Standardized Testing

Students from all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds abound in today's schools. They are similar yet distinct; they have different values but desire the same from their education: academic achievement. Similarly, they have different ways they prefer to receive instructions and assessments. However, standardized testing gives them no say in how they are evaluated on subject items. For some students, learning is challenging due to physical, mental, social, or emotional issues. With standardized testing, such students experienced increased mental problems such as anxiety (Edmonds, 2020). Hence, the test results for such a student are not a valid measure of their ability but their test-taking skills.

Teachers are urged to differentiate instructions and assessments to meet the requirements of individual pupils. Individualized Learning Plans (IEPs) allow students to get accommodations tailored to their specific learning needs. They are given extra time during testing, teachers alter the material presented, and assignments are changed. Standardized tests do not get modified for these students though they get additional time and the computer reads aloud to them. It makes no difference whether a student prefers to reply to open-ended, true-false, or multiple-choice questions; they all receive the same exam questions in the same format.

Standardized examinations concentrate on specific material, but they do not adequately educate students for today's varied world. Success in life is determined by a greater variety of talents than can be measured by traditional examinations (Kyung Hee. & Zabelina, 2015). Focusing on building students' creative thinking and innovative skills is a good start to preparing students for the diverse world and tapping into alternative ways to test students. As a result, using game-based assessments to test students' knowledge of a topic and their cognitive processes and abilities can be beneficial (Edmonds, 2020). Students in my prior teaching position got standardized assessments, but they were not mainly multiple-choice questions. Writing and practical activities such as experiments and cooking allow students to express themselves and were a part of the standardized assessments.

References

Edmonds, M. (2020, December 8). No consideration for diversity in standardized testing. The Southerner. https://www.shsoutherner.net/opinion/2018/12/06/no-consideration-for-diversity-in-standardized-testing/

Kyung Hee, K., & Zabelina, D. (2015). Cultural bias in assessment: Can creativity assessment help? International Journal of Critical Pedagogy, 6(2), 129—148.