Graded Assessment and Learning Hierarchies in Mathematics

Abstract
The Graded Assessment in Mathematics (GAIM) project has sought legitimation, at least in part, by appealing to notions of child‐centred learning. At the same time, in order to gain acceptance, it has attached itself to a certification procedure, namely the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). This paper argues that the demands imposed by the needs of certification are irreconcilable with a requirement for child‐focused ‘diagnostic’ style assessment, and have led to serious internal contradictions. The paper also offers a critique of some of the research concerned with establishing hierarchies of mathematics learning.

This publication has 7 references indexed in Scilit: