Standardized tests, like the SAT, the ACT or other national, international or state exams that measure all students at a certain educational level, are increasingly being used to judge how countries, states, schools and even individual teachers are doing. What standardized tests have you taken in your school career? How have your teachers prepared you for them? How well do you do on those kinds of tests in general? How well do you think the ones you have taken have measured your intelligence and abilities? Why?
In an Opinionator post from September 2011 ?What Do Test Scores Tell Us?? Gary Gutting writes:
Tests used to be just for evaluating students, but now the testing of students is used to evaluate teachers and, in fact, the entire educational system. On an individual level, some students and parents have noticed a change ? more standardized tests and more classroom and homework time devoted to preparation for them.
So what exactly do test scores tell us?
?The first question is whether a test actually tests for things that we want students to know. We very seldom simply want students to do well on a test for its own sake. Tests must require or demonstrate some valuable knowledge or skill, like knowing how to multiply, understanding the Civil War or being able to think critically. It is entirely possible for students to fail tests on such topics and still have, for example, the mathematical abilities or historical knowledge we want. If, for example, a math test required mentally multiplying 392 x 654 in five seconds or a history test required knowing the precise date of 50 Civil War battles, we would not be concerned that students did poorly.
?There is also the question of whether any standardized test is adequate or needed to evaluate certain sorts of student learning. There was a time when we were happy with Miss Goodteacher?s judgment that her class knew how to read. There are doubtless cases where we can?t trust instructors? judgments. But is there reason, especially in college-level work, to think that this is generally the case?
Students: Tell us about your experiences with standardized tests. Do you think they generally assess skills and knowledge that will be valuable to you and to society as a whole, or do you think they often fail to measure your true understanding of, or ability with, a subject area? How much time does your school spend preparing for these tests? In general, how much of a role do you think these kinds of tests should play in determining abilities, or in measuring the worth of a teacher or school? Why?
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