Almost everyone can remember a time they have taken a standardized test. Some examples of standardized tests include SATs, ACTs, or state tests. They are suppose to show how smart a person. A lot of times it can help determine what kind of college they are going to. Many researchers are starting to determine that standardized tests are not the most accurate predictor of intelligence.
According to Britannica, the pro of standardized tests are that they can show how well measurement of the education of a district and gauge areas of improvement. However, the con is that the tests are aimed only for students who are good at taking the tests. There are so many factors that can influence the test such as stress, hunger, lack of sleep, problems at home, and many more. There are also stereotypes that can be threatening to students to make them think they won't do well because they are a part of a certain group. Lastly, these tests are not a good predictor of future success. One of the main points of the test to see if the person will do well in college however, it does not do very well at telling that. Just because the student didn't score well on their SAT, does not mean they are going to fail all their classes and fail at college. They could go to college and excel despite how bad they do on their SATs.
I find this topic very interesting because I often get stressed about standardized tests and do not do as well as I can. Anxiety that I am going to get it wrong kicks in, and I end up getting wrong. I think it is wrong that they are something that helps determine whether someone is going to get into college or not. Standardized tests are not real life. There will never be a time where you are sat down and have to remember everything from your head. There are people around you to ask if you don't know something, as well as the internet. Also, everyone grows up differently and learns different things. There is no way to fairly give a test to everyone because not everyone has the same advantages are others. Standardized tests are outdated and should be changed to something that can more accurately a predictor of someone's intelligence. The video does a really good job at talking and explaining it and is very informative.
References:
Britannica. (2022, February 17). Standardized Testing Pros and Cons - does it improve education? Standardized Tests. Retrieved June 23, 2022, from https://standardizedtests.procon.org/#:~:text=Opponents%20argue%20that%20standardized%20tests,not%20predictors%20of%20future%20success.
YouTube. (2017). Should we get rid of standardized testing. YouTube. Retrieved June 23, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtE0OsRWeYI.
Hey Jamie, thank you for your post! I'm completely with you on that standardized testing creates major anxiety. This is one of the main reasons I'm fearful of advancing certain areas of my career, solely due to my anxiety of these tests! Although, once I've overcome these fears I end up doing better than I expected, the fear is there nevertheless. I also agree with you that tests are not real life, especially in today's world where all information is immediately at our finger tips and we also have people around us who can complement the areas we may lack in terms of certain knowledge. Thanks for your insight and for the video!
ReplyDeleteStandardized tests are a source of anxiety in many students. Another factor I learned about in standardized test scores was the financial aspect. Many children who come up in upper class families may have the means to pay for and provide a tutor. Students who can not afford a tutor may not do as well due to the inability to not study as well. These tests truly don't do any good for the students.
ReplyDeleteThank you for bringing attention to this Jamie. This is nicely written. Standardized testing is part of the reason why I was encouraged to apply to Stockton because they waived the SAT portion out. I felt good knowing my low test scores would not stand as an obstacle of me receiving an education from this school. Standardized testing indeed shows more cons than pros. Cramming so much information in and expecting to score high on test day is not ideal. We have data that educates us about this problem.
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