PISA Argumentative Essay
Today in the education system there are many different standardized tests. Some of the more influential tests include the SATs and the ACTs. Along with these, each of the states in America have their own standardized test. Each of the common standardized tests have a different purpose. Another worldwide test that students take is the Program for International Student Assessment or the PISA. The PISA test is given by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development or the OECD. The PISA is a standardized test that assesses 15 year olds all over the world, and it examines their abilities in science, math, and reading (Department of Education). The PISA is a test that many high school students take all over the world. 72 countries participate
…show more content…
in the PISA every three years (Department of Education). Then the countries are ranked on how well the students perform in each subject. For example according to the OECD’s 2015 records the United States is ranked 29th in science, 28th in reading, and 42nd in math (OECD). Many people believe in the PISA test, but there are down falls to the test. The PISA does not give feedback to the teachers on which method work. There is no point to the test, it just ranks the country based off the test scores. States are spending millions of dollars on education, for a ranking of the countries this money should be going elsewhere.
The PISA test just ranks countries on how well the students do on the test. The PISA test is pointless, if the test does not explain what techniques teachers use to achieve high scores. According to Mark Schneider of Education Next Organization, the PISA test “cannot reliably identify which parts of the education pipeline are working well and which need improvement”. There is no feedback from taking this test, but we want to give our students and teachers feedback on what to change. It has been proven in education that providing feedback not only helps the students, but the teachers as well (Schneider). Feedback helps the teacher see what the students do not understand or what the teachers need to reteach. Since the PISA does not provide feedback, there is no point for states to spend money to take the test.
There is no point to take the PISA because it is just a list of countries and there scores.
According to Phil McRae after every PISA test there has been a flare up of academic crisis. After the 2012 PISA there was a science crisis in Canada because the Canadian score was not that high (McRae). One of the major issues of the PISA is that not every country has the same education system. For example Finland goes to school on weekends, and only goes to school for a few hours a day, but in the USA that would never happen. Countries do not have the same education circumstances. These circumstances are believed to influence the test scores (McRae). The PISA test is just another standardized test that does not take certain factors into effect. Another factor is many kids in America and across the world today have test anxiety, or are not very good test takers. The PISA may give students anxiety which does not allow the student to do as well on the test as other kids. Many colleges today have stopped asking for SAT or ACT scores, since they can see how the student does in class rather than one test score. The PISA scores means nothing because it is just a list of countries that creates crises, does not look at the different influences on the test, and is a waste of
money.
The PISA test is a waste of money for countries and states to use. According to the Department of Education the USA spends around $115,000 per student. According to the OECD some countries are spending around $53,000 for each student. Standardized tests are a huge reason that the price of the students are so high (OECD). Standardized tests like the SATs are priced around $80, and the education systems are paying for schools to open for the test to be taken on a weekend. The schools are paying the companies for the teachers to be certified to administer the test. Tests like the PISA are only showing that students who are poorer are more likely to not hit the baseline (Rubin). These standardized tests are meaningless because students who have less money are at a disadvantage. Those who are in a poorer school system or don’t have lots of money and might not have the same opportunities as others in a richer area.
The PISA test is worthless in the education system worldwide. The PISA test does not give feedback, there is no point to it, and there is too much money being funneled into these standardized tests. Some people will say that “the PISA exam tells the world which countries have the best students”, but these tests are inaccurate because of different factors (Rubin). There are different factors that influence standardized tests like test anxiety and money. Those who might do well might not do well on tests. Those who live in richer areas might have an advantage because they have resources that other areas might not have. The PISA is just a list of countries that did well on a test, and it only causes issues after the test. Countries start to have issues because they did not score high enough on a certain part of the test. This exam does not prove anything but who can test well under pressure. The PISA test is a waste of the students’ time and a waste of the education systems resources.
in the PISA every three years (Department of Education). Then the countries are ranked on how well the students perform in each subject. For example according to the OECD’s 2015 records the United States is ranked 29th in science, 28th in reading, and 42nd in math (OECD). Many people believe in the PISA test, but there are down falls to the test. The PISA does not give feedback to the teachers on which method work. There is no point to the test, it just ranks the country based off the test scores. States are spending millions of dollars on education, for a ranking of the countries this money should be going elsewhere.
The PISA test just ranks countries on how well the students do on the test. The PISA test is pointless, if the test does not explain what techniques teachers use to achieve high scores. According to Mark Schneider of Education Next Organization, the PISA test “cannot reliably identify which parts of the education pipeline are working well and which need improvement”. There is no feedback from taking this test, but we want to give our students and teachers feedback on what to change. It has been proven in education that providing feedback not only helps the students, but the teachers as well (Schneider). Feedback helps the teacher see what the students do not understand or what the teachers need to reteach. Since the PISA does not provide feedback, there is no point for states to spend money to take the test.
There is no point to take the PISA because it is just a list of countries and there scores.
According to Phil McRae after every PISA test there has been a flare up of academic crisis. After the 2012 PISA there was a science crisis in Canada because the Canadian score was not that high (McRae). One of the major issues of the PISA is that not every country has the same education system. For example Finland goes to school on weekends, and only goes to school for a few hours a day, but in the USA that would never happen. Countries do not have the same education circumstances. These circumstances are believed to influence the test scores (McRae). The PISA test is just another standardized test that does not take certain factors into effect. Another factor is many kids in America and across the world today have test anxiety, or are not very good test takers. The PISA may give students anxiety which does not allow the student to do as well on the test as other kids. Many colleges today have stopped asking for SAT or ACT scores, since they can see how the student does in class rather than one test score. The PISA scores means nothing because it is just a list of countries that creates crises, does not look at the different influences on the test, and is a waste of
money.
The PISA test is a waste of money for countries and states to use. According to the Department of Education the USA spends around $115,000 per student. According to the OECD some countries are spending around $53,000 for each student. Standardized tests are a huge reason that the price of the students are so high (OECD). Standardized tests like the SATs are priced around $80, and the education systems are paying for schools to open for the test to be taken on a weekend. The schools are paying the companies for the teachers to be certified to administer the test. Tests like the PISA are only showing that students who are poorer are more likely to not hit the baseline (Rubin). These standardized tests are meaningless because students who have less money are at a disadvantage. Those who are in a poorer school system or don’t have lots of money and might not have the same opportunities as others in a richer area.
The PISA test is worthless in the education system worldwide. The PISA test does not give feedback, there is no point to it, and there is too much money being funneled into these standardized tests. Some people will say that “the PISA exam tells the world which countries have the best students”, but these tests are inaccurate because of different factors (Rubin). There are different factors that influence standardized tests like test anxiety and money. Those who might do well might not do well on tests. Those who live in richer areas might have an advantage because they have resources that other areas might not have. The PISA is just a list of countries that did well on a test, and it only causes issues after the test. Countries start to have issues because they did not score high enough on a certain part of the test. This exam does not prove anything but who can test well under pressure. The PISA test is a waste of the students’ time and a waste of the education systems resources.