This week is ISASP week which means lots of testing. High school students in general don’t like these tests, and they can cause lots of stress and mental problems. But the real question is do these tests that we take every spring even affect us? Do we, as the students, really need to take these tests to see how well we are learning?
Both sides of this argument for and against standardized testing have lots to say. First let's look at for standardized testing. Lots of people say that standardized testing helps students and teachers. This can help teachers by telling them what they need to do better next year for teaching. With students, this can tell them what classes they might have struggled in. Another way they could help students is they can see how they learn the best and from whom. Students can see where their strengths and weaknesses are in school and how to work with and around those to excel in academics.
But on the other hand, these tests that take at least an hour or more for most students and can cause lots of stress and might not even give adequate data. When taking these tests, students can possibly get anxious or stressed because they put a lot of pressure on themselves to do well. They can have test anxiety and this can make the data skewed, which would mean that there is no point in even taking them. Because we aren’t given good data this would mean that every year they aren’t teaching the right things to students.
In my opinion we should have some sort of testing but not standardized tests. I believe that they don’t do much for our education and there are other ways that students can get adequate data to better their learning experience. Such as: giving sample questions, this way students don’t have to take hour long tests. This would give better results and data for the states to teach us better. Another way could be just looking at students grades throughout the year.
Questions:
Do you think that these tests help us learn better?
Would you rather take sample tests or standardized test?
Do you think that your ISASP score reflects how well you are learning?
https://standardizedtests.procon.org/
https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/articles/opting-out-of-standardized-testing-what-to-know
Replies
I agree, and I wonder why we don't get our tests scores back for months, maybe even a year. If the school uses these scores for the next year to come why don't we see them until we have the take the ISASP again in the middle of March.
I don't really think that standardized test help us learn, I think they are used to try to show what we know. I think that there are things that they should do to make standardized tests more accurate though, like shortening the tests, because I feel like they are so long that its hard to focus.
I believe that they are used to show what we know as well. But I agree with you it's hard to get accurate data from this because students get nervous or stressed from these and don't preform their best. But with the shorter test options, I feel their wouldn't be as much stress.
I don't think these tests help us learn I think they help let the school know where everyone is and how hard or easy a subject is. They can see the average and see if a ton of people are struggling on one subject which would need to fixed. It helps the schools know where students are in learning and if they need any extra help. I don't think ISASP reflect on how im learning if I only did bad on one.
I think that they can help the school see where students are with their academics. But his data can sometimes be off with what kids are actually learning and absorbing throughout the year. Even with that studetns may forget what they learn a semester ago and then you have inaccurate data.
I do think these tests help a little bit, because they help you realize if you have forgotten some things from the previous semester. I don't think they really help us learn though because teachers don't go back and re-teach us the things we didn't answer correctly on.
I think that's a good point, they can tell you what you might need to look over more. But I agree with you I don't believe that teachers go back through their curriculum and see what they need to teach better for the next year and students.
I don't think they are supposed to help us learn, they are to see how well we are absorbing what is taught to us. I think standardized tests are more organized and efficient than sample tests, but sample tests don't last quite as long and I'm all for that. I don't think the score reflects my learning because you can do good or bad based on how tired you are or what kind of mood you're in.
I think that what we absorb isn't even always on the test. Especially for students that are in advanced class, they may not get as high of a score as those who are already in those classes. But this harms the advanced kids by telling teachers they have bad scores.
I don't think that standardized tests directly help us learn. My ISASP scores probably don't show how well I'm doing in classes because in 5th grade, there was an advanced math class and I wasn't in it. I was put in average 5th grade math and told my teacher that it was too easy and boring. Then in 6th grade, I was put into advanced math. This proves that ISASP or Iowa Assessments don't reflect the capabilities of the students.
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