Investigations in Mathematics: Alternatives to Traditional Assessment will develop assessment techniques and tools that help teachers and eighth grade students focus on students' understanding of and ability to communicate about essential mathematical ideas in a wide range of realistic and imaginative situations. The Lawrence Hall of Science will assemble a group of mathematicians, mathematics educators, and mathematics teachers to create a collection of tools, called "investigations", and a process for using them which integrates assessment and instruction. In each investigation, students will be required to read, understand, conceptualize, and represent a problem situation; to use mathematical skills and knowledge to make sense of the situation; and to communicate their thinking in a form that can be understood and evaluated. Investigations will give students the opportunity to consolidate and apply their mathematical understandings to the solution of complex problems. Included in the package will be teaching suggestions for the introduction of investigations, ways to assist students as they work on investigations, sample scoring schemes, and ideas for giving students feedback on their work. The investigations will focus on the most important mathematical ideas of the curriculum.
