Strands and cognitive demand levels: Examining university entrance exam questions across three countries

Seyedehkhadijeh Azimi Asmaroud; Yasemin Gunpinar; Sebnem Atabas; Maryam Zolfaghari

doi:10.29333/mathsciteacher/16847

Full Text (PDF)

Seyedehkhadijeh Azimi Asmaroud ¹ ^* , Yasemin Gunpinar ² , Sebnem Atabas ³ , Maryam Zolfaghari ⁴

More Detail

¹ Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA, USA² The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX, USA³ University of Saint Joseph, West Hartford, CT, USA⁴ Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

University entrance exams (UEEs) play a crucial role in higher education admissions worldwide, influencing curriculum design and teaching practices. This study examines the mathematics questions in UEEs in Iran, Turkey, and the USA from 2021 to 2024, comparing their content based on National Council of Teachers of Mathematics strands and Cognitive Demand Level framework. The results of the study showed that algebra comprised a higher percentage of questions compared to other content areas across all the countries. Additionally, the UEEs questions in all three countries predominantly consisted of procedural-level questions (either procedures without connections or procedures with connections). Based on these findings, suggestions and recommendations were provided to enhance the balance of question types and promote deeper conceptual understanding in assessments.

Keywords

textbook analysis
cognitive demand level
university entrance exams

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher, Volume 5, Issue 3, 2025, Article No: em084

