The implementation of portfolio assessment into the secondary mathematics curriculum
- UNCW Author/Contributor (non-UNCW co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Brandon T. Hart (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW )
- Web Site: http://library.uncw.edu/
- Advisor
- Edward Caropreso
Abstract: The signing of the No Child Left Behind Act, NCLB, on January 8, 2002 made it
clear that the government’s main concern in education was assessment. NCLB was designed to
hold schools accountable for every student achieving academic proficiency. Since the signing of
this important piece of legislature the mean proficiency score for the state of North Carolina in
Algebra 1 has increased only 1.4 points. Traditional assessment methods such as standardized
multiple choice tests are the current tool used for measurement of student proficiency. But, can
you really measure whether students have mastered, or are proficient, in a subject by their score
on one multiple choice test. Would a better judge of student proficiency be a semester or year
long summative evaluation? This study discusses the potential advantages of implementing
portfolio assessment into the mathematics classroom.
I investigated the achievement levels of two Algebra 1B classes in which all participants
had failed Algebra 1 at least once. Portfolio assessment was implemented in one class while the
other received traditional assessment methods. The effects of implementing portfolio assessment
were examined using the North Carolina Algebra 1 End of Course Exam scores. The results
showed that implementing portfolio assessment did not lead to a higher mean score than the
traditional assessment group. However, the two students in the portfolio assessment group who
had previously taken the North Carolina Algebra 1 EOC Exam increased their achievement level
on the exam by 30 points and 7 points respectively. Also, the mean scores were only 1.2 points
apart and both classes were over 80% proficient which leads to a strong implication for portfolio
assessment as a useful strategy for students who struggle in and/or fail Algebra 1.
The implementation of portfolio assessment into the secondary mathematics curriculum
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Created on 1/1/2009
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- A Thesis Submitted to the University North Carolina Wilmington in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts
- Language: English
- Date: 2009
- Keywords
- Mathematics--Study and teaching (Secondary)--Standards--North Carolina, Academic achievement--North Carolina--Evaluation
- Subjects
- Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Standards -- North Carolina
- Academic achievement -- North Carolina -- Evaluation