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The assessments
included sixteen tasks investigating students’ understandings,
processes and skills in the area of mathematics called geometry. Geometry
is concerned with geometrical relations in two and three dimensions,
and their occurrence in the environment. It also involves recognition
of the geometrical properties of everyday objects and the use of geometric
models as aids to solving problems.
Eleven tasks were identical for both year 4 and year 8. One task had
overlapping versions for year 4 and year 8 students, with some parts
common to both levels. Four tasks were attempted only by year 8 students.
Three are trend tasks (fully described with data for both 1997 and 2001),
seven are released tasks (fully described with data for 2001 only),
and six are link tasks (to be used again in 2005, so only partially
described here).
The tasks are presented in the three sections: trend tasks, then released
tasks and finally link tasks. Within each section, tasks attempted (in
whole or part) by both year 4 and year 8 students are presented first,
followed by tasks attempted only by year 4 students and then tasks attempted
only by year 8 students.
Averaged across 41 task components administered to both year 4 and year
8 students, 23 percent more year 8 than year 4 students succeeded with
these components. Year 8 students performed better on all components.
There was little evidence of change between 1997 and 2001 for year 4
students, but a small decline for year 8 students. Averaged across 13
trend task components attempted by year 4 students in both years, 2
percent more students succeeded in 2001 than in 1997. Gains occurred
on 10 of the 13 components. At year 8 level, with 22 trend task components
included, 5 percent fewer students succeeded in 2001 than in 1997. Gains
occurred on 3 of the 22 components.
Many students were able to identify the nets of three-dimensional objects
and to mirror a shape in a line of symmetry. Students had less success
with visualising the internal structure and cross sections of three-dimensional
objects, and with other spatial relationships tasks in three dimensions.
Many year 8 students had limited capability to use and interpret angle
measurements expressed in degrees.
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