Events

The problem solving problem: can Comparative Judgement help?

Speakers: Dr Ian Jones (Loughborough University)
Date: Enter valid start and end date Venue: Cambridge Assessment 9 Hills Road Cambridge England CB2 1PB
Type: Seminar Fee: Free to attend

Mathematical problem solving skills are somewhat nebulous and difficult to specify satisfactorily in marking schemes. In this talk hosted by the Cambridge Assessment Network, guest speaker Dr Ian Jones presented a recent study in which an approach called Comparative Judgement (which is based on collective expertise and requires no marking schemes) was used to assess mathematical problem solving.

There were two main components to the study. First, GCSE examiners wrote a special problem solving exam paper that was administered to Y10 pupils (N = 750) of varied ability. Second, the scripts were assessed using both Comparative Judgement and marking.  

The study found that the examiners, freed from the constraint of working to marking schemes, wrote more substantial problem solving questions than is typical in current GCSE exam papers. The study also revealed that Comparative Judgement offers a reliable and valid approach to assessing such problem solving questions.

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9 Hills Road Cambridge England CB2 1PB

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