PROCEEDINGS OF THE 23RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2020
Boston, Massachusetts
A model for assessing ITP students’ ability to validate mathematical arguments
Page: 184
In this paper I discuss the process of creating a closed-form multiple-choice assessment of students’ ability to validate mathematical arguments at the introduction to proof (ITP) level. This process involved: (1) creating and validating a framework of common validity issues (CVI) in proof writing as a basis for assessment creation through a mathematician survey (𝑛 = 228) and two focus groups (𝑛 = 4 & 𝑛 = 7); (2) creating and piloting an open version of the assessment as a means to create distractors for the closed assessment; (3) creating, piloting (𝑛 = 187) and analyzing the results from the closed form assessment; and (4) conducting interviews with student participants after the pilot to determine the process that students took during the pilot. The results of the processes offer an assessment that, with some refinement, can measure students’ ability to validate mathematical arguments from several perspectives in the ITP setting.