Emotional Readiness Assessment for Five Unit Mathematics Candidates

There are very high demands and prerequisites for studying in an advanced mathematics course, particularly the five-unit level in high school. In order to determine whether students are indeed prepared for this difficult learning track, they are typically assessed by their teachers with reference to their mathematical knowledge. Rarely is there any formal reference to their problem solving skills, thinking abilities, learning habits, attitudes or emotional readiness. The need to assess these dimensions increased during the COVID-19 lockdowns, as students had to independently demonstrate and develop their abilities and to self-regulate their learning.

A partial, yet important solution is the HighData diagnostic tool. In 2019, the foundation turned to the Center for Education Technology (CET) to develop a diagnostic tool to help teachers and students to measure advanced mathematical skills. This tool is now being used in every program the foundation supports that introduces mathematical modeling and reasoning as part of the new learning material aligned with the top proficiency levels 5-6 of the PISA framework. Teachers use it mostly in ninth grade in order to assess their students’ readiness for advanced learning in high school.

This tool is necessary but not sufficient, therefore, to address additional aspects of readiness that concentrate on psychological and emotional aspects. In consequence, we approached the Maytiv Center at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya. In 2017, supported by foundation grants, the Maytiv Center began the development of psychological tools for teachers of five-unit high school mathematics and physics. These programs continue to operate even today in professional communities of teachers throughout the country.

In response to our request, Maytiv is now proposing a program that will assess emotional status, learning habits, attitudes and beliefs in order to provide a broader picture of ninth grade students’ degree of readiness for high-level mathematics study in high school. They are planning to develop 80 items in 10 separate modules, which address emotional needs, such as evolving thinking patterns, gender stereotypes, goal-setting, study time-management, managing emotions, determination, and more.

Each module will include self-reports to identify the degree of self-efficacy, thinking patterns, sense of belonging and perceptions of future, as well as a questionnaire, immediate feedback and proposed activities to strengthen the emotional feature in question. Emphasis will be placed on providing students with positive feedback in order to motivate improved learning and overcoming difficulty. Eight lesson plans will be developed for teachers to implement in class following the feedback the students receive. One hundred teachers will attend a short 15-hour course to support implementation.

The program is proposed for a period of two years, and will reach approximately 3,000 students. The tools and content will be available in Hebrew and Arabic, and the program will be accompanied by evaluation and research. The program will collaborate with CET’s HighData program so that teachers and students are able to receive an overall assessment of knowledge, skills and emotional readiness.

* The text  above shows the grant as approved by the Foundation’s Board of Directors / Grant 441