Problems with Standardized Testing - Free Paper Sample

Introduction

Standardized testing, also referred to as a high-stake test, refers to any form of testing that needs all the test-takers to respond to similar questions or a selection of items from the same bank of questions (Great Schools Partnership, 2015). In such a test, there is consistency in scoring— thus making it easy for scorers to compare the performance of individual test takers or a group of students. Even though various types of tests can be standardized, the term is principally used for large-scale tests administered to a large group of test-takers. An example of a standardized test is Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) taken by 11th-grade students and used for identification of National Merit Scholars and offer merit scholarships (Idaho Falls School District, n.d.). Other uses of standardized tests include assessment of knowledge and skills, prediction of a learners’ likelihood of succeeding in academics, placement, and comparison of students’ performance. Despite its broad usage, the debates about the merits and demerits of standardized testing have been going on for decades. This paper addresses the problems associated with standardized testing— hence the need to be banned. Research suggests that high-stakes tests should be banned because it leads to unwarranted student stress, does not factor in t students’ cultural and economic diversity, and it forces teachers to teach to the test.

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Reasons

One of the primary reasons why standardized testing should be eliminated is that it contributes to students’ stress. An empirical study conducted by the Minnesota Council of Teachers of English (2007) suggests that standardized tests cause stress in young children. Noteworthy, students aged eight years old were found to show stress-related symptoms. Specifically, they manifested insomnia, exhaustion, and high levels of anxiety. Additionally, the Minnesota Council of Teachers of English (2007) established that such children displayed socially unacceptable behaviors to vent painful emotions because poor performance in standardized tests results in negative consequences. In a related study, Segool et al. (2013) sought to explore the differences in test anxiety in low-stakes test and high-stake standardized tests among young children. Findings of the study showed that compared to low-stake testing, standardized testing led to higher levels of anxiety. Specifically, among the 350 Grade, 3 to 5 students who participated in the study 30% of them had test anxiety (Segool et al., 2013). This was attributed to the fact that high-stake test instructions are geared toward doing well on the standardized test. Consequently, the majority of the students who take such tests have low motivation and focus in class (Segool et al., 2013).

Future Tests

Stress associated with standardized tests is further exacerbated by poor academic performance in previous years. Mulvenon et al. (2005) found out that students with low academic performance on high-stake tests in the past were highly likely to show increased levels of stress in future tests. These students usually have insomnia, anxiety, loss of focus, and behavioral issues as a result. These findings suggest that students’ poor performance in past standardized testing could elevate their test stress levels significantly. Worsening of test stress levels on upcoming exams because of previous low performance on similar tests has an adverse impact on the exam results.

The second reason why standardized testing is problematic and needs to be gotten rid of is that it does not take into account students cultural and economic diversity. A study conducted by Ford and National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (2004) sought to understand the current test bias through a review of seminal publications and empirical studies on the topic. Findings of this study showed that the standardized test is not appropriate for culturally diverse communities. This is because those tasked with the development of such tests do not take into consideration students’ diversity during test developing. For instance, some of the schools are more economically empowered and have more resources than others. Therefore, students from low-income communities are disadvantaged because of the lack of adequate academic resources needed to compete with their counterparts from high-income neighborhoods. Some standardized tests (e.g., intelligence tests) have been designed in favor of White middle-class groups because they assess knowledge and content familiar with this ethnic group in total disregard to students’ cultural diversity. Additionally, the language used in such tests favors White middle-class students. Therefore, it can be argued that standardized tests measures what diverse category of students are not exposed to and learners’ differences in their experiences rather than their intellectual capacity is being measured.

National Norms

Ford and National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (2004) further report that high-stake testing is problematic because of national norms based on an unrepresentative sample of White middle-class groups. Therefore, standardized tests inappropriate for use with students from all cultural and economic backgrounds. In this case, using of high-stake tests with other students’ groups is questionable because of validity issues. Specifically, because high-stake intelligence tests are developed in favor of White middle-class students, their usage cannot be generalized to other diverse groups. Following these findings, it can be seen that the standardized test does not take into account the students’ cultural and economic diversity. Therefore, students are usually at a distinct disadvantage. In support of these findings, Alford et al. (2011) reported that ethnic minority students are economically disadvantaged. Because the majority of them are from low-income neighborhoods and families, they do not have adequate learning materials. Because of this, they are less prepared to undertake and pass rigorous standardized tests despite being expected to perform at a similar level on standardized tests. Apart from ethnic minorities, standardized tests do not take into consideration the fact that some of the test takers are second-language learners. Their limited understanding of the English language makes students makes second language (ELA) students discriminated. Such students are less likely to pass standardized tests. Consequently, there is an increased likelihood that they will be locked out of prestigious college courses and institutions. Overall, it can be seen that the standardized test is biased to economically challenged school districts. Majority of such schools are located in the inner city and have a diverse student demographic.

