A Study on the Recognition of Elementary School Teachers about Mathematical Descriptive Tests and Their Practices

In this study, we analyzed teachers' recognitions of the necessity of mathematical descriptive tests and their practices in the elementary schools. We then suggested several examples of improved formats of the mathematical descriptive evaluation. For analyzing teachers' recognitions and practices of mathematical descriptive assessment, we surveyed 104 elementary school teachers in Seoul. We collected the test items from the schools and analyzed them to find how they are practiced in the schools. The results were as follows. First, most elementary school teachers are basically recognizing the direction and the purpose of mathematical descriptive assessment. Second, the ratio of the descriptive test items was very low compared with the teachers' recognition of necessity of including descriptive items in the tests. Third, the teachers usually made the descriptive items with their colleagues using textbooks, test manuals for teachers, and the references that the office of education provided. Fourth, to enhance teachers' understanding of descriptive assessment, systematic training programs for teachers about the descriptive assessment should be continued. Finally, the office of education and research institutes should provide various types of test items and more teacher training programs on descriptive assessments.