...Abstract Standardized testing does not define ones intelligence or ability. There has always been a quarrel about the tests: students may be very intelligent but are really bad test takers. The No child left behind act was an educational preference forced upon educators that will help them gain an equal opportunity at academic success. The law would promote this through standardized tests. Standardized testing may help students gain wonderful academic success however there are also things that can hinder scholars as well. Standardized testing has its advantages and disadvantages. Over the years standardized testing has been a trending topic, some people are in favor for the test while others are not. How can one test determine an individual’s ability or intelligence when students are people with needs and concerns beyond standardized testing! What is standardized testing? Standardized tests are tests where students answer multiple choice questions where each question only has one correct answer and are usually designed from experience and not theory (How standardized testing damages education ). The tests are based on educational aspects such as reading, math, and science skills (depending upon the type of standardized test being provided). Standardized testing is a law required aspect that is supposed to help scholars academic success and schools expand (with the use of federal funding). Various types of popular standardized test in the United States include Scholastic...
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...Standardized Testing Should Not Take Place in Kindergarten Kourtney C. Robles-Stewart Rasmussen College English Composition G124/ENC1101 Section 04 Teresa Kelly March 4, 2016 Abstract Standardized testing in kindergarten has become a very controversial topic across the nation. While there may be advantages of implementing standardized tests in schools, the disadvantages seem to be never-ending. The following paper will analyze the effects standardized testing can have on children of all ages with an emphasis on kindergarteners. It will look into the factors that impact test scores and how the tests compare to normal classroom activities and behaviors. A brief look into the role the United States government has played in standardized testing across the nation will also be covered. Standardized Testing Should Not Take Place in Kindergarten It’s a normal Monday morning when a mother is getting her, normally, very eager five-year-old ready for school. Her daughter has never missed a day and has always been overly-excited to get back to class after the weekend off, however, today is not the same. The little girl who once loved going to school to see her teacher and friends, now wants nothing to do with it, she simply doesn’t want to go. Her reasoning, “it’s not fun”. Unfortunately, this scenario is becoming more common across the nation as curriculum modifications are being made by educators to prepare young students for standardized tests. Since "No Child Left Behind"...
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...Pros and Cons of Standardized Tests Name of Author Institutional Affiliation Pros and Cons of Standardized Tests Regarded as one of the most dependable evaluation techniques, standardized tests have been in existence for decades. They continue to perform essential scholarly function in assessment and appraisal. Majorly, they test acquisition and retention of knowledge, and the way students can implement such knowledge in solving problems. Because they have been widely adopted by most states, the question as to whether they are appropriate or not has been a subject of contest for long. Although many opponents present a number of weaknesses in these tests, the purpose they serve remains significant, and their advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. The first argument against standardized tests is the fact that all students are not subjected to equal opportunities and corresponding probability of passing examinations (Hillocks, 2002). Because these tests are administered in uniform languages in different parts of the world, many students with outstanding knowledge fail examinations for not being eloquent in English or the languages used. In this regard, students who are well versed with content in various subjects may fail to express themselves in languages used for testing (Hillocks, 2002). Further, opponents argue that the tests remain narrow in scope and fail to assess practical achievement adequately. This presents the system as mere paper work compared...
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...I believe the emphasis put on standardized test by college admissions must change because how unfair it is to all students. I do not think these test should be able to determine how well a student will do in college because of numerous reasons. First, as mentioned before, not all students have the advantage of receiving all resources to help them get outstanding grades in these tests. Second, not all students who do well in school are good test takers. In addition, the process students have to go through to achieve standardized tests, is stressful for both teachers and student. Since standardized tests are testing students knowledge and basically everything they know in limited time, there are many factors that can impact their ability to show their actual knowledge....
