What Is Wrong With Standardized Testing
Testing: The Truth Behind Education
The education system in Canada is far from perfect in regards to how students are tested. However, what is actually wrong with it? As a grade 12 student, it is apparent that testing is an aspect of the current system that needs to be improved. The easy part is noticing what’s wrong. The hard part is figuring out how to improve it or if this problem even has a solution. The fact of the matter is that this is just one obstacle that makes the difference between a student achieving a well-rounded education and one that’s based on memorization.
Standardized Tests. In schools across North America, there are two types of testing: standardized and everyday regular tests and exams. Standardized tests are administered …show more content…
Of course English is important because it’s our national language and an argument can be made that everyone will use math in the future whether it’s in the grocery store or in a lab. However, are standardized tests the best way to make sure students understand the curriculum if only certain subjects are being tested? These tests aren’t the best way to measure a student's or school’s success. For instance, a student may excel at history and music, but receive 60’s in college English. Should this student be considered a failure if they don’t pass the grade 10 literacy test both chances they …show more content…
Not only is there a problem with what is covered on standardized tests, but there is also an issue with the questions that are asked on regular tests. According to the National Council of Teachers of English,“Many tests of writing include a significant portion of indirect measures such as multiple-choice and short-answer items that do not require students to write extended prose...students learn little about...audiences and purposes for writing” (Gere 2). This statement taken from a policy research brief elaborates on the fact that multiple-choice and short answer questions are not beneficial when testing a student. This is true for regular tests and the OSSLT. Multiple-choice questions do not promote critical thinking and instead allow students to get away with simple memorization. Supposedly, these types of questions allow teachers to judge how much a student knows about what they’ve been taught, but this isn’t fully
The education system in Canada is far from perfect in regards to how students are tested. However, what is actually wrong with it? As a grade 12 student, it is apparent that testing is an aspect of the current system that needs to be improved. The easy part is noticing what’s wrong. The hard part is figuring out how to improve it or if this problem even has a solution. The fact of the matter is that this is just one obstacle that makes the difference between a student achieving a well-rounded education and one that’s based on memorization.
Standardized Tests. In schools across North America, there are two types of testing: standardized and everyday regular tests and exams. Standardized tests are administered …show more content…
Of course English is important because it’s our national language and an argument can be made that everyone will use math in the future whether it’s in the grocery store or in a lab. However, are standardized tests the best way to make sure students understand the curriculum if only certain subjects are being tested? These tests aren’t the best way to measure a student's or school’s success. For instance, a student may excel at history and music, but receive 60’s in college English. Should this student be considered a failure if they don’t pass the grade 10 literacy test both chances they …show more content…
Not only is there a problem with what is covered on standardized tests, but there is also an issue with the questions that are asked on regular tests. According to the National Council of Teachers of English,“Many tests of writing include a significant portion of indirect measures such as multiple-choice and short-answer items that do not require students to write extended prose...students learn little about...audiences and purposes for writing” (Gere 2). This statement taken from a policy research brief elaborates on the fact that multiple-choice and short answer questions are not beneficial when testing a student. This is true for regular tests and the OSSLT. Multiple-choice questions do not promote critical thinking and instead allow students to get away with simple memorization. Supposedly, these types of questions allow teachers to judge how much a student knows about what they’ve been taught, but this isn’t fully