Exploring teachers’ beliefs for formative assessment in mathematics teaching and learning in Cyprus and Italy

This contribution concerns the description of some first results of a European research program (FAMT&L) about the use of formative assessment (F.A) in the teaching and learning of mathematics. The results are based on data collected though a questionnaire for tracing lower secondary teachers' beliefs regarding the purpose, the use and the results of F.A in mathematics teaching and learning. The discussion of results concerns 65 Cypriot and 39 Italian teachers. The relations between the teachers' beliefs for F.A reveal factors that influence the teachers' beliefs about the application of F.A in mathematics teaching and learning. Similarities and differences in the teachers' beliefs between the two countries are also discussed. Based on these concussions suggestions about developing a training model about the effective use of F.A in mathematics teaching will be provided.