

2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area

5.1 Assess student learning

Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.

6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice

Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.

6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning Demonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved student learning.

Task rationale:

The way in which we teach mathematics is a defining factor determining children’s attitudes to, and persistence with, mathematics throughout their schooling years. Developing a positive disposition to mathematics is critical to engaging learners. Instructional games provide one approach to engaging children positively in mathematics.

Task description:

This task comprises a written and a presentation component. The task can be completed in groups of three people. Your group will create a package of resources that includes three mathematics games plus three other resources that support teaching and learning in an area of Mathematics in the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics (ACARA, 2014). The games and resources can address different areas of mathematics or the same area; the choice is up to your group.

WRITTEN COMPONENT

To complete the written component of this task, your group will need to:

1. Research approaches to engaging children in mathematics, including what makes great classroom mathematics games.

2. Select or design three mathematics games and three discretely different mathematics resources that will engage children positively in mathematics learning and contribute to deeper understanding and increased procedural fluency.

3. Outline the curriculum content focus and links to the Key Ideas (Understanding, Fluency, Problem-Solving and Reasoning)for each of the featured games and resources. Provide a series of learning opportunities that support each game and resource.

4. Identify the formative assessment opportunities for each game and resource.

5. Discuss how the games and resources could be adjusted to differentiate for learners.

6. As a group reflect on how this task has engaged you in professional learning and potentially improved practice.

7. Compile ONE group report addressing each of 1 to 6 above.

8. Each group member must submit the report to Moodle Assessment.

PRESENTATION COMPONENT

1. On-campus students will present one of the games to the tutorial group in the Week 12 scheduled tutorial. Distance students will submit a link to a video recording (saved to CloudStor) of one member of the group presenting the game to the Distance only T2 forum.

2. Each group will upload a word document to the TASK 2 Forum on Moodle outlining their games, resources and other relevant information for implementation in a classroom.

The full criteria and standards matrix is available on the Unit Moodle site.

1.2 Understand how students learn

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.

1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds

Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.

1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.

2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area

3.4 Select and use resources

Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.

4.1 Support student participation

Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.

6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice

Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.