Standardized testing is also problematic because it forces teachers to teach the test rather than the content of the curriculum. Noteworthy, the issue of standardized testing has resulted in confusion between standardization and “standards” (McNeil, 2000). Proper differentiation of the two concepts is crucial because more than ever scores on learners’ standardized test have severe consequences for the students and teacher. For students, standardized test scores are used to make promotion, retention, graduation, and placement decisions. For teachers, such scores are used to make accountability decisions. That is, they are used to determine the quality of teachers, principals, and schools. The severe consequences associated with the test forces teachers to teach students to do well on a test. Therefore, teachers are missing the chance to incorporate real-world value to their lessons. Specifically, the teachers do not teach the students the whole curriculum or content and do not incorporate innovative pedagogical practices. Teaching to the test does not help the students to develop critical thinking. This is because in most cases, the teachers incorporate practice exercise that is similar to questions found on standardized tests. Additionally, the educators organize instructional techniques around test questions and only teach particular skills and knowledge and leave the rest.

Instructions and Curriculum

Organizing instruction and curriculum around the test has been reported to affect students’ learning adversely. Madaus (2009) sought to understand whether teaching to score high on the test improve student learning and established that teachers are neglecting other beneficial subjects to narrow their curriculum to do better on the standardized test. Therefore, it can be concluded that standardized testing narrows the curriculum and students’ view of education. specifically, it has been increasingly noted that standardized testing checks curricula to Math and English. Educators spent more time teaching these subjects and leave other aspects of schooling. Therefore, high-stake tests measure a small percentage of the curricula. Apart from negatively affecting learning, standardized testing hampers the development of higher-order thinking because some of them use easy-to-score questions that assess basic skills and recall. Popham (2001) has also established that teaching centered on just the standardized test hurts the students by not teaching a well-rounded curriculum. The enormous pressure faced by the American teachers for their students to score high on standardized testing has forced them to provide classroom instructions that only comprises of practice activities that are found on the tests (Popham, 2001).

Research suggests that high-stakes tests should be banned because it leads to unwarranted student stress, does not factor in t students’ cultural and economic diversity, and it forces teachers to teach to the test. Excessive stress is manifested in various ways. For instance, high-stake tests cause stress in young children as indicated through insomnia, exhaustion, and high levels of anxiety. Additionally, the students tend to act out as it is perceived that a low-test score will result in negative repercussions. Unlike low-stake testing, standardized testing leads to higher levels of anxiety in students. This is because students are pressured to do well on such tests. Stress and anxiety attributed to high-stake difficulties are worsened by poor academic performance past years. Students’ previous low academic performance on such tests has been linked to insomnia, anxiety, loss of focus, and behavioral issues as a result.

Conclusion

Standardized testing fails to take into account students’ cultural and economic diversity. For example, test developers do not take into consideration the fact that some schools have more resources than others. For instance, students from minority ethnic groups and low-income communities lack adequate learning resources than those from high-income neighborhoods. Additionally, some standardized tests have been designed for White middle-class groups because they assess knowledge and content familiar with this ethnic group. Therefore, such tests are inappropriate for use with students from all cultural and economic backgrounds. Another disadvantaged group is second language learners of English who are less likely to pass standardized tests. Lastly, standardized testing is problematic in that it forces teachers to teach the test rather than the content of the curriculum. Teachers do not incorporate real-world value to their lessons and innovative pedagogical practices. They only provide students with practice exercises similar to questions found on high-stake tests.

References

Alford, B. J., Perreault, G., Zellner, L., Ballenger, J. W., & National Council of Professors of Educational Administration. (2011). Blazing New Trails: Preparing Leaders to Improve Access and Equity in Today’s Schools. The 2011 Yearbook of the National Council.