Early assessment in mathematics, the ethics in a practice close research approach

• One of the latest reforms to increase the equity and quality in mathematics education is mandatory national assessment in Preschool-class. It is supposed to govern the action, focus and professional language of the pedagogues. In an earlier study of preparatory work, policy decisions and assessment material, we discovered that there is a risk for schoolification of the Preschool-class, through this reform. A second risk is that students could be locked into "levels" of achievement and a third risk lies in a potential narrowing down of the curriculum (Bagger, Björklund, Vennberg, Accepted). At the same time, earlier research show that early assessment can lead to positive development for students in need of support (Vennberg & Norqvist, 2018). Deriving from our initial study of national assessment in preschool class, we have planned for a follow up project with the aim to contribute to knowledge of and developing the practice about the preschool class teacher’s work with national assessment in mathematics. During the conference we will present and discuss ethical and methodological challenges in this project. More specifically, we want to discuss what is required of practice close approaches in these ethically demanding situations of vulnerability and assessment in mathematics with young students. A key issue is the opportunities for teachers and researchers to manage the information collected during the  national assessment and handling of sensitive data, how they jointly can contribute to the development and management of the knowledge that generated about students' opportunities to learn and to demonstrate their knowledge. And finally, in what way this might contribute to assessment and teaching in mathmatics continues to have its starting points in the unique assignment of the preschool-class.ReferencesBagger, A., Björklund, L. & Vennberg, H. (accepted). The politics of early assessment in mathematics education. CERME11 in Utrecht, January 2019.Vennberg, H. & Norqvist, M. (2018). Counting on – long term effects of an early intervention program. In Bergqvist, E., Österholm, M., G, C & Sumpter, L. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 42nd Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Vol. 4, (pp. 355-362). Umeå, Sweden: PME.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Early assessment

preschool-class

national assessment

mathematics

special education

Bedömning

förskoleklass

matematik

specialpedagogik

Education

Pedagogik

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)