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...Should we keep using standardized tests to improve the education quality? Key words: standardized tests Introduction: On August, 2015, in the educational episodes Are Our Kids Strong Enough from BBC, 5 Chinese teachers, who are deft at standardized tests, taught 50 British students for 1 month. Consequently, Chinese-education-taught students’ test scores are averagely 15 points above other British students. Also, China, a country with a long tradition of standardized testing, topped all countries in the international rankings for reading, math, and science in 2009 when it debuted on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) charts (Dillon). With the triumph of Chinese education, people are suspecting whether...
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...10/25/10 Over the years standardized testing has played a major role on education. Preparation for these test has become important for teachers since a student may take a least one standardized test per year. And therein lies the problem; relying heavily on standardized test, whether or not these test actually have reliable scores and are worth the extensive focus. Standardized test negatively affect student learning because they focus on certain topics and generate unreliable test scores due to certain factors. These factors include limitation of creativity, narrowing of curriculum, use of outdated methods, repetition, race and gender. In my research I have found significant data supporting my views. But first it is important to understand what standardized tests are. Standardized tests are different from other testing because they have uniform procedure. This means that they have the same time limits, fixed set of questions, and the scoring is also carefully outlined and uniform. Standardized test are usually scored objectively but there can be some questions such as a short answer question or personality questions which can be scored differently. Almost all test can be classified as informal or formal; a test given and create by a teacher is informal, but a standardized test is classified as formal (Mehrens and Lehmannn). There are certain characteristics a test must have to be a standardized test. The first characteristic is that the test...
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...Standardized tests measure the knowledge and/or skills of a students. In the test there are many multiple choice and some short answer questions in math and science. In today's society, standardized testing has been a highly debated and well-argued subject among people. While some believe that standardized testing is necessary for cultural advancement, others believe that there is too much emphasis on the standardized test scores. Standardized testing has not improved student achievement, Studies show that standardized tests are an unreliable measure of student performance and they measure only a small portion of what makes education meaningful. In classrooms all over the nation, students take this standardized test, and teachers expect a positive result, but this is not one of those situations. Standardized testing has not been proven to improve student achievement in classrooms. An example for this is, the National Research Council report found no evidence that are test-based incentive programs are...
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...I. Standardized test give an unfair advantage to some groups, with the contrast only widening throughout the decades. A. The wealthier class are more prepared than the poor class. 1. Since the 1960s, the contrast of standardized test results between those with wealth and those in poverty have widened by 60%. 2. Students in wealthier environments have greater access to methods and classes that help them prepare specifically for standardized tests. B. Whites and Asians have an advantage over Latinos and African Americans. 1. Although the African American and Latino students make up about 70% of the total student body, they are consistent in scoring lower on standardized tests in New York. 2. Schools in Virginia require a smaller percent...
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...Standardized testing is a topic that everybody knows all too well because we all have had to experience some form of a standardized test. The two most common and popular of these tests are the ACT and the SAT. Depending in which region you live in, you will take one of those test during your educational career. But, does taking that test really decide how smart you actually are. Eleven years of schooling and one of those tests will decide what college you go to and what you will do for the rest of your life. People have all different types of talents and these test favor the people who are good at school but, what about the kids who are good musicians or good athletes? Why should a test decide how smart they are when the activities that those kids are exceeding in, aren’t on...
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...Effectiveness of Standardized Testing Ashley Norris Com 220 September 16, 2012 Katie Boswell Effectiveness of Standardized Testing Hayden, a second grader, always has had trouble taking tests. From the very first test that he took in kindergarten until now, Hayden has collapsed under the pressure of the test and has never performed at a standard that was acceptable to himself or his educators. Situations such as this one are far too common in our schools today. Many of the children, such as Hayden, have fallen through the cracks in our classrooms. This has caused many people to ask themselves what is going on and how can things be changed. For years, educators have relied on standardized testing to provide them with information on a student’s progress throughout the year. However, much has changed since standardized testing was introduced. Standardized testing no longer accurately depicts a student’s progress in school; therefore, other forms of testing must be implemented to give all students a fair chance. Throughout history educators have used standardized testing as the main tool to predict how our educational system is working. These tests have been used as a way to assess what a student has learned throughout the school year and to inform teachers and school officials about how the curriculum is working. In many cases, the tests are administered closer to the end of the school year. By doing this, it allows the teachers and school officials to assess...
