TESTING IN�3-PART HARMONY

SEAN SAUNDERS & ANTHONY TAVARES, �SHERIDAN COLLEGE

05

THE OUTLINE

THE IDEA

THE APPROACH

THE RESULTS

THE FUTURE

• Very weak basic math skills
• High attrition rate
• Number of questions left blank
• Question difficulty balance
• Developing critical thinking

• 3 Levels of Arithmetic Problems
• Inspired by Thinking Classrooms
• Students choose which to solve
• Higher difficulty = Higher marks
• From basic concepts to advanced

• Only for arithmetic problems
• Examples in classroom tasks
• Mild (I), Medium (II), Spicy (III)
• Max of 3/4/5 marks out of 5
• Student’s best problem is marked

SOME EXAMPLE QUESTIONS

BEDMAS:

SOME EXAMPLE QUESTIONS

Fractions:

SOME EXAMPLE QUESTIONS

Exponents:

• 2023-24: 2 sections, 58 students
• Average: 30.7%
• Answered: 79.3%, 79.3%, 74.1%
• 2024-25: 4 sections, 121 students
• Average: 44.6%
• Answered: 90.9%, 90.1%, 83.5%
• Average – INCREASE (p ≈ 0.0042)
• Portion of Answered – INCREASE� (p ≈ 0.0503, 0.0713, 0.1616)

THE DETAILED RESULTS

• Incorporate into other problems
• Incorporate into other courses
• Create practice problem sets
• Lower Floor / Easier “Mild” Qs
• Student-created questions?

THANK YOU