Investigating secondary school mathematics teachers’ knowledge, preparation and use of assessment rubrics in teaching and learning 3D-geometry in Tanzania

Abstract

This study investigated mathematics teachers’ knowledge, preparation, and use of assessment rubrics for teaching and learning 3D-geometry at selected secondary schools in the Dodoma region of Tanzania. The study was motivated by teachers' limited understanding of classroom assessment. The study was based on the premise that the existing assessment practices used by teachers in assessment of teaching and learning of mathematics are inadequate. A mixed research method was applied in this investigation. There were 51 mathematics teachers who participated and were purposively selected from 20 secondary schools. The data were collected through documentary reviews, classroom observations, questionnaires, and interviews. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically, while quantitative data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, frequencies, and percentages. The study revealed that teachers have limited knowledge of assessment rubrics; hence, most do not prepare or use rubrics for assessing students. The use of rubrics could assist teachers to spot-out the specific point at which a particular learner has encountered learning obstacle, this could assist in making quick and pertinent teaching and learning adjustments to increase the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Through teachers’ professional development, the study recommends improving mathematics teachers' knowledge of planning and using assessment rubrics to improve 3D-geometry teaching and learning.