Exploring creativity in mathematics assessment: An analysis of standardized tests

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate whether US standardized tests provide opportunities for students to demonstrate their creative thinking abilities through the inclusion of creativity-directed problems in their mathematics assessments. Our results indicated that two commonly used standardized national tests (i.e., PARCC and SBAC) do offer students some opportunities to exhibit their creative thinking skills by incorporating creativity-directed problems (e.g., multiple solution tasks) in their assessments. However, not all creativity-directed tasks are present at every grade level. The findings of this paper are significant not only because they reveal the potential of these tests to include creativity-directed tasks but also because they underscore the importance of assessment materials in fostering students’ creative thinking skills in mathematics, as assessments significantly influence teachers’ instructional practices and curriculum materials.