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...What’s the purpose in standardized testing? Well the purpose is to create objectives students to accomplish and to test their knowledge. It is mainly to detect if students have prepared themselves and prove that they have learned what they are taught in school. Teachers are pressured students to learn more so that the skill a student learned can be shown in standardized testing. It also determines the credits a student can earn and the courses they can take. This can show if a student is eligible to graduate when the time comes. Creating objectives for students is an exceptional way to improve education. Standardized testing is helpful in many ways to students, school, and countries. To begin with if students didn't have a way to demonstrate what they've learned none of them would try. Having a standard that needs to be met makes students increase their way of learning. They put more effort into things since they must pass a class and a test. It’s a different way to learn enhance because if standards are only on the most critical subject students won’t waste their time on a topic that is not important. It’s also keeps students from slacking because the less work teachers give the less effort students are going to put into their work. Alternating units every day keeps a child from learning. For example, if he or she...
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...There are advantages to standardized testing as a whole school instead of each individual. Standardized testing evaluates what is being taught to kids and compares the test scores with other schools. With the standardized test, the states can improve their schools by telling what to teach and what things to improve on. By doing this, the board of education can give equal chance to all students being taught for better future. If the board of education does not make school take standardized testing, then some schools will be teaching different things than other schools. This could be really unfair to students because then some students wouldn't have to work hard as some students in different schools do. With standardizing testing, all students...
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...for doing well. Students should not offered finical incentives to do well on standardize test in school. Schools should not give into to paying students for their performance. It is understood that in order to keep a school in good academic standings you have to make sure students do well on the standardized test. The test scores not only reflect the school but also represent each student as an individual. So you can see why it is important for students to do well but should that really mean at all cost. For many years teachers have been teaching the material for the long term knowledge now it seems as if they are just beginning to teach just for testing. There are some major disadvantages when trying to offer students financial incentives to do well on standardized test. Education should be viewed as a privilege. Many students take educations for granted. Not knowing that in some countries education is still not free let along for all males and females. You even have some certain types of schools here in the USA that you have to pay for high school education. I would think since students know that one day you will have to pay to further your education that they would take advantage of the free opportunity now. Not only is the education free but it is almost certain that at some point of another you the material that one is learning will resurface there will be the few exceptions and you will have the students who have a passion to learn and will need no further incentives...
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...pressure, the nerve-racking time limits, and the “oh my gosh I only have more five minutes but two whole columns left to bubble” feeling. But most importantly, we all understand how much college admission hinges on how well we perform on these standardized tests. III. Thesis Statement and Preview: However, standardized testing has long-standing problems of inaccuracy, inequalities, and inducing test anxiety which I will later discuss in detail. Because of these flaws, the college...
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...“Research shows that a fast-paced, multiple-choice format favors males over females. Guessing, a risk males are more likely to take, is rewarded. Since multiple-choice items do not allow for shades of meaning they work against the most typical female thinking style” (“The ACT: Biased, Inaccurate, and Misused”), which makes such assessments unfair. One huge misconception is that these standardized tests set all students on an equal field for evaluation. There is a positive correlation between a student’s performance on ACT and SAT tests and their socioeconomic status. Basically, those that already have an advantage in education are given another advantage in college admissions. Those that can afford preparation material for these assessments are also placed at an advantage against those who cannot afford them. Furthermore, the scoring on these assessments are imprecise, since there are margins of error in the individual tests according to data from the ACT and SAT. “The margins of error, while appearing to be small at 1.43 - 2.20, can actually have significant consequences for applicants when admissions offices or financial aid programs require minimum scores” (“The ACT: Biased, Inaccurate, and Misused”), and a single point can be a crucial deciding factor whether a student is...
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