The development of students’ algebraic proficiency

Students’ algebraic proficiency is debated worldwide. To investigate the development of algebraic proficiency in Dutch secondary education, we set up a study, in which 1020 students in grades 8 – 12 took four algebra tests over a period of one year. Rasch analysis of the results shows that the students do make progress throughout the assessment, but that this progress is small. A qualitative analysis of test items that invite structure sense reveals that students’ lack of structure sense may explain the results: the majority of the students were not able to deal flexibly with the mathematical structure of expressions and equations. More attention to structure sense in algebra education is recommended

Shortcomings of mathematics education reform in the Netherlands:a paradigm case?

\u3cp\u3eThis article offers a reflection on the findings of three PhD studies, in the domains of, respectively, subtraction under 100, fractions, and algebra, which independently of each other showed that Dutch students' proficiency fell short of what might be expected of reform in mathematics education aiming at conceptual understanding. In all three cases, the disappointing results appeared to be caused by a deviation from the original intentions of the reform, resulting from the textbooks' focus on individual tasks. It is suggested that this “task propensity”, together with a lack of attention for more advanced conceptual mathematical goals, constitutes a general barrier for mathematics education reform. This observation transcends the realm of textbooks, since more advanced conceptual mathematical understandings are underexposed as curriculum goals. It is argued that to foster successful reform, a conscious effort is needed to counteract task propensity and promote more advanced conceptual mathematical understandings as curriculum goals.\u3c/p\u3