Taxonomy matters: Cognitive levels and types of mathematical activities in mathematics examinations

dc.creator	Margot Berger
dc.creator	Lynn Bowie
dc.creator	Lovemore J. Nyaumwe
dc.date	2011-07-01T00:00:00Z
dc.date.accessioned	2015-08-12T11:25:00Z
dc.date.available	2015-08-12T11:25:00Z
dc.identifier	10.4102/pythagoras.v0i0.4
dc.identifier	1012-2346
dc.identifier	2223-7895
dc.identifier	https://doaj.org/article/88544532e0a140b2b0a3a12aaccb410f
dc.identifier.uri	http://evidence.thinkportal.org/handle/123456789/30057
dc.description	We argue that there are intrinsic difficulties in using the Subject Assessment Guidelines for Mathematics (SAGM) for evaluating the standard of a South African matriculation mathematics examination and for determining how it aligns with the curriculum. Our argument has two prongs. First, the SAGM taxonomy conflates cognitive level with type of mathematical activity; we contend that such a conflation leads to problems in assessing the complexity of the examination item. Second, the SAGM taxonomy provides no space for important mathematical activities such as justification and conjecturing despite the promotion of these activities in key curriculum documents (Department of Education, 2003). This absence may obscure weak alignment of the examination and the curriculum. These arguments are illustrated through examples taken from the 2008 Department of Education (DOE) and Independent Examination Board (IEB) Grade 12 Mathematics examination papers. We also examine other well‐known taxonomies in order to discern those aspects of a taxonomy which may be useful for evaluation and alignment. We conclude with the construction of a matrix that could provide an appropriate taxonomy for the South African matriculation Mathematics examination. It has activities on one axis and levels of complexity on the other.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	AOSIS OpenJournals
dc.relation	http://www.pythagoras.org.za/index.php/pythagoras/article/view/4
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/1012-2346
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/2223-7895
dc.rights	CC BY
dc.source	Pythagoras, Vol 0, Iss 71, Pp 30-40 (2011)
dc.subject	taxonomy
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Mathematics
dc.subject	QA1-939
dc.subject	Science
dc.subject	Q
dc.subject	DOAJ:Mathematics
dc.subject	DOAJ:Mathematics and Statistics
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Mathematics
dc.subject	QA1-939
dc.subject	Science
dc.subject	Q
dc.subject	DOAJ:Mathematics
dc.subject	DOAJ:Mathematics and Statistics
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Mathematics
dc.subject	QA1-939
dc.subject	Science
dc.subject	Q
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Mathematics
dc.subject	QA1-939
dc.subject	Science
dc.subject	Q
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Mathematics
dc.subject	QA1-939
dc.subject	Science
dc.subject	Q
dc.title	Taxonomy matters: Cognitive levels and types of mathematical activities in mathematics examinations
dc.type	article