Standard Testing
Standard Testing
Standard testing in schools involves the practice of offering learners a common test to gauge their overall understanding and conception of all things learnt. Therefore, according to educationists and other academic scholars, standard testing enjoys numerous pros that make it an acceptable model of measuring educational standards. Alternatively, it has retrogressive and backward suggestions that lower the quality of education among others. It means while concerted efforts are being made to increase the standards of education across all schools, standard testing hinders such measures because it employs among others favoritism in its elimination of weak learners thus preventing the dissemination of knowledge.
Standard testing, for instance, progresses the accountability of teachers, schools and students thus promoting a sense of excellent learning and increased performance. Additionally, the practice inspires learners to grasp the material they learn in school instead of indulging in memorization (Zwick, 2013). Under standard testing, the cumulative of knowledge is common hence a student of remarkable performance has a chance of boosting his or her average learning within a given time frame.
Tracking of comparative performance also becomes easier when standard testing is integrated into the tracing of student performance in classes. The scenario implies that teachers collect enough evidence of testing a student through varying periods of gaining knowledge without finding unnecessary difficulties (Brassard et al, 2008). The test also permits teachers and parents to recognize the innate gifts of the students and the area of specialization at an early stage. This discovery facilitates the ease of finding the requisite resources of supporting such a child to become a great person in the future. Consequently, talented kids are compared and offered a favorable platform of competing at higher levels.
Cons, however, encompass the reduction of flexibility among teachers in the schools. According to critics, standard testing tires teachers thus compounding the problem of teaching other pertinent subjects. As a result, teachers remain dormant in their respective fields of study. Additionally, vast materