Cognitive Demand of Teacher-Created Mathematics Assessments

Source abstract

This study analyzed assessments created by middle school mathematics teachers participating in a large scale research project in the Northwestern United States. Assessments were coded using the frameworks of Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK) for mathematics content (2002), and Smith and Stein’s Levels of Demand (LOD) (1998). Teachers in the study were instructed to create an assessment using 5 common-items provided by the research team and 5 of their own sourced items. Assessment items were coded using each framework and data was collected based on the DOK framework, LOD framework, and grade level. Findings indicate on average, teachers assessments were relatively balanced between procedures and conceptual understanding and balanced between recollection , application of a skill/concept , and explanation of thinking . When looking at data based on grade level, assessments tended to address higher-level thinking as grade levels progressed. However when common-items were not included in the analysis, assessments tended to address the items using procedural thinking, and less frequently required explanation of thinking for solutions.