Evolving Mathematics Classroom Assessment Cultures

A review of literature indicated that there has been a shift in mathematics classroom assessment practice. In the advocated assessment alternatives, mathematics teachers and their students are expected to undergo a cyclical assessment process. This assessment process typically consists of five stages that are planning, designing, implementing, marking, and reporting. As a consequence of this recent demand, traditional mathematics assessment culture is greatly challenged in tandem with the change of roles expected of teachers and students within this assessment process. Hence, this paper is a review reflecting upon the changing cultures of mathematics classroom assessment. Mathematics Classroom Assessment Classroom assessment may involve a range of activities; from a teacher’s informal observations to a final examination that he or she hands out, and from students ’ self-reflection to group works with a task on peer-assessment. For the purpose of this paper, classroom assessments are limited to the formal assessments that go through a cyclical process of planning, designing, implementing, marking, and reporting (Figure 1). In addition, students and their mathematics classroom teacher(s) are simultaneously considered as the participants of assessment process. Although typically classroom teacher(s) are perceived to have control over this assessment process, recent literatures have advocated that students also have an important role at different stages of the assessment process (e.g. Black & Wiliam