MDTP and Formative Assessment

Bruce ArnoldMDTP Director

barnold@ucsd.edumdtp.ucsd.edu

Formative Assessment: Assessment For Learning

• Formative assessment is a process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to teachers and students alike to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes.

Why is formative assessment important?

• Allows teachers to determine how well their students are learning so they can adapt their teaching to correct any deficiencies in students' understandings or abilities.

MDTP and Formative Assessment

• CSU/UC Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Project (MDTP) is a statewide project that develops, distributes, scores, and reports the results of diagnostic tests that measure student readiness for math courses from Prealgebra to Calculus. o Teachers administer MDTP multiple-choice readiness tests in their

classrooms (paper) or in computer labs (online). o Local MDTP sites score paper tests and return detailed diagnostic

reports. o Teachers analyze MDTP reports to develop formative assessments

and inform instruction.