The Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Project, established
in 1978 and funded by CAPP since 1985, provides readiness
tests for students in grades 9 through 12. The tests, available
in English and Spanish, help students, their parents, and
teachers see how well prepared they are to continue the
study of mathematics. The test also provides a sense of
direction, indicating where students' efforts will be most
effective in enabling them to continue their mathematics
studies.
Alfred Manaster, Executive Director, MDTP writes:
At this year's user conference in Fullerton, a teacher
told me about her student's experience with MDTP. It seems
this student was doing very poorly in Algebra I. The student
took MDTP's Algebra I Readiness Test. When the student received
her results and the letter describing what she did well
and where she needed more preparation, she seemed elated.
"Now I understand why I'm having so much trouble with algebra,"
she said. "And it's not because I'm stupid. I just don't
have the preparation I need for this class."
Learning that her difficulty with algebra was not caused
by some mental deficiency in herself, she chose to remain
in the class and try to master the concepts.
The student was much more motivated after taking the MDTP
readiness test, and put forth more effort to learn the subject.
Although she did not do well in the class, she seemed pleased
with herself and her effort.
At the end of the year, she said she'd learned the concepts
and skills the MDTP test had showed her she needed to learn.
"Now I'm ready to take this class," she said.
The following year she did just that, signed up for Algebra
I. When her teacher told me this story, she said the student
was doing very well in the class and was pleased with herself
and the fact that she understood algebra.
MDTP provides test materials and scoring services
at no cost to all California mathematics teachers who request
them. Assistance in using the test results to improve class
development and instruction is provided by MDTP associates
at 10 scoring sites around the state.
After two years of development and field-testing, MDTP
introduced its Geometry Readiness Test this year. The geometry
test completes the array of MDTP's readiness tests for every
class in the traditional mathematics sequence: Algebra I,
Geometry, Algebra II, Precalculus, Calculus. Although the
Geometry Readiness Test was first released this year, MDTP
scored this test for more than 17,000 students. MDTP scored
more that 260,000 tests for California students in grades
9 through 12 this year. Sixty percent were readiness tests
for Algebra I. Twenty-eight percent were readiness tests
for Geometry or Algebra II. The rest were for more advanced
math courses.
More than 3,500 teachers in more than 800 schools in about
300 districts used MDTP tests this year.
In its ongoing development of effective and useful readiness
tests, MDTP continued to increase the amount of geometry
included in the Algebra II and Precalculus tests, in accord
with the goal of emphasizing other areas of mathematics
besides numbers and algebra. Geometry problems, and other
efforts by the test developers, increase the conceptual
emphasis of the tests. The added geometry items also provide
more balanced tests reflecting and encouraging efforts to
implement more integrated curricula.
This year, more MDTP tests required students to use calculators.
This conforms with the national goal of incorporating appropriate
technology in mathematics education.
In its continuing attempt to eliminate guessing and encourage
the use of problem-solving skills, MDTP began test development
on a new form of question that requires students to work
out numerical answers rather than select answers from multiple
choice alternatives. The new form of test questions will
allow students to give their answers in either decimals
or fractions.
In addition to developing new readiness tests, scoring
tests, and working with teachers to interpret and use test
results beneficially, MDTP also hosted five user conferences
this year. Conferences were held in Berkeley, Davis, Fullerton,
Los Angeles, and San Diego. At these conferences, teachers
from the schools, and faculty from colleges and universities
were able to help each other better understand their students'
needs and the changing approaches to mathematics instruction.
For more information: the
Official MDTP Site
