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The problems with standardized testing
Effects of standardized testing on students
Standardized testing: harmful to educational health
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Recommended: The problems with standardized testing
Standardize testing is the concept in which test scores are imagined as essential for addressing and understanding shortcomings related to educational system within America. In 2001, “The No Child Left behind Act” had initiated the foremost annual requirement of standardized testing on nationwide basis. The test was made compulsory for the students from class 3 to 8. The law of standardized testing got expired officially in 2007 and no legislative or little momentum exists to make its reauthorization possible. As far as the diversity of schools and educational institutions in America is concerned, the management of schools does not provide manual of instruction, thus leaving out the responsibility of figuring out the tasks of accomplishing …show more content…
The scores obtained as a result of conducting standardized test does not provide an essential information for assessing the achievement of a student, analyzing the competency of a teacher or measuring the success level of a certain program or school. The two policies of education proposed at federal level such as “Race to the Top” and “No Chile Left Behind” has increasingly escalated the standardized curricula of test preparation and test taking without making any verification of their association with learning in real life. An achievement gap has been established that creates a high level of discrimination and inequity among students with high and low cognitive …show more content…
Majority of the time is being spent by students in maximizing their scores of standardized tests as a result of which they skip daily routine activities of exercising and playing. It is a serious dilemma that neither maximizes the learning ability of a student, nor does it assist students to maintain their physical health.
• According to estimation, a similar standardized test pattern is provided to students with certain learning disability which form a basis of inequality where every student is evaluated on an equal platform. However it has been analyzed that if a proper motivation and support is to be provided to students, their results are expected to be more effective than other students with normal cognitive abilities.
• As extensive level of stress is imposed on students by adopting the technique of standardized testing, their academic, emotional and social well being gets negatively influenced. It leaves a negative impact on their physical and mental health due to which a feeling of negativity gets developed among students towards learning and educational institute on general
Students dread the time of the year when they stop with their course material and begin to prepare for test. Everyone is in agreement that some type of revolution is needed when it comes to education; eliminating standardized test will aid the reform. The need for standardized testing has proven to be ineffective and outdated; some leading educationalist also believe this because the tests do not measure a student’s true potential. This will save money, stop labeling, and alleviate stress in students and teachers.
In the United States of America, Standardized testing has become a way of life for students and children, especially in public schools. Many argue that standardized testing does not measure the students as a whole, takes up valuable classroom time, and creates drastic mental health problems in students and teachers. In recent years, a controversy surrounding the idea of standardized testing has been brought forth as something that needs to be changed or adapted to the growing needs of today’s students and this can be examined when exploring the negative effects, the testing has had on society’s future.
It has been seen that factors like one’s economic and racial background can heavily influence one’s performance on a tests, as they are not given the same opportunities as those given to more affluent students. A student’s emotional well-being is also at stake as many students come out of tests doubting their overall intelligence, even though they were quite confident in the material and so much is hinged on test scores that it places a great deal of pressure on students to do well. Standardized tests also restrict teacher’s ability to learn due to the restrictions that standardized test place on the material being taught, which makes it very hard for teachers to go beyond the required and teach more interesting things. Due to the issues that have arisen from standardized tests many alternative solutions have been used and have been proven to be successful. Some good alternative solutions have been limiting the amount of standardized tests given by sampling a few students, shortening the length of exams, and allotting more time to complete these tests. Other alternatives look to more qualitative approaches in learning by implementing things like projects and portfolios that give an excellent insight to a student’s performance and
Though standardized testing has played a part in America's education system it took several tries before it played such a large role in education like it does today. The No child left Behind Act of 2002 was the foot hold standardized testing needed in order to be implemented into schools at a national level with such force. During the 1990’s the U.S felt as though it was falling behind on the Programme for International Assessment. “After No Child Left Behind (NCLB) passed in 2002, the US slipped from 18th in the world in math on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) to 31st place in 2009, with a similar drop in science and no change in reading”(walker 1).
In the society of today, there are various educators who believe in assessment as proper method to measure the performance of a child in school as well as the overall achievement of a specific school system. The assessment may be presented in the form of verbal, written, or multiple choice, and it usually pertains to certain academic subjects in the school curriculum. Recently, many educators began to issue standardized tests to measure the intelligence of a common student body. (Rudner, 1989) These standardized tests were initially created to reveal the success in institutional school programs, and exhibit the abilities of students today. The standardized tests can reveal the strengths and weaknesses of a student as well as the admission into certain programs. The test results also assist various schools in determining the proper curriculum, evaluate a specific school system, or a particular school related program.
