Overview

Knowledge Tools MDTP readiness tests help teachers understand their students' procedural and conceptual mathematical knowledge of important topics along the progression toward college mathematics. Readiness tests provide robust diagnostic feedback to inform instructional actions. Readiness tests also provide diagnostic feedback that can be used for program reflection and design.

Knowledge Tools MDTP assessment tests are designed to inform appropriate options for students' mathematical engagement in coursework towards college preparedness. Assessment tests also provide diagnostic feedback that can be used for program reflection and design.

Backward Planning - College to Middle School Mathematics

MDTP assessment system materials provide mathematics educators with student preparedness data by course, topic, and skill throughout students' secondary mathematics learning. Published MDTP materials span the full spectrum of mathematics coursework and encompass important mathematics along that progression.

If MDTP materials are used in effective and appropriate ways starting in early middle school through the last year of high school, educators can purposefully plan and intervene, where needed, for college mathematics preparedness.

Examples of Effective and Appropriate Use of the MDTP Assessment System

Start-of-Year Analysis

Begin a Formative Assessment Cycle

Using data from MDTP readiness tests - Teachers (or teaching teams) conduct analyses to determine student and class strengths common misconceptions (errors), and weaknesses. These analyses can be conducted by examining MDTP topics, items, and/or item answer choices.

• Identify: What are students' current mathematical understandings, misconceptions, and gaps.
• Analyze: What concepts and skills are related to the identified understandings, misconceptions, and gaps.
• Synthesize: Set goals - What are the essential understandings that students need to attain for success.
• Address: Now What? - Create a plan to reach the goals

Mid-Year Analysis

Compare Growth: Begin the Next Formative Assessment Cycle

1. Using data from MDTP readiness tests - Teachers (or teaching teams) conduct comparative analyses to determine growth from the results of the first formative assessment cycle.
   • Identify: Compare topic percents correct and percentages of students who met critical levels from the start-of-year data set to the mid-year data set.
   • Analyze: Determine growth, paying particular attention to topics that were included in the goals set during the start-of-year analysis.
   • Synthesize: Modify or set new goals based on analysis.
   • Address: Now What? - Create a plan to reach the goals.
2. Using the new data sets (and the comparative analyses), teachers (or teaching teams) conduct analyses to determine student and class strengths, common misconceptions, and weaknesses.
• Identify: What are students' current mathematical understandings, misconceptions, and gaps.
• Analyze: What concepts and skills are related to the identified understandings, misconceptions, and gaps.
• Synthesize: Set goals - What are the essential understandings dirt students need to attain for success?
• Address: Now What? - Create a plan to reach the goals.

End-of-Year Readiness Analysis

Topic Readiness for Next Course: just-in-Time Intervention

Using data from readiness or assessment tests - Teachers (or teaching teams) conduct analyses to inform student next-course readiness by mathematical topic.

• Identify: Topic(s) of interest - What are students' current mathematical understandings, misconceptions, and gaps around these topics.
• Analyze: What concepts and skills are related to the identified understandings, misconceptions, and gaps for these topics.
• Synthesize: Set goals - What are the essential understandings that students need to attain for success?
• Address: Now What? - Create a plan to reach the goals.

End-of-Course Diagnostic

Analysis Teacher Topic Focus for Pedagogical Growth, Program Improvement & Informed Teacher Professional Learning

Using data from readiness or assessment tests - Teaching teams, teacher support personnel and administrators conduct analyses to determine program strengths and potential program areas of growth, set goals for program adjustments, and create plans to reach the goals. This process is conducted by examining aggregate sets of data from MDTP tests across a district or school. Near the end of each school year, end-of-course analyses should be conducted to determine effectiveness of adjustments that were made the previous year.

• Identify: Areas of strength and growth by MDTP topic - What are students' current mathematical understandings.
• Analyze: What concepts and skills do students know, and in what areas is there evidence of growth?
• Synthesize: In the areas of identified need for growth, what is the mathematical content and pedagogical content knowledge needed to elicit growth? Set goals for growth in these areas.
• Address:
Now What? - Create a plan to reach the goals.

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