Abstract: In Australia, as in Singapore, teaching mathematics as a creative subject focused on the problem solving is recognized as an important goal. For nearly a decade now, this has been the position in all official curriculum statements. When this goal first came to prominence in the early eighties, many innovative curriculum materials were produced and many educational sessions for the teachers were held giving new ideas and discussing classroom issues. As a consequence, many teaching teachers experimented with new classroom activities. Although the change in the teaching mathematics was widespread, the actual proportion of teachers actively making changes was small and therefore relatively few children were seen to benefit. After several years, it was obvious that there was little incentive for most teachers to change their teaching methods and goals, especially as the assessment system remained unchanged. The strategy of achieving change in the curriculum and teaching by change in assessment was therefore attractive.

This article outlines one such instance of assessment driven change in secondary schools in one part of Australia. There is no doubt that changing the assessment had a large, quick and lasting effect on the teaching throughout the schools (Clarke & Stephen, 1996). However, the thrust of this article is to examine how the assessment itself has been altered by the total school system and how community acceptance of the assessment of the broader curriculum goals has gradually been increased. Two features stand out. Firstly the introduction of a test, to supplement project work, has allayed community unease about cheating. Writing the test poses many challenges, which have impacted on the style of the project. Secondly, pressure from teachers, parents and student has also influenced the style of the project. On balance, we judge that ‘creative problem solving’ is still being assessed, although in a curtailed way.