Standardized Tests

In order for a test to be valid it must follow three rules. It has to be standardized, reliable, and valid. If a test reaches this criteria then it should yield accurate results. The results may be accurate but what are they really telling us?

I don't think that standardized tests in school are completely fair. First of all different people are good at different things. In my previous post i talked about the theories of different intelligences. Standardized tests are only displaying a persons ability in one intelligence. If someone is better at memorizing and recalling things then the test will show that they are smarter. But are they? I don't believe so. Maybe another person is creatively intelligent or emotionally intelligent, but these test do not show that. I don't think our society should base students intelligence solely on standardized tests.

The tests that are most ridiculous are the ACTs and SATs. These are aptitude tests that determine what colleges you can get into. An aptitude test is supposed to predict a persons future performance, so the ACT is suppose to predict how well you will do in college. These test are not even that accurate on predicting a students future college grades. Studies show that the results correlate closely with early grades, but as the year progresses the correlation severely regresses. Also i don't agree with the way that they give the tests; they are all timed and multiple choice. Timed tests always make me even more nervous and unable to concentrate. I don't understand the necessity of timing the tests because not everyone can process things as fast as other people. They treat the tests as if everyone is the same.

I don't think there is anything we can do to fix this problem in society, at least not in the near future. Reforming would take a very long time because this is all our society knows and it's what we base our lives on. However, my friend Aubrey brought this idea to the table. In China their school system is set up completely different then ours. They have a primary education that all children attend. Then they have a secondary education which is divided into academic or vocational. If students want they can start training for medium level skilled workers in vocational school and they start training for their future jobs as a child, or they can go on to further their general education. I think this is a big benefit because different people are good at different things and they can excel in what they are good at. China is way ahead of us and already has everything figured out.