The Ripple Effect: The Instructional Impact of the Systemic Introduction of Performance Assessment in Mathematics

Abstract

A report of a study of the effects on mathematics curriculum at years 7 to 10, of the introduction in 1990 of a Challenging Problem and Investigative Project in VCE Mathematics. The study, of 11 schools, was carried out in three stages: a study of documents relating to mathematics in the schools, a questionnaire, and interviews of teachers. The results indicate support for the existence of a 'ripple down' effect due to the changes introduced in the high stakes assessment of year 12 mathematics. The inclusion of problem solving and project work in VCE mathemtics "were consistent with developments advocated by the informed mathematics education community". The inclusion of such assessment practices in VCE mmathemtics "provided a high degree of shared meaning and a consistency of implementation to these advocated practices". "Other practices, similarly advocated by the informed community, but lacking inclusion in the VCE structure, were left open to local interpretation and were implemented unevenly and in a more fragmented fashion" in the participating schools. (p91) "It is a specific finding of this study that teachers are reluctant to embrace new assessment and instructional practices unless these are policy driven, that is, have the endorsement of inclusion in high stakes assessment. (p90)