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Standardized Testing Ethics

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The Ethics of Standardized Testing Often when the term standardized testing is used in the United States it is referring to the tests given in our public education system. However, standardized testing doesn’t only refer to multiple choice tests given to children at the end of the year to see if they can move on to the next grade. A standardized test is any test that is scored and administered in a constant, or “standard”, way (Procon.org, 2015). These tests are designed to control for as many of the variables that can influence the assessment (Thomas & Allen, 2012). Standardized tests are used in work settings, licensing, in addition to their use in education. Since the 1800s standardized testing has been used in the American education system …show more content…

competencies? and teachers’ effectiveness. According to Gustafson, this leads to a rigid environment that is not conducive to learning for students of low SES. Gustafson uses his real life experience as an educator to illustrate how the emphasis on standardized testing is negatively affecting students of low SES. For example, Gustafson recounts an eighth-grade student of low SES mentioning his accent and asking where Gustafson was from. Gustafson told her he taught in Chicago the previous year, the student response was, “That’s not in Brownsville, (Texas) is it?” (60). Critics may argue that the student lacked intelligence, but according to Gustafson the problem is a lack of experience. By assuming all students in the American education system share similar cultural experiences—in this case, domestic travel—the tests privilege some students and disadvantage …show more content…

In their overview of seven articles Ford and Helms present the negative effects internalized racial stereotypes have on African American test scores. Dixon-Román et al. addresses the same types of internal feelings. Dixon-Román et al. describes these feelings as “racial paranoia, fear, and social distrust” (p. 25). These feelings create a mindset that can lead students to achieve lower scores. Most professional testing associations in the U.S. would deem these tests as “unfair” because they are affected by a “measurement of supposedly irrelevant constructs” (Ford and Helms, 188). Unfortunately, this argument has not altered the use of standardized tests as they continue to lessen the chance of African American student

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All students dread one thing when it comes to school - testing. Standardized test are the main focus in our school systems instead of actually gaining knowledge at the end of the year. As a mother, Michelle Rhee, understands the lack of attention given on education as a whole instead of just waiting on the scores, but she still agrees on continuing with standardized test. Kristina Rizga opposes the opinion of Michelle Rhee as she does not believe standardized test truly measure the intelligence of a student. Kristina Rizga proves her stand against standardized test by utilizing solid use of argumentation.

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Exploratory Paper: Is Standardized Testing Bad? Standardized testing has been around in one form or the other for centuries based on historical data which shows its use way back in imperial China and was used to determine the strengths and talents of individuals so that they could be effectively used in the emperor’s service. In the 19th century Great Britain introduced standardized testing to its’ territories and eventually Europe. The United States introduced standard testing to its citizens in the late 20th century and has rapidly integrated this testing tool into the nation’s public school system.

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Standardized testing not only stresses out students, but it also leads the teachers to go in a dilemma whether to focus on the curriculum or to get students ready for the standardized testing. No one has ever enjoyed taking a test in his or her entire educational history. Similarly Mr. Estrada’s 4th grade class was not every excited about taking standardized test. Each student has his or her own level of learning. As the students were taking the test, I noticed some students were panicking, while others were confused.

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: In my opinion, standardized testing is beneficial but also flawed. I agree they’re non-discriminatory because the content is equivalent for all students, but teachers are “teaching to the test,” leaving out additional learning opportunities. From experience, I believe the tests are

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837 Words | 4 Pages

Leslie Rayburn is a teacher in Santa Cruz, California, and she, too, believes that this is unfair to students, and to teachers who are graded based on their students’ grades. She explains that, ‘the children who perform poorly on multiple choice standardized tests (but perhaps might perform well on an open-ended form of test) are labeled as “less intelligent’ and the school suffers” (Rayburn) Since progress of a student is mainly viewed based upon the outcome of standardized test scores, the lower-performing students are seen as “not college- ready”, which creates a roadblock to a student about where they may want to attend college. The fact of the matter is that no two students are the same, learn the same, or test the same, so standardized tests are inaccurate measurements of a student’s full learning capability and

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1507 Words | 7 Pages

Since 2006, overall SAT scores have dropped by 21 points. It is safe to say that the increase in standardized testing has done more bad than good. When standardized testing became more prominent, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) saw a plateau in reading and math scores. Additionally, the NAEP saw no further closure in the test score gap. The test score gap affects all minorities.

