Developing a Multi-Dimensional Early Elementary Mathematics Screener and Diagnostic Tool: The Primary Mathematics Assessment

Brendefur, Jonathan L.; Johnson, Evelyn S.; Thiede, Keith W.; Strother, Sam; Severson, Herbert H.

doi:10.1007/s10643-017-0854-x

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…However, it is usually described as a kind of assessment which focuses on problems, explores possible difficulties, assesses if students are prepared for a learning task, and thus may measure prerequisite knowledge as well. Furthermore, diagnostic assessment is often followed by a kind of “therapy”: compensatory instruction to eliminate obstacles and offer various forms of supportive activities (e.g., in mathematics: Brendefur et al, 2018), which facilitates data-based decision making (e.g., in reading: Filderman et al, 2018).…”

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Online Diagnostic Assessment in Support of Personalized Teaching and Learning: The eDia System

2019

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The aims of this paper are: to provide a comprehensive introduction to eDia, an online diagnostic assessment system; to show how the use of technology can contribute to solve certain crucial problems in education by supporting the personalization of learning; and to offer a general reference for further eDia-based studies. The primary function for which the system is designed is to provide regular diagnostic feedback in three main domains of education, reading, mathematics, and science, from the beginning of schooling to the end of the 6 years of primary education. The cognitive foundations of the system, the assessment frameworks, are based on a three-dimensional approach in each domain, distinguishing the psychological (reasoning), the application, and the disciplinary (curricular content) dimensions of learning. The frameworks have been carefully mapped into item banks containing over a 1,000 innovative (multimedia-supported) items in each dimension. The online assessments were piloted, and the system has been operating in experimental mode in over 1,000 schools for several years. This paper outlines the theoretical foundations of the eDia system and summarizes how results from research on the cognitive sciences, learning and instruction, and technology-based assessment have been integrated into a working system designed to assess a large population of students. The paper describes the main functions of eDia and discusses how it supports item writing, constructing tests, online test delivery, automated scoring, data processing, scaling and the provision of feedback both for students and teachers. It shows how diagnostic assessments can be implemented in school practice to facilitate differentiated instruction through regular measurements and to provide instruments for teachers to make formative assessments. Beyond its main function (supporting development toward personalizing education), the eDia platform has been used for assessments in a number of areas from pre-school to higher education both in Hungary and in a number of other countries as well. The paper also reviews results from eDia-based studies and highlights how technology-based assessment extends the possibilities of educational research by making more constructs measurable.

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Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Online Diagnostic Assessment in Support of Personalized Teaching and Learning: The eDia System

2019

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“…Present methods for identifying reading difficulties are also imperfect ( 46 , 47 ), ranging from a simple, carefully validated teacher questionnaire to the classic Wechsler Individual Achievement Test. Recent mathematics research insists on the importance of analyzing the different number manipulation and arithmetic skills ( 21 , 48 ). Future development of computerized tests is expected ( 49 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Over the last 5 years, it has been gradually implemented, stratified by age groups and cognitive functions, and finally computerized. BMT- i tests apply neuropsychological models for a separate first-line examination of each of the five major domains of academic skills —i.e., (i) written language (reading fluency, reading comprehension, and spelling) ( 20 ) and (ii) mathematical cognition (numbers, arithmetic, and problem–solving) ( 21 )—and cognitive function —i.e., (iii) oral language (vocabulary, grammar, and phonological skills) ( 22 ), (iv) non-verbal functions (reasoning, drawing, handwriting, and visuospatial construction), and (v) attentional/executive functions (see Table 1 and Supplementary Data ). For this last domain, the computerization of BMT- i tests allows objective standardized measures of the scores in the main attentional/executive processes (sustained and selective attention, flexibility and inhibition, working memory).…”

Section: Population and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Computerized Adaptable Test Battery (BMT-i) for Rapid Assessment of Children's Academic Skills and Cognitive Functions: A Validation Study

et al. 2021

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Background: Learning disabilities in children are a major public health concern worldwide, having a prevalence of 8%. They are associated with lost social, educational, and ultimately, professional opportunities for individuals. These disabilities are also very costly to governments and raise the issue of the appropriate means of screening. Unfortunately, validated tools for preliminary appraisal of learning and cognitive function in struggling children are presently restricted to specific age ranges and cognitive domains. This study sought to validate a first-line battery for assessment of academic skills and cognitive functions.Materials and Methods: The computerized Adaptable Test Battery, or BMT-i, includes a panel of tests for the first-line assessment of children's academic skills and cognitive functions. The tests reflect expected abilities for the age group in question, exploring academic skills (written language and mathematical cognition) and cognitive domains (verbal, non-verbal, and attentional/executive functions). The authors relied on the results of these tests for a sample of 1,074 Francophone children representative of the mainland French school-age population (522 boys and 552 girls, ages 4–13, from 39 classes at 7 public and 5 private schools). Thirteen speech-language pathologists and neuropsychologists individually administered the tests.Results: The psychometric characteristics of the empirical data obtained showed acceptable to good test homogeneity, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: > 0.70), test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients: ~0.80), and consistency with reference test batteries (r: 0.44–0.96).Conclusion: The BMT-i was validated in a large sample of children in mainstream French schools, paving the way for its use in first-line screening of learning disabilities among children with complaints, whether their learning difficulties have been flagged by their parents or by their teachers.

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“…The study examined spatial reasoning for first grade students whose teachers either received a curriculum built on the use of enactive, iconic, and symbolic representations (EIS group) and an adopted traditional curriculum (traditional group). Students in both groups were tested using the Primary Mathematics Assessment Screener [75] in September, prior to the mathematics instruction, and again mid-May after the mathematics instruction. Student performance was compared across time.…”

Section: Overview Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Primary Mathematics Assessment [75] is a formative assessment that includes a screener and six diagnostic measures. The PMA-Screener (PMA-S) builds a profile of students' strengths and weaknesses for six dimensions: number sense and sequencing, number facts, contextual problems, relational thinking, measurement, and spatial reasoning.…”

Section: Overview Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Importance of Spatial Reasoning in Early Childhood Mathematics

Rich¹,

Brendefur²

2019

Early Childhood Education

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It is important to recognize the critical role spatial reasoning, relational thinking, and mathematical modeling play in the overall development of students' central understanding of mathematics. Spatial reasoning predicts students' later success in higher levels of mathematics, such as proportional thinking and algebraic reasoning. The National Research Council report implores educators to recognize the importance of developing spatial reasoning skills with students across all areas of mathematics. This chapter describes a study that used the Primary Math Assessment-Screener and Diagnostic to assess students' spatial reasoning and relational thinking. The results highlighted curricular resources to improve students' understanding of mathematics. Students' mathematical spatial reasoning improved significantly.

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Developing a Multi-Dimensional Early Elementary Mathematics Screener and Diagnostic Tool: The Primary Mathematics Assessment

Cited by 10 publications

References 19 publications

Online Diagnostic Assessment in Support of Personalized Teaching and Learning: The eDia System

Online Diagnostic Assessment in Support of Personalized Teaching and Learning: The eDia System

The Computerized Adaptable Test Battery (BMT-i) for Rapid Assessment of Children's Academic Skills and Cognitive Functions: A Validation Study

The Importance of Spatial Reasoning in Early Childhood Mathematics

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