Unraveling Student Learning Outcomes Through Diagnostic Assessment: Did It Work?

In the context of providing effective “teaching at the right level,” the urgent need for effective assessment strategies in education becomes increasingly evident. Understanding student competencies is crucial for addressing learning gaps and tailoring instruction to meet diverse needs. This study aims to evaluate students’ achievement of competencies in mathematics through a diagnostic test. The method used is descriptive. Participants were 160 third-grade students from three public elementary schools in Bandung City. The instrument used was an initial diagnostic test, which referred to essential mathematics competencies for grade 3. Data analysis was conducted descriptively and qualitatively. The findings revealed that learning achievement deficits occurred across all materials, with a higher level of understanding in place value compared to other topics, and the lowest understanding in the characteristics of plane shapes. The implication of these findings is the need for a more focused and strategic teaching approach to address the learning achievement deficits across all mathematics topics while paying attention to the understanding gaps in each specific topic.