Kognitives Potenzial deutscher Abituraufgaben

The question of the requirements in Abitur examinations in mathematics is often discussed controversially. The focus is often on concrete tasks. With the study presented here, we would like to contribute to substantiating this discussion through a systematic analysis of Abitur tasks. The guiding question is the cognitive potential of the tasks with regard to the general mathematical competences, the basic ideas involved, and the digital tools used.

Fourteen Abitur tasks with 203 work assignments were considered from the task pool of the Institute for Educational Quality Improvement (IQB), in which exemplary Abitur tasks are publicly available as orientation within the framework of the Central Abitur. Specifically, tasks in the domain of calculus from the years 2020 and 2021 were included in the study. A coding manual based on the COACTIV manual was developed for the analysis and supplemented with criteria regarding the use of digital media. The coding manual can also be used in the future as an instrument for task and quality development processes in upper secondary education.

As a result of the study, there was a generally low level of cognitive potential in all general mathematical competencies examined, e.g. in argumentation, problem solving, modelling, and communication (i.e., text writing). Moreover, the tasks addressed “Grundvorstellungen” only to a very limited extent. There were hardly any differences between the tasks with different digital tools (computer algebra (CAS) and scientific calculator), which means that the potentials of CAS were rarely used. These results are discussed and classified regarding the further development of Abitur tasks.