The test is to recognize the mistake, admit it and correct it. To have tried to do something and failed is vastly better than to have tried to do nothing and succeeded.
- Dale E. Turner
This week I learned a great deal about standards-based assessment, the advantages of the assessment, and the disadvantages. I finally understand the definition of standardized testing and that it provides standards that helps the teacher with his/her curricula and is an instructional design that corresponds to what the students should know. Here on Guam, the standardized test commonly administered is the SAT10. Now, like what the chapter mentioned teachers might be tempted to "teach by the test" in order to raise the scores. By doing this, the scoring and data become invalid.
The quote above relates to the standards being chosen for these standards-based tests and the creation of these test. In correspondence to Chapter 3 and the creating of tests, these standardized tests like all test go through a trial and error. Standards are chosen to for standardized tests and when the test creators see that these standards are not met, changes must be made or the test itself must be altered also altering the standards created. I believe the quote means that its better to have a valid test that reveals whether or not the students fail or pass than to have an invalid test that all students can pass or could be due to the teachers "teaching to the test" and the students dont have to study because they already know the answers to the test.
I also agree that it is really pointless to give the students a test that they already know all of the answers to. Though it might have been a valid test to being with, last semester for one of my undergraduate classes the teacher provided us with an extensive study guide that was 100 percent just like the test. So after reading (memorizing) the study guide a handful of times, I got a 100 on a test that took me 15 minutes to complete though I had about 2 1/2 hours to complete it. Yes, I was happy that I got an easy 100 but it also did not prove that I really learned anything.
ReplyDeleteI have had professors and teachers do both extremes. Some think they are being nice by giving a "study guide" that is basically the test to memorize. I have also had teachers who set a date for the test and then- on the day of the test- buckle under the pleadings of a few students and move the test to a later day. Quite frustrating for a person who prioritized time and was prepared for the exam, perhaps at the expense of other work or activities. On the other hand, some teachers think they are being firm by giving a test that is impossible and holding to that test even when every student does poorly. It is important as teachers that we keep those experiences in mind as we consider tests for our students.
DeleteI always learned that testing should not be about passing or failing a particular class. Some researchers point out that teachers should not place a great deal of emphasis on test taking for their students. A standardize test is testing the standards to which students should be able to understand. Tests like the SAT or GRE have "study guides" which helps test takers perform better on these test. I don't place a lot of emphasis on tests in my classroom, but also rely on discussion, reflections and projects to see how well my students understand geography. I give them maps and political cartoons to better their understanding of these types of questions because that is what they see when they take tests like the SAT 10. I believe this will help and maybe with the help of the parents, the students will preform well.
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