From measuring impact to informing course design: The second design trial of the Maths Intensive course

Abstract

This paper describes the changes made to the administration of assessments in the second design trial of the Maths Intensive course at a comprehensive university in South Africa because of Covid-19. The course was designed in direct response to poor attainment in the Primary Teacher Education project’s mathematics test. Building on positive findings of improved attainment evident in the first design cycle, the Maths Intensive course was further refined for a second cohort of students, and shifts in attainment were once again analysed. The Covid-19 lockdown meant that student could not write the post-test on campus. As a result, the post-test data were not used to measure impact but, instead, were used to establish what the student teachers knew and were able to do at the end of the course. The Maths Intensive test framework mapped the test items to the learning outcomes for the course. Facility scores revealed areas where students were capable and areas where they still required support. The assumption that students would use calculators in un-invigilated circumstances was challenged, and requires further research. These findings may be of interest to lecturers and teachers seeking to develop assessment reports that provide useable information to improve their instructional design and teaching practice. They may also be of interest to academics and training providers designing mathematics education programmes for initial teacher education or for ongoing professional development courses for teachers in primary schools.