TEACHERS' ASSESSMENT LITERACY: THE CASE OF IRANIAN K-12 MATH TEACHERS

Abstract

The current study surveyed Iranian K-12 math teachers in terms of their assessment literacy (AL). To this end, 150 math teachers were invited to answer a test of assessment literacy, comprising of 31 items on the seven dimensions of assessment literacy expressed in the Standards. The test was tailored to the contingencies of the Iranian education system and was translated into Persian. Consistent with findings from similar studies on teachers' assessment literacy in other educational system, results indicated that Iranian math teachers do not enjoy a sufficient knowledge base in assessment (x̅= 12, sd= 3.38). An independent samples t-test was run to see if primary school teachers teaching math, whose education background is not in mathematics, are any different from secondary school math teachers with degrees in mathematics or math education. Results showed no significant differences between the two groups of teachers; t(118)= .92; p= .36). Possible causes for math teachers' poor AL and implications the results hold for teacher education are further discussed in the remaining of this paper. The paper closes with a few suggestions for enhancing assessment literacy among math teachers

Keywords

• Math teacher
• assesment literacy
• Iranian teachers
• K-12
• secondery school

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