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1776 Words | 8 Pages

Standardized Testing: Making College Admissions “Fair” Every year , the daunting prospect of undergoing standardized testing brings anxiety to thousands of high school students, and for good reason: a student’s performance on standardized college admission exams - most importantly, the ACT and SAT - is a major determinant in deciding where they will go to college. For decades, such standardized tests have been universally accepted as part of the admissions process: proponents argue, as Syverson (2007) explains, that such tests are the only way of standardizing college admissions when students from different schools have such widely varying profiles. However, in the past several decades a growing anti-testing movement has begun to poke holes

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742 Words | 3 Pages

Standardized Testing While can be beneficial, standardized testing isn't improving American education. Standardized testing evaluates only the individual performance of a student instead of the overall growth of a student over the course of a year. In my opinion, Standardized testing is not enhancing education in America. Not all students who are smart and take in all the information test well. For instance, there are many people who simply do not perform well on tests.

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1749 Words | 7 Pages

Introduction Standardized tests may be used for a wide variety of educational purposes. For example, they may be used to determine a young child’s readiness for kindergarten, identify students who need special-education services or specialized academic support, place students in different academic programs or course levels, or award diplomas and other educational certificates. Thesis Statement Standardized tests should not be eliminated completely, but should rather be evaluated in addition to other factors such as grades, extracurricular activities, and volunteer hours. This would take pressure off of students during standardized tests, allow colleges to see how well-rounded the students are, and give students who are better in other areas

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1189 Words | 5 Pages

The silence in the room, with only the sound a pencil makes with the paper, produces the heart-thumping atmosphere standardized testing gives to students. Most students experience the overwhelming stress that is brought upon their academic life from SAT, ACT, or any standardized tests. They see them as one of the most important factors for college acceptance. The constant worry that sits on their shoulders will not disappear until testing is over, and there is nothing they can do about it until they hopefully get a letter from their dream college.

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1229 Words | 5 Pages

However, there are other forms of standardized testing. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) this is a test of achievement from kindergarten through the twelfth grade. Another form of tests are the PSAT, which is mainly the preliminary of the SAT test. “52% of teachers surveyed that they spend too much time on testing and test-prep” (Walker). Yet there are a few purposes of these tests, students would not be taking these tests if there were no

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1394 Words | 6 Pages

Standardized testing today is a worldwide phenomenon that supposedly ranks the intelligence of students on a level playing field. States have been in a competition over the highest test scores, the better your rank the more funding you receive. This does not stop at state competition, nations recently have been competing at a global scale and rankings come out for every subject each year. However standardized testing like the SAT, ACT, and state tests have had an overall negative impact on the education of the youth. The first form of the standardized test comparable to today's standard, was created in the early 19th century by Horace Mann (History of Standardized Tests).

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573 Words | 3 Pages

The average American student takes about 112 standardized tests between pre-kindergarten and 12th grade (Strauss). A standardized test is any form of test that requires the student to answer the same selection of common questions in a consistent matter, which makes it possible to compare relative student performance. Standardized tests restrict creativity, waste time, and waste money. We should get rid of standardized tests in our school system. Standardized tests limit a student’s ability to express creativity.

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2081 Words | 9 Pages

Concerns about bias, discrimination, and inclusion have driven ongoing arguments about the use of standardized testing in the educational system. Many contend that students with disabilities, those from underprivileged homes, and non-native English speakers all have inherent disadvantages that may affect how well they score on these tests. In addition, because standard tests are sometimes created without a particular learning style in mind, they do not adequately meet the different needs of all students. The reliance on rote memory in standardized tests, might not fairly reflect a student's genuine academic performance or cognitive skills. The present educational system has also come under criticism for its shortcomings and inequalities, such

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1191 Words | 5 Pages

Standardized testing has become one of the most popular types of testing in U.S. public schools to date. Students take numerous standardized tests throughout their childhood schooling. (Studies show that a typical student takes an average of 112 mandated standardized tests between Pre-K and 12th grade.) While standardized testing is one of the main procedures that Universities use to judge incoming students, it is not proven to be the most effective way to convey a student’s actual intelligence level. The U.S. should not focus so heavily on standardized testing because it is not a complete accurate measurement of a student’s intelligence.

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