The target of the test and its objectives state earlier on clearly shows that this test will be an essay-type one with mixture of both lightly and heavily worded questions that will also include diagrammatic illustrations.The core purpose of the test will be test the ability of the learners in relation to the five levels of geometric thinking process as outlined by Dina van Healel - Geldorf and Pierce Van Hielel research on geometry (NCTM, 1988). The test will also be used to place the students into groups i.
e. high, medium and low ability levels. This grouping will help me as a new teacher to the grade to identify individual academic needs so that I can work on facilitating remedial teaching programs to those in need.Again, the test design also targets the eliciting of power of reasoning of the students in the general study of geometric shapes and structures; therefore it will be enough proof of how the students are fairly in geometry (NCTM, 1998).A Brief description of the contentGeometry is one of the core elements that make up the math curriculum; its study starts right from the primary level through to the high school and even in tertiary institutions. This test being the first one to the new grade nine students, its main aim is to test the prior knowledge of geometry that the students have from their previous grades.
As stated earlier on, the test will include all the five levels of geometric thinking process.The test content will include classifying, comparing, describing, analyzing, and defining various geometric figures (NCTM, 1998). These geometric figures will include both two-dimensional and three-dimensional figures, e.g. Squares, rectangles, triangles, Rhombi, Cubes, Pyramids, parallelograms, trapezoids, polygons, quadrilaterals, prisms, cones, circles and cylinders.
Prerequisite knowledgeThe geometry program as outlined in the geometry curriculum empowers students to develop systematic knowledge on geometric shapes and structures and therefore build a formal reasoning and proof when handling geometric related problems. Grade nine learners having spend the previous eight years in the primary level are expected to have hypothetically acquired the following knowledge in geometry.Description of test designedAn essay-type test normally includes both lightly and heavily worded questions, sometimes diagrammatic illustrations can also be included to supplement the word questions. My test will involve questions in the higher and lower levels with all the six taxonomy levels of blooms category being represented. Again both open and closed questions will be used to test the students’ specific and wide knowledge on geometry.
Words like, what? List, name, define, describe, explain, give examples, apply, construct, how does, why does, support, judge, and compare will be widely used in the test (Blooms, 1956)Number and type of questionsThe test will comprise of twenty questions, these questions will be selected carefully to represent all the five levels of geometric thinking process and also in accordance with the tests five objectives. Each level will get a share of four questions which will also be set in a manner that reflects the Blooms six levels of taxonomy.The questions will also be in line with the two main levels, low and high-levels, a phenomenon, that will help to fully evaluate, diagnose, and review student strengths and weaknesses. Again this kind of questions will help instill confidence and stimulate the students into developing an independent problem solving attitude.
Further the test will also include both closed and open questions which will also be in the low and high level categories (Blooms, 1956)
