Assessment purposes and theoretical foundations in university mathematics assessment practices: a comprehensive scoping review.
Saved in:
| Title: | Assessment purposes and theoretical foundations in university mathematics assessment practices: a comprehensive scoping review. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Deng, Min Tammy1 (AUTHOR) tmtdeng@connect.hku.hk, Xin, Wei1 (AUTHOR), Yang, Min2 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. Nov2025, Vol. 50 Issue 7, p1119-1139. 21p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Mathematics education, *Needs assessment, *Educational evaluation, *Education theory, *Cognitive psychology, Constructivism (Philosophy), Regional disparities |
| Abstract: | This scoping review addresses the limited scopes of current research on classroom assessment in university mathematics education (UME). We examine 67 empirical studies (2012–2024) from two crucial but ignored aspects: assessment purposes and theoretical foundations. Our key findings reveal (1) significant geographic disparities reflecting the tensions among assessment practice, society, culture, and epistemology in UME assessment practices; (2) a notable increase in the attention towards Assessment as Learning (AaL) with implementation challenges in mathematics contexts, technology application, and self-assessment practices; and (3) limited theoretical engagement (only 42% of studies with explicit theories), predominately favoring cognitivism and constructivism. By shedding light on overlooked research aspects, this review informs future research and practices in developing the disciplinary assessment tools and design to optimize student learning as well as enhancing research designs to improve the understanding of mathematics assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
| Abstract: | This scoping review addresses the limited scopes of current research on classroom assessment in university mathematics education (UME). We examine 67 empirical studies (2012–2024) from two crucial but ignored aspects: assessment purposes and theoretical foundations. Our key findings reveal (1) significant geographic disparities reflecting the tensions among assessment practice, society, culture, and epistemology in UME assessment practices; (2) a notable increase in the attention towards Assessment as Learning (AaL) with implementation challenges in mathematics contexts, technology application, and self-assessment practices; and (3) limited theoretical engagement (only 42% of studies with explicit theories), predominately favoring cognitivism and constructivism. By shedding light on overlooked research aspects, this review informs future research and practices in developing the disciplinary assessment tools and design to optimize student learning as well as enhancing research designs to improve the understanding of mathematics assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 02602938 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/02602938.2025.2504617 |
