How well do standardized tests work as tools for obtaining information about children’s literacy strengths and needs? Standardized tests have both positive and negative uses as they pertain to obtaining information and what that information can be used for. The use of portfolios can also be used to guide instruction, and they can be used as informal or summative assessments. The use of both the standardized test as well as a student portfolio will give the teacher information that can be used to
ACT, a Standardized Test As many of us know, the ACT is a standardized test we all must take before being accepted into most colleges. For some people this test is difficult, for some it a breeze. Some people study hard for this test, and some people do not. It just simply depends on who you are and the type of test taker you are. In this paper, I will be arguing that everyone taking the ACT should not be graded under the same standards. First, I will explain what a standardized test is and specifically
Abandon Standardized Testing Just about everyone has some experience with taking a Standardized test, and most likely the experience of taking a standardized test was a terrible one for everyone involved. They are terrible for teachers and students alike. Standardized tests should be abolished in the state of Wisconsin because standardized tests cause teachers to feel the need to teach to the test, taking the fun and creativity out of teaching and learning. Also, standardized tests are only beneficial
The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) was created to test college-bound students on their mathematical and verbal aptitudes and to thus predict their ability to succeed academically in college. In the United States, the SAT is the oldest and most widely used college entrance test. It was first administered in June 1926 to only 8,040 high school students and is now taken by over 2 million students. Over the years, the SAT has become one of the most important tests of a teenager's life for admission to
The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) was created to test college-bound students on their mathematical and verbal aptitudes and to thus predict their ability to succeed academically in college. In the United States, the SAT is the oldest and most widely used college entrance test. It was first administered in June 1926 to only 8,040 high school students and is now taken by over 2 million students. Over the years, the SAT has become one of the most important tests of a teenager's life for admission to
college. A lot of colleges are turning towards looking at grade point averages and class ranks instead of SAT and ACT scores. “Over 815 four-year colleges and universities across the U.S., acting on the belief that "test scores do not equal merit." (FairTest) Colleges are also starting to look at the types of classes that students took and that will be a way of
“encouraging teachers to view upcoming test forms before they are administered” (“FairTest Press Release: Standardized Exam Cheating in 37 States And D.C., New Report Shows Widespread Test Score Corruption”). If teachers can view a test before it is administered, they can teach to the test so that their students’ scores are higher. Teachers who have viewed the test can then “drill students on actual upcoming test items” (“FairTest Press Release: Standardized Exam Cheating in 37 States And D.C., New Report
would be in colle... ... middle of paper ... ...f schools, ranging from small liberal arts colleges to large public universities, have made the switch. Most report many benefits with "no drop-off in the academic quality of their applicants" (FairTest). Colleges and universities could make this decision for themselves or the change could come thorough a statewide policy. For example in Texas, starting in 1998, students applying to public universities who were in the top 10 percent of their graduating
questions, and what "distractors" to use. All these are subjective decisions that can be biased in ways that unfairly reward or harm some test-takers. Therefore, multiple-choice tests are not really objective,” (Fairtest). As stated in the article “Multiple-Choice Tests”, submitted by Fairtest, Multiple-Choice tests can still be biased against some test-takers. This can add to the accuracy problems found in standardized testing. Biased questions are not the only issue with multiple choice
Why there should not be ACTs and SATs Some studies shown that the SAT has given negative results on college compared to colleges that are SAT optional. The colleges that are SAT optional have more diverse students. (Christopherson, 1) The SAT and ACT are both used for the college application process to help determine if the student is prepared for their campus. The SAT stands for Scholastic Aptitude Test while ACT stands for American College Test. These two test are one of the most feared test a
As teachers, we have to monitor the progress our students make each day, week, quarter and year. Classroom assessments are one of the most crucial educational tools for teachers. When assessments are properly developed and interpreted, they can help teachers better understand their students learning progress and needs, by providing the resources to collect evidence that indicates what information their students know and what skills they can perform. Assessments help teachers to not only identify
it is important for teachers to understand fair grading procedures so students can best benefit from effective tests. By knowing the main ways of measuring student achievement, and proper formats for grading, students can be evaluated correctly. (Fairtest, 98) There are two main ways of evaluating a student’s work: objective tests and essay questions. Objective testing places emphasis on a precise, efficient focus on a student’s knowledge of defined variables (Kopeikin, 2000). That is, a teacher
to shape the curriculum and instruction. Students across America have had to repeat classes because of the way standardized tests are used to pass or fail students. Students have had to rely on just one test to pass them for the whole semester (FairTest). Although the tests require students to retain information until the end of the semester, I believe it is wrong to allow just a single test to decide whether an entire semester’s work will be rewarded will the credit that may have been well earned
RECORD OF FAILURE, the team of Fairtest stated, “Teaching to the test narrows the curriculum, particularly in low-scoring schools, and forces teachers and students to concentrate on memorizing isolated facts and practicing rote skills, ignoring higher order thinking. Arts, foreign languages, social studies, physical education and recess have been squeezed from the curriculum, especially in schools with high numbers of minority and low-income students” (Fairtest,
young child. (3th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Standardized Test. (2013). In The Glossary of Education Reform. Retrieved from http://edglossary.org/standardized-test/ What’s wrong with standardized tests? (2012). Fairtest: The National Center for Fair and Open Testing. Retrieved from: http://www.fairtest.org/facts/whatwron.htm
States Government, Dec. 2006. Web. 13 May 2010. Glitcher, Susan. "Why South Carolina Ranks Last." Go Inside Magazine. 17 Feb. 2005. Web. 13 May 2010. . Schaeffer, Robert. "How Standardized Testing Damages Education | FairTest." The National Center for Fair & Open Testing | FairTest. 20 Aug. 2007. Web. 13 May 2010. . Cloud, John. "Are We Failing Our Geniuses?" TIME Magazine 16 Aug. 2007. Http://www.time.com. Web. 13 May 2010. Geniuses? - TIME." TIME.com. 16 Aug. 2007. Web. 13 May 2010>. Johnsen
suppose to match the curriculum. The issue at hand is whether or not the CRCT assessment is an effective assessment program to use at all. According to FairTest, The National Center for Fair and Open Testing, “some CRT's, such as many state tests, are not based on a specific curriculum, but on a more general idea of what students might be taught (FairTest, 2007). The Georgia Department of Education has claimed that the CRCT assessment measures how well a student has acquired the knowledge and skills
What does FAIR stand for in relation to ethical business communications? When communicating to a group or individual one must ensure that they are transparent and fair. Ethical is behavior in a descent manner and treating others in a descent manner. Everyone does not possess true morals, but standing behind strong morals and displaying this behavior in your actions is very ethical. The EEOC is an organization for filing complaints against any organization if anything unethical has been identified
High Stakes Testing Albert Einstein once stated, “not everything that counts can be counted and not everything that can be counted counts.” High-stakes testing attempts to determine the knowledge a person has obtained throughout grades K-12. These standardized tests are being used to judge a person’s ability to graduate from high school and also judge if a child has enough knowledge to proceed to the next grade level. Throughout this paper, I will be discussing how these tests do not accurately
successful the test taker does on the test: the teacher, the student's native ability, and the home learning. “ The pressure is so great that a growing number of administrators and teachers have engaged in various kinds of cheating to boost scores.” (FairTest). Standardized testing not only tests the students, but also the teachers' ability to teach the students, which always isn’t fair to the teacher because students cannot be used reliably to judge educators. The test holds teachers and administrators