https://doi.org/10.29333/mathsciteacher/16847

Publication date: 02 Sep 2025

Article Views: 340

Article Downloads: 318

Open Access References How to cite this article

References

Agterberg, D. A., Oostdam, R. J., & Janssen, F. J. J. M. (2022). From speck to story: Relating history of mathematics to the cognitive demand of tasks. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 110, 49-64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-021-10093-6
Akış, D. (2020). Predicting high school students’ academic achievement in international and national programs based on admission examination: A case study from Turkey [Master’s thesis, Bilkent University]. Bilkent University Institutional Repository. http://hdl.handle.net/11693/53711
Atac, C. (2019). The challenge of pre-examination system in Turkey for teacher candidates and potential solutions to the challenge [Master’s thesis, University of Jyväskylä].
Atweh, B., & Clarkson, P. (2002). Globalized curriculum or global approach to curriculum reform in mathematics education. Asia Pacific Education Review, 3, 160-167. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03024909
Bartolini Bussi, M. G., Milinkovic, J., & Gooya, Z. (2023). The role of values and culture in past mathematics curriculum reforms. In Y. Shiizu, & R. Vithal (Eds.), Mathematics curriculum reforms around the world. New ICMI study series (pp. 87-99). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13548-4_6
Boaler, J. (2002). Experiencing school mathematics: Traditional and reform approaches to teaching and their impact on student learning. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410606365
Borji, V., & Sánchez, A. (2019). An exploratory analysis of the representations of functions in the university entrance exam in Spain and Iran. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 15(8), Article em1727. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/106258
Coles, A., Rodríguez-Muñiz, L. J., Mok, I. A. C., Ruiz, Á., Karsenty, R., Martignone, F., Osta, I., Ferretti, F., & Nguyen, T. T. A. (2023). Teachers, resources, assessment practices: Role and impact on the curricular implementation process. In Y. Shiizu, & R. Vithal (Eds.), Mathematics curriculum reforms around the world. New ICMI study series (pp. 291-321). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13548-4_18
College Board. (2015). SAT practice tests. SAT Suite of Assessments. https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/practice/practice-tests/paper
Crooks, N. M., & Alibali, M. W. (2014). Defining and measuring conceptual knowledge in mathematics. Developmental Review, 34(4), 344-377. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2014.10.001
Dogru Tercihler. (2025). Üniversite sınavına başvuran ve yerleşen aday sayıları [Number of candidates who applied for and were placed in the university entrance exam]. Dogru Tercihler. https://dogrutercihler.com/universite-sinavina-basvuran-ve-yerlesen-aday-sayilari/
Doyle, W. (1988). Work in mathematics classes: The context of students’ thinking during instruction. Educational Psychologist, 232), 167-180. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep2302_6
Eren, A. Y. (2024). New generation questions in mathematics education. Current and Advanced Research in Science and Math Education I, 43.
Feldman, Z., Thanheiser, E., Welder, R. M., Tobias, J. M., Hillen, A. F., & Olanoff, D. (2016). When is a mathematical task a good task? In L. Hart, S. Oesterle, S. S. Auslander, & A. Kajander (Eds.), The mathematics education of elementary teachers: Issues and strategies for content courses (pp. 9-24). Information Age Publishing.
Gilbert, M. C. (2016). Relating aspects of motivation to facets of mathematical competence varying in cognitive demand. The Journal of Educational Research, 109(6), 647-657. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2015.1020912
Göloglu Demir, C., & Kaplan Keles, Ö. (2021). The impact of high-stakes testing on the teaching and learning processes of mathematics. Journal of Pedagogical Research, 5(2), 119-137. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPR.2021269677
Henningsen, M., & Stein, M. K. (1997). Mathematical tasks and student cognition: Classroom-based factors that support and inhibit high-level mathematical thinking and reasoning. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 28(5), 524-549. https://doi.org/10.5951/jresematheduc.28.5.0524
Hong, D. S., & Choi, K. M. (2011). Korean college entrance exams: An inside look. The Mathematics Teacher, 105(3), 208-213. https://doi.org/10.5951/mathteacher.105.3.0208
Hossain, M. (2022). Diffusing “destandardization” reforms across educational systems in low- and middle-income countries: The case of the world bank, 1965 to 2020. Sociology of Education, 95(4), 320-339. https://doi.org/10.1177/00380407221109209
Hsu, H.-Y., & Yao, C.-Y. (2023). A review of the mathematical tasks framework and levels of cognitive demand. In J. Cai, G. J. Stylianides, & P. A. Kenney (Eds.), Research studies on learning and teaching of mathematics. Research in mathematics education (pp. 219-252). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35459-5_10
Hurrell, D. (2021). Conceptual knowledge or procedural knowledge or conceptual knowledge and procedural knowledge: Why the conjunction is important to teachers. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 46(2), 57-71. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2021v46n2.4
Hussein, Y. F., & Csíkos, C. (2023). The effect of teaching conceptual knowledge on students’ achievement, anxiety about, and attitude toward mathematics. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 19(2), Article 12938. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/12938
Jiang, C., Kim, D. H., Wang, C., & Wang, J. (2019). Premises and challenges of high-stakes examinations: National higher education entrance examination mathematics test scores in China. Journal of Applied Educational and Policy Research, 4(1).
Joklitschke, J., Rott, B., & Schindler, M. (2022). Notions of creativity in mathematics education research: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 20, 1161-1181. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-021-10192-z
Koretz, D., Yu, C., Mbekeani, P. P., Langi, M., Dhaliwal, T., & Braslow, D. (2016). Predicting freshman grade point average from college admissions test scores and state high school test scores. AERA Open, 2(4), Article 2332858416670601. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858416670601
Krishnaveti, V., & Rawat, S. (2024). GPT takes the SAT: Tracing changes in test difficulty and math performance of students. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2409.10750
Kusayanagi, C. (2013). Constructing and understanding an incident as a social problem: A case study of university entrance exam cheating in Japan. Human Studies, 36(1), 133-148. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10746-013-9256-2
Loveless, T. (2013). The algebra imperative: Assessing algebra in a national and international context. Brookings.
Moore, R., Sanchez, E., & San Pedro, S. (2019). College entrance exams: How does test preparation affect retest scores? ACT, Inc.
Ontong, J. M., & Bruwer, A. (2020). The use of past assessments as a deductive learning tool? Perceptions of students at a South African university. South African Journal of Higher Education, 34(2), 177-190. https://doi.org/10.20853/34-2-3834
Otaç, B. C. (2019). Understanding the notion of choice in the process of university entrance exam in Turkey: A case study at METU [Master’s thesis, Middle East Technical University].
Otten, S., Araujo, Z., & Baah, F. (2024). Mathematical tasks from 141 secondary algebra lessons: A preponderance of procedures without connections. In Proceedings of the 46^th Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Kent State University.
Paredes, S., Caceres, M. J., Diego-Mantecon, J., Blanco., T. F., & Chamoso, J. M. (2020). Creating realistic mathematics tasks involving authenticity, cognitive domains, and openness characteristics: A study with pre-service teachers. Sustainability, 12(22), Article 9656. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229656
Parviz, M. (2023). Reflecting on the consequences of the Iranian university entrance examination: A systematic-narrative hybrid literature review. Discover Education, 2(22), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-023-00046-x
Peterson Institute for International Economics. (2024). What is globalization? PIIE. https://www.piie.com/microsites/globalization/what-is-globalization
Shimizu, Y., & Vithal, R. (2023). Mathematics curriculum reforms around the world: The 24^th ICMI study. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13548-4
Shimizu, Y., Kaur, B., Huang, R., & Clarke, D. (2010). The role of mathematical tasks in different cultures. In Y. Shimizu, B. Kaur, R. Huang, & D. Clarke (Eds.), Mathematical tasks in classrooms around the world (pp. 1-14). Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789460911507_002
Silver, E. A., Smith, M. S., & Nelson, B. S. (1995). The QUASAR project: Equity concerns meet mathematics education reform in the middle school. In W. G. Secada, E. Fennema, & L. B. Adajian (Eds.), New directions for equity in mathematics education (pp. 9-56). Cambridge University Press.
Smith, M. S., & Stein, M. K. (1998). Reflections on practice: Selecting and creating mathematical tasks: From research to practice. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 3(5), 344–350. https://doi.org/10.5951/MTMS.3.5.0344
Watanabe, M. E. (2015). Typology of abilities tested in university entrance examinations: Comparisons of the United States, Japan, Iran and France. Comparative Sociology, 14(1), 79-101. https://doi.org/10.1163/15691330-12341339
Yeo, J. B. W. (2007). Mathematical tasks: Clarification, classification and choice of suitable tasks for different types of learning and assessment. National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Zhang, Y. (2016). National college entrance exam in China: Perspectives on education quality and equity. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0510-7

