The production of a problem bank for Year 11
mathematics students forms the content of this thesis.
From an original collection of approximately 100
problems, 30 were chosen representing the areas of
algebra, geometry and arithmetic. The RASCH method
was used for calibrating the problems using partial
credit scoring. There were 452 students in 37 Year 11
classes from 8 Victorian secondary schools that
participated.
Details of the selection, administration and use of
the problems are discussed. Some of the difficulties
such as finding problems at the appropriate level of
difficulty, establishing a suitable classification for
them, defining a marking scheme for their solution and
the interpretation of the analysis of the scores are
also given.
The problem bank in its final form contains 23
problems, and could be used by Year 11 mathematics
teachers for assessing students' progress in
mathematical problem solving. For ease of use the
problems are categorised by area of study and level of
difficulty.
The methodology involved in developing the problem
bank, the processes of selecting and categorising
problems and the analysis of student attempts to solve
them would also be helpful for these teachers as they
incorporate problem solving into their V.C.E.
courses.