Yogyakarta – The Community Service Team (PPM) of the Department of Mathematics Education, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY), led by Prof. Dr. Jailani, M.Pd., organized the Socialization of the Mathematics Academic Ability Assessment for Junior High Schools/Islamic Junior High Schools (SMP/MTs) and Assessment Development Workshop. The activity was attended by mathematics teachers from junior high schools and Islamic junior high schools across various regencies/cities in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), as part of an effort to enhance teachers’ competence in developing high-quality assessment instruments.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Dr. Jailani, M.Pd. emphasized that assessment is an essential component of the learning process. Assessment serves not only to measure students’ learning outcomes but also provides a basis for teachers to design more effective learning. Therefore, teachers need to have a sound understanding of assessment concepts as well as the ability to develop instruments that can accurately measure students’ mathematical academic abilities.

The activity featured three speakers from the Department of Mathematics Education, FMIPA UNY. The first session, entitled “Strengthening the Concept of Mathematics Learning Assessment,” was delivered by Prof. Dr. Jailani, M.Pd. He discussed the nature of assessment, its functions in the learning process, and the principles of developing high-quality assessment instruments. He also emphasized that assessment results can be used as a basis for evaluating the learning process and designing instructional strategies that are more responsive to students’ needs.

The second session was delivered by Sahid, M.Sc., with the topic “Mathematics Academic Ability Assessment for Junior High Schools/Islamic Junior High Schools (SMP/MTs).” In this session, participants gained an understanding of the concept of mathematical academic ability, the characteristics of competencies being assessed, and the development of assessments aligned with learning outcomes at the SMP/MTs level. The session also highlighted the importance of developing assessment instruments that can provide an objective, comprehensive, and accountable representation of students’ academic abilities.

Furthermore, Dr. Dra. Mathilda Susanti, M.Si. presented a session entitled “Mathematics Academic Ability Assessment Instruments for Junior High Schools/Islamic Junior High Schools (SMP/MTs) and Their Development.” The session covered the stages of instrument development, including formulating indicators, writing test items, reviewing instrument quality, and refining the instruments to meet validity and reliability requirements. Following the presentation, the activity continued with a workshop on assessment instrument development, allowing participants to directly practice the process of developing test items with guidance and assistance from the PPM team.

The activity was conducted with great enthusiasm. Participants actively engaged in discussions and raised various questions regarding the implementation of assessment in their respective schools. The workshop also provided an opportunity for teachers to exchange experiences and discuss challenges in developing assessment instruments capable of measuring students’ academic abilities more accurately.

Through this activity, it is expected that mathematics teachers at the SMP/MTs level in the Special Region of Yogyakarta will gain a deeper understanding of mathematics academic ability assessment and be able to develop valid, reliable, and learning-outcome-aligned assessment instruments. This activity also represents the commitment of the Department of Mathematics Education, FMIPA UNY, to supporting the improvement of educational quality through strengthening teacher competencies, developing high-quality assessment practices, and promoting sustainable mathematics education.