How to cite this article

APA

Asmaroud, S. A., Gunpinar, Y., Atabas, S., & Zolfaghari, M. (2025). Strands and cognitive demand levels: Examining university entrance exam questions across three countries. Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher, 5(3), em084. https://doi.org/10.29333/mathsciteacher/16847

Vancouver

Asmaroud SA, Gunpinar Y, Atabas S, Zolfaghari M. Strands and cognitive demand levels: Examining university entrance exam questions across three countries. Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher. 2025;5(3):em084. https://doi.org/10.29333/mathsciteacher/16847

AMA

Asmaroud SA, Gunpinar Y, Atabas S, Zolfaghari M. Strands and cognitive demand levels: Examining university entrance exam questions across three countries. Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher. 2025;5(3), em084. https://doi.org/10.29333/mathsciteacher/16847

Chicago

Asmaroud, Seyedehkhadijeh Azimi, Yasemin Gunpinar, Sebnem Atabas, and Maryam Zolfaghari. "Strands and cognitive demand levels: Examining university entrance exam questions across three countries". Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher 2025 5 no. 3 (2025): em084. https://doi.org/10.29333/mathsciteacher/16847

Harvard

Asmaroud, S. A., Gunpinar, Y., Atabas, S., and Zolfaghari, M. (2025). Strands and cognitive demand levels: Examining university entrance exam questions across three countries. Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher, 5(3), em084. https://doi.org/10.29333/mathsciteacher/16847

MLA

Asmaroud, Seyedehkhadijeh Azimi et al. "Strands and cognitive demand levels: Examining university entrance exam questions across three countries". Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher, vol. 5, no. 3, 2025, em084. https://doi.org/10.29333/mathsciteacher/16847