FVU-math

Visitation-test

EMMA Study Visit Copenhagen 9 – 12 May 2007 Pernille Pind email: pernille@pernillepind.dkhjemmeside: www.pernillepind.dk

Organization:

Matematiske aktiviteter I/S:•Develop framework and test questions•Test the test•Write instructions on the use of the test

Project group under Matematiske aktiviteter:•3 FVU-teachers, all with experience from development of final FVU-math-test

@ventures:•IT-implementation•Statistics

Conditions from ministry:• Test compulsory• Part of guidance – not decisive• Both paper and computer versions• Test for:

• qualifications below requirement for FVU-math• qualifications above FVU-math• qualifications in Danish language relevant for FVU-math• not test for level of FVU-math

• Short test, preferably 15 minuts

Our basic point of view:• FVU-math is FVU-math – not some kind of reduced school math

•test relevant for FVU-math

•show what FVU-math is

• You can’t test for everything in 15 minutes

Our decisions:•Two parts:

•Language/concepts used in FVU-math

•Numbers and calculations

•Fundamental qualifications

•FVU-math level 2 questions

•Very easy to approach:

•all test-questions of same test-type: simple multiple choice

•text should be read aloud

•calculator permitted

•15 minutes not enough, 30 minutes more realistic

Key-question:

To the FVU-teachers in the project group:

Would you refer to this question in an attempt to help a student with an other question?

Guidelines for level determination:

• Curriculum for FVU-math level 1

•Lots of other tests of basic mathematics:

•MG, FOM, Olav Lunde, KIM, Norway's national tests, FVU-math level-placement-test, TFV Talprøve for Voksne

•British numeracy level system form QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority)

Content of numbers and calculations:•natural numbers only

•text-problems in all four operations

•translation from text to symbolic expression (addition and subtraction)

•simple proportions (halving and doubling)

•place value

•ordering

•reading scales

•common facts

No questions in pure algebraic expressions

No 23+7=___

I have a personal antipathy against this type of math. I believe that the only reason for learning this language is because it’s the language of the calculator.

But I tried to be open minded!

The project group (chosen be me ) responded:

•Why would we want them?

•They send the wrong signal.

•Do they have any meaning with a calculator?

The documents

In the FVU-math final tests the test-questions are very true to authentic documents. In the test we have no authentic documents, because:

•We considered the reading of authentic documents to difficult. It is actually what the teaching and learning in FVU is mostly about. So it is not something we expect the students to be able to in advance.

•Copy-right for on-line use is a jungle! In the FVU-math level 2 questions we have fabricated documents similar to the real ones.

In the part with fundamental numbers and calculations we support the question with a photo.

In the language/concept part we use drawings. I would have preferred photos, but it is easier to make small drawings focused on certain concepts than small photos.

Review of the test:•@ventures are experienced test-makers. They reviewed

•Qualitative testing on ca. 30 people by the project group.

•Review by specialist in language: Anna Gellert KBH University

•Review by FVU-math specialist Lene Østergaard Johansen, Aalborg University.

Testing the test•300 people•Itemanalysis of testresults

The 300 people

Should be potential FVU-math students equally distrubeted geographically, on different ages, both sexes an so on.

But I found that impossible. First of all to find and identify 300 potential FVU-maths students. And then ask them for their time!

The test-takers are then:

•FVU-math students from both levels

•Students from schools for teaching adults with special needs.

•Students in open math and reading labs at vocational schools

•People at job-guidance interviews

Test-question examples