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18: Instructional Assessment - Standardized Testing

  • Page ID
    87694
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    • 18.1: What is the case for standardized testing?
      This page explores the ongoing debate around standardized testing, highlighting concerns about reliability and racial bias while noting their role in assessing student readiness and guiding improvements in education. It also emphasizes the importance of innovative teaching practices, community involvement, and continuous education for teachers.
    • 18.2: What is the case against standardized testing?
      This page critiques standardized testing in U.S. public schools, highlighting its negative effects on educational depth, curriculum variety, and student anxiety. The reliance on multiple-choice questions restricts knowledge application and encourages a "teach to the test" mentality, reducing educational diversity. These tests may also increase student anxiety and reveal biases against certain demographic groups.
    • 18.3: What are Advanced Placement tests?
      This page discusses the Advanced Placement (AP) Program, which offers high school students the chance to take college-level courses and earn credits. While AP courses can improve college admissions and allow for advanced study, there are concerns about declining pass rates among minority students and the tendency to prioritize exam success over foundational learning.
    • 18.4: What college placement tests are available?
      This page examines the challenges faced by non-native English speakers in college placement tests, which are crucial for assessing readiness in core subjects. It highlights the need for tailored assessment procedures for diverse English language learners, particularly ESL students. While tests like COMPASS and ACCUPLACER provide insights into academic strengths and weaknesses, there are advantages and drawbacks, including potential misalignment with actual capabilities.
    • 18.5: Why are there achievement gaps between races and economic classes?
      This page examines the stereotype of Asian students being inherently smarter, focusing on standardized testing and social factors influencing educational success. It discusses biases in testing affecting non-Asian students and cultural emphasis on academics in Asian families. It evaluates the success of Mission San Jose High School linked to its Asian majority while acknowledging the roles of social status and funding.
    • 18.6: What do teachers need to know about using assessment results to improve their instruction?
      This page highlights the critical role of assessment in educational decision-making, emphasizing alignment with learning goals and the need for constructive feedback. It covers various assessment techniques, types of decisions teachers make based on results, and outlines seven criteria for effective assessments. A success story illustrates improved test scores through student-teacher collaboration.


    This page titled 18: Instructional Assessment - Standardized Testing is shared under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Jennfer Kidd, Jamie Kaufman, Peter Baker, Patrick O'Shea, Dwight Allen, & Old Dominion U students via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.