Why is standardized testing part of the college admission process? Some of us might still remember taking the SAT or ACT when we were applying for college; however few of us question why we have to take such a test. Millions of dollars are spent on prep materials all so we can achieve a decent score and hope colleges will be impressed. The College Board claims a high SAT or ACT score correlates to college success which is defined as a good GPA throughout college. However if you stop and ask yourself what the SAT or ACT has to do with college success, most of us will arrive at the conclusion that these tests have almost have nothing to do with college success. Some of the questions are simply on these tests are simply ridiculous and will never
Standardized testing has become a dominant element in the education world. It is now used not only to judge a student’s knowledge but to judge the effectiveness of a school system’s teaching. Standardized testing is not an accurate or efficient way to judge a student’s intelligence or a school system’s instructional abilities.
As a senior in high school, I have had more than enough exposure to standardized tests. The ACT, PSAT, ITBS, and countless others have tracked my scholastic progress for the last nine years. Each test takes weeks of preparation for just a few hours of actual test taking. Yet these tests only measure basic subjects such as math, science, and English. What these tests fail to track is students’ abilities to problem solve, empathize, and be honest. Skills that are vital parts of a functioning society. Creating a test that treats the student as an individual would yield better results, and would create a better learning experience for all.
Garcia-Pelayo2students, one can find oneself surprised when we learn that each state spends roughly “$1.7billion a year” (Ujifusa 1) on standardized testing. Money for standardized testing if being spentbefore students even set their eyes on a college application, and definitely before they start fillingout their applications. Standardized tests are expensive, and usually required too. Unless astudent knows for sure that the school they’re applying to, and getting accepted to, does notrequire standardized tests, spending those $65 dollars is almost inevitable. What most studentsconsider “back-up schools” might not need high grades, but at the very least they need thesatisfaction of knowing that you took a test and that they have a number by
Standardized tests are used to measure academic success, but they are not a fair or accurate measurement tool. If a student is achieving good grades in class but fails to pass a state test, there is obviously a flaw in the system. Many of today's standardized tests are written so that only middle-class, English-speaking students can succeed. Standardized tests are often multiple-choice and rely on mental tasks rather than on spatial or visual abilities. As a result, these tests often reflect a student's disabilities. For example, standardized tests assume that each student will read each question in the same manner. However, research proves that each student processes words differently (Kohn, 2000). The case against standardized tests is not new. Banesh Hoffman, professor of mathematics, stated, "Multiple choice tests pena...
Throughout the United States standardized testing is a popular way that educators measure a student’s academic ability. Although it may seem like a good idea to give a bunch of students the same test and see how each one does, it is not that simple. The results do not represent how smart a student is or a student's potential to do great things in the real world. In taking a standardized test one student may have a greater advantage over another for many reasons. Reasons that are not shown in the standardized test score.
Introduction: Standardized tests have been an influential part of America’s educational system for centuries. Their use has risen tremendously after 2002's No Child Left Behind Act required annual testing in all 50 states. Standardized tests vary from state to state in all grade levels, but all states use these tests to measure a students’ academic prowess in school. Some people in the society argue that standardized testing is fair and an adequate way to measure a student’s ability, as well as make sure teachers and schools are being held accountable to the taxpayers. However, other citizens believe that standardized tests are biased towards students who come from an upper-class neighborhood, because they are more susceptible to educational
While you’re sitting there reading this, there is probably a student at their desk, sweating, shaking, maybe even crying because they are about to take a test. And not just any test, a standardized test. Standardized tests are assessments that are set up where students take the same test so they can be graded on whether or not they meet a certain “standard” set by the state. The students must meet the standard to pass their grade and the school, overall, must meet their own set standards to be held accountable to taxpayers. Because standardized testing, like the STAAR, determines the outcome of students and schools in one day, and something that significant shouldn’t be determined in such a short amount of time, it should be taken out of schools.
It’s an age-old question. Do standardized tests really show what students know? Some may think they are a great way to measure education and others may think that one test does not justify a child’s knowledge. What is this test exactly? A standardized test is any test that requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection of questions from a common bank of questions, in the same way. They are used to “judge” or “measure” the knowledge or skills that students learn in school. The problem with these standardized tests is that they measure all students on the same material, leaving out special skills the student may have. It also puts a great deal of stress on a student to know that they will be timed on these questions that
“If my future were determined just by my performance on a standardized test, I wouldn't be here. I guarantee you that.” This quote by Michelle Obama illustrates the idea that standardized testing should not have such a large influence on education in America. However, a majority of people are under the impression that standardized tests are an accurate method to measure a person's intellectual ability. I believe that standardized tests have developed into a very critical part of the American education system that is hindering the growth of students and teachers instead of providing a tool that can accurately measure knowledge.