"Investigating Assessment Strategies in Mathematics Classrooms"

The learning experience provided to students in this environment is one where students are given the opportunity to reflect on the appropriate use of assessment strategies in mathematics in much the same way that practising teachers might. Rather than learning a raft of different strategies one by one, and possibly not really knowing when to apply them, students are not given any direct instruction on the various strategies. Instead they are given a realistic problem (there are 5) presented in the form of two documents (such as memos and letters), not unlike being given such a task in real life. The students then, in groups, use a range of resources and personal perspectives provided on the CD-ROM to investigate the task. They then present their findings also in a realistic, if simulated, context, as if they were presenting at a staff meeting or information night for parents. In this way, students can understand that a good knowledge of assessment strategies can be useful within a variety of contexts, and they have a broad range of strategies, beyond the standard pencil and paper test, that they can draw on as teachers of mathematics.

This exemplar has been selected for inclusion for the following reasons:

• The learning design is based on sound pedagogical principles. Situated learning is the underpinning theory of this learning setting.The interactive multimedia program was designed by operationalising the critical characteristics of a situated learning environment derived from an extensive literature review.
• It has undergone an extensive evaluation that attests its effectiveness to assist students achieve the intended learning outcomes. .
• The learning design is suited to a range of discipline areas.
• The learning design uses ICT in an innovative way that enable learning outcomes difficult to achieve by other means.
• The development of the learning design was funded by the former Australian Government Committee for the Advancement of University Teaching, CAUT.