“Taleem”: The application of the “Academic Progress” test in mathematics

Dina Johnny (Dubai)

The Emirates Foundation for School Education is implementing the MAP Growth Test in Mathematics for students from grades five to twelve. MAP Growth is a global test that measures student progress and academic achievement, and is held three times during the academic year in October, January and May. It aims to provide differentiated teaching and uniqueness in education for all students whether they are at, above or below grade and educational skill level, as well as assessing the measurement of students’ academic progress over time, and arriving at the exemplary growth of students as individuals through expectations of progress and how their progress is categorized with their peers .
The Emirates Education Foundation circulated to school administrations a number of procedures related to the application. She explained that the Academic Progress Test is an adaptive test that takes 45 to 90 minutes, and students cannot go back to previous questions.
The test is not a data tool used in the final assessment of a student at school. Test results are data that is used to make educational decisions about students, but is not used with students and parents for educationally competitive purposes.
The MAP exam for the third semester lasts for three weeks, ending on the 3rd of June. The school administration must ensure during the test contract that students attend and participate at 100%, while maintaining the test environment and free from distraction factors. She pointed out that it is not allowed to take the test remotely, and that the test observers should not be mathematics teachers.
The Emirates Education Foundation circulated the test schedules for the different school stages, and in the various regions of the country. The test will be held without affecting the daily study schedule of other students. “Taleem” directed the necessity of passing the students during the examination in all sessions, and emphasizing the students not to solve by guessing the answer quickly, because this will affect their actual results. She referred to the emphasis on the observers of the test sessions not to press the “end” button of the test unless it was an emergency, and to use the “stop” or “postponed” option instead. Taaleem also organizes direct support sessions for teachers, in addition to providing daily live support sessions during the application period from nine in the morning until one in the afternoon.