Characteristics of Conceptual Assessment Items in Calculus

Zackery Reed; Michael A. Tallman; Michael Oehrtman; Marilyn P. Carlson

doi:10.1080/10511970.2021.1954114

Characteristics of Conceptual Assessment Items in Calculus

Zackery Reed, Michael A. Tallman, Michael Oehrtman, Marilyn P. Carlson

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present our analysis of 254 Calculus I final exams from U.S. colleges and universities to identify features of assessment items that necessitate qualitatively distinct ways of understanding and reasoning. We explore salient features of exemplary tasks from our data set to reveal distinctions between exam items made apparent by our analytical framework. In doing so, we offer commentary on the often subtle features of assessment items that contribute to variation in the reliability of inferences an instructor is positioned to make about students’ understanding based on their responses. We conclude by synthesizing basic principles exemplified by our results that mathematics instructors can apply to their assessment design.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	881-901
Number of pages	21
Journal	PRIMUS
Volume	32
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/10511970.2021.1954114
State	Published - 2022
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Calculus
assessment design
mathematical reasoning

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Mathematics
Education

Access to Document

10.1080/10511970.2021.1954114

Cite this

@article{53a0d62a44ca4ebab4fa5aebe13756b0,

title = "Characteristics of Conceptual Assessment Items in Calculus",

abstract = "We present our analysis of 254 Calculus I final exams from U.S. colleges and universities to identify features of assessment items that necessitate qualitatively distinct ways of understanding and reasoning. We explore salient features of exemplary tasks from our data set to reveal distinctions between exam items made apparent by our analytical framework. In doing so, we offer commentary on the often subtle features of assessment items that contribute to variation in the reliability of inferences an instructor is positioned to make about students{\textquoteright} understanding based on their responses. We conclude by synthesizing basic principles exemplified by our results that mathematics instructors can apply to their assessment design.",

keywords = "Calculus, assessment design, mathematical reasoning",

author = "Zackery Reed and Tallman, {Michael A.} and Michael Oehrtman and Carlson, {Marilyn P.}",

note = "Funding Information: This research was supported by the National Science Foundation [grant number DRL-0910240]. Any recommendations or conclusions stated here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect official positions of the NSF. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.",

year = "2022",

doi = "10.1080/10511970.2021.1954114",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "32",

pages = "881--901",

journal = "PRIMUS",

issn = "1051-1970",

publisher = "Taylor and Francis Ltd.",

number = "8",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Characteristics of Conceptual Assessment Items in Calculus

AU - Reed, Zackery

AU - Tallman, Michael A.

AU - Oehrtman, Michael

AU - Carlson, Marilyn P.

N1 - Funding Information: This research was supported by the National Science Foundation [grant number DRL-0910240]. Any recommendations or conclusions stated here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect official positions of the NSF. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - We present our analysis of 254 Calculus I final exams from U.S. colleges and universities to identify features of assessment items that necessitate qualitatively distinct ways of understanding and reasoning. We explore salient features of exemplary tasks from our data set to reveal distinctions between exam items made apparent by our analytical framework. In doing so, we offer commentary on the often subtle features of assessment items that contribute to variation in the reliability of inferences an instructor is positioned to make about students’ understanding based on their responses. We conclude by synthesizing basic principles exemplified by our results that mathematics instructors can apply to their assessment design.

AB - We present our analysis of 254 Calculus I final exams from U.S. colleges and universities to identify features of assessment items that necessitate qualitatively distinct ways of understanding and reasoning. We explore salient features of exemplary tasks from our data set to reveal distinctions between exam items made apparent by our analytical framework. In doing so, we offer commentary on the often subtle features of assessment items that contribute to variation in the reliability of inferences an instructor is positioned to make about students’ understanding based on their responses. We conclude by synthesizing basic principles exemplified by our results that mathematics instructors can apply to their assessment design.

KW - Calculus

KW - assessment design

KW - mathematical reasoning

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85112135453&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85112135453&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/10511970.2021.1954114

DO - 10.1080/10511970.2021.1954114

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85112135453

SN - 1051-1970

VL - 32

SP - 881

EP - 901

JO - PRIMUS

JF - PRIMUS

IS - 8

ER -

Characteristics of Conceptual Assessment Items in Calculus

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this