Welcome to smart tests

This is the home page of the "SMART::tests" research and development project. The project is being conducted at the University of Melbourne by Professor Kaye Stacey, Dr Vicki Steinle, Ms Beth Price and Dr Eugene Gvozdenko.

A 'smart test' is a specific mathematics assessment that reveals thinking. These innovative tests, which are accessed through an intelligent on-line environment, provide teachers with an informative diagnosis of their students' conceptual understanding of many of the topics in upper primary and junior secondary school mathematics. Within a few seconds of a student completing a test, the research-backed diagnosis is ready for the teacher. We intend that this information will be concise enough to be readily useable by teachers, deep enough to make a real difference to lesson content, and linked to appropriate teaching resources. Tests can be used by students anywhere there is a computer with an internet connection.

The aim of the project is to take the results of decades of research into students' mathematical thinking and conceptual development and to put it into the hands of teachers, in a way which will help them personalise learning by planning lessons to meet the individual needs of students in their classes. We have two types of research questions. Firstly we want to extend research on students' understanding of mathematics, and to use this to improve diagnosis and teaching suggestions on many topics. Second, we want to understand better the ways in which teachers can use this very specific type of "assessment for learning" (formative assessment) on a day-to-day basis. We welcome feedback on both these issues.

SMART::tests in Australia and New Zealand

From early in 2021 an online diagnostic testing service for middle years mathematics will be provided by Pearson Australia as part of their suite of educational products. Users in Australia and New Zealand will not have access to the smartvic.com teacher page unless they have links to the University of Melbourne. Pearson Diagnostic will be launched at the start of the 2021 school year. This product includes all the diagnostic tests (aligned to SMART::tests), along with additional teaching resources and ready to use targeted activities for each diagnosis (based on the SMART::tests teaching advice). Information about Pearson Diagnostic can be found at
https://diagnostic.pearsonplaces.com.au/.

Teachers at schools affiliated with Catholic Education Melbourne will receive an email from Catholic Education Melbourne with instructions on how to create an account with Pearson Diagnostic at no cost to the school.

SMART::tests for those from countries other than Australia and New Zealand

Educators from countries other than Australia and New Zealand are able to use SMART tests. To enrol, please use an email address from your institution or school rather than a gmail account or similar.

FIRST go to "Using smart tests" and "Try smart tests" to decide if these tests suit your purposes and to read how to use smart tests with students and use the results in teaching (essential for first time participants)

THEN

sign up to our research server here

SMART::tests for staff and students from Melbourne University

Staff and students associated with the University of Melbourne are welcome to use SMART tests. Please use your university email address when you enrol.

sign up with your unimelb email address

Acknowledgements

SMART tests accessed from this page should be referenced as: Stacey, K., Price, B., Gvozdenko, E., & Steinle, V. (2013). Specific Mathematics Assessments that Reveal Thinking. Retrieved INSERT YOUR DATE HERE from http://www.smartvic.com/teacher/

The initial project, formally entitled " Supporting personalised learning in secondary schools through the use of specific mathematics assessments that reveal thinking" was funded by the Australian Research Council Linkage Projects Program LP0882176 in partnership with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Victoria (2008 - 2010). Associate Professor Helen Chick (University of Tasmania) was a member of the SMART::tests development team until the end of 2011. During this time she made major contributions to the research project. Subsequent development has been funded in conjunction with the Department of Education and Training, Victoria and also Catholic Education, Melbourne.

We thank all the many schools, the teachers and the students who have assisted in the development of SMART tests.

Navigation

Navigate in this site using the tabs in the banner at the top of the page.