Reflective assessment and mathematics achievement by secondary at-risk students in an alternative secondary school setting.

摘要

In an era of high stakes testing and failing results of student mathematics achievement, this study was designed to examine if additional reflective practices scheduled at the end of lessons would influence learning of mathematics in an alternative high school setting with 10th graders studying to pass the Washington State test (WASL) in mathematics. At the inception of the study, the alternative high school teachers already used extensive reflective practices, but not in a prescribed manner as was designed by the study.; Reflective practices have been used to improve student learning in a number of studies, including: PASS Theory, reciprocal teaching, peer interactions, off-line metacognition, peer modeling, teaching of metacognitive strategies related to real world mathematics, and metacognitive strategies relying on mastery.; The design of the present study measured improvement in mathematics by gender and by reflective interventions. Results showed all students in all groups improved understanding of mathematics, however, no statistical significance between groups was found. Females in the group using written reflective assessments showed the greatest gains, and males using written reflective assessments improved the least. Alternative students were found to be at greater risk than traditional students, yet they had the district's highest percentage of students passing the 10th grade mathematics WASL.