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.
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.
Standardized testing (SATs), in the United States has been present for years and has caused plenty of teachers, students, parents, and other individuals who are informed about it to have different perspectives and opinions on it. Before doing my research on the different opinions people had on standardized tests, I always believed they were encouraged by professors and school facilities. As a student myself and on the behalf of other students, standardized tests were always perceived to be stressful and unjust. Test taking was never a strength of mine especially if the test was timed because it just added more pressure to answer the questions quick. In high school, my teachers never discussed how they felt towards the SATs, which made
While some kids are financially stable, and can afford to have training and preparation for these exams, there are other kids who cannot. These kids may not be able to get into a university as they lacked the crucial help and resources to not only pass the test but score as high as the students who have the edge to prepare better. My question is why are American school systems are relying so much on one test to defy a student’s grade or future? Studies have shown that high stake testing like the SAT’s, have cut down on different ethnicities getting into colleges. According an article written by Rebecca Zwick, At the University of California Berkeley, African American enrollment dropped by more than 60% in 1997.
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
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
In the history of modern colleges, the SAT has been the most widely accepted standardized test by students. The SAT was first introduced in 1926, and since then it has been used by millions of college applicants to demonstrate their academic prowess. Following the creation of the SAT, there have been countless debates on whether it should be scrapped or kept due to its potential to unfairly discriminate against students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and its possible lack of correlation with academic success. Every year, more schools begin to shift toward test-optional, while many schools continue to use mandatory standardized testing. To fully understand and agree on an answer to this debate, extensive research must be done, and students
After analyzing the three interviews I conducted, each interviewee had different thoughts and applications to standardized tests. I want to start off by stating what each of my participants believes about standardized tests. Sara stated that “too much time is spent on studying for these tests” (interviewee #1, 1). She also said that as a teacher she wanted her “students to LOVE history, sometimes I feel that that got lost in the desire to have them all pass” (interviewee #1,1). Mary’s opinion read, “I don’t think that it is fair because a simple test shouldn’t judge your whole intelligence” (interviewee #2, 2).
“Sometimes the most brilliant and intelligent minds do not shine in standardized tests because they do not have standardized minds.” This quotation by Diane Ravitch nearly perfectly describes the ludicrosity of modern standardized tests. Students may achieve elite grades, volunteer, and participate in a variety of extracurriculars throughout high school, but all of these elements may be for naught if their ACT or SAT score is deemed unsatisfactory. The college application process is demanding enough without the added burden of inessential and unfair standardized tests. The ACT and SAT may put unnecessary stress on high schoolers, because they are an unfair representation of intelligence and education and are a large element of the college admission process.
In standardized tests and tests in general, the mean is the average score derived from a group of scores. The mean is determined by adding up all the scores and dividing the sum by the number of scores added (Woolfolk, p. 632, 2013). The median, as the name implies, is the middle score. The median lies at the midpoint of a set of scores, with an equal number of scores distributed above it and below it. The mode is essentially the score that occurs the most often.
Standardized Testing Are you tired of the way we do testing? Well, I am. Some people think that we should keep the way we do testing. While everybody else thinks that we should change the way we test. I think we should change the way of testing because it causes stress to lots people.
Imagine one day walking into a college and one of the rooms is assigned for you to take a Placement test, and you know that this test can make your life or break it. It 's pretty scary to think that one standardized test is the only thing that you need to do in order to prove yourself. Standardized testing is an opportunity for many students to overcome their obstacle of a low ACT score in high school and try harder on the placement test to get into the college they want. Unfortunately, for some students who are not good test takers, it will be a downfall for them. The placement test is a test that determines a student 's comprehension, writing, and math.
Introduction The wealthy have hijacked the educational system Programs, such as standardized testing, are formed by corporate foundations. So, money is going towards these tests instead of the schools and children. There are also many charter schools now and they do not support public schools. They are there to put them out of business. If this money was redireected towards the public educational system it would greatly influence learning.
Based on a survey conducted at West Forsyth High School, participants answered the question “Do you think standardized testing improves students overall education?” We got this response from a student,”No, it induces stress and puts importance on passing one test over retaining the knowledge for practical life.” From studying to taking standardized tests, they can negatively affect students and put them in a bad place of mind. However, there is no need to be stressed. A lot of standardized tests are applying these important topics learned in classrooms, and they are not a part of students' grades.
Holly L. Hughes Mrs. Christen Melton 10th Lit/Comp Honors 3 February 2017 Are Standardized Tests Trustable? Standardized tests are annual tests used to measure student achievement. Although standardized testing may be overused and lacking significant change in methodology, it is a reliable form of assessment used to identify areas where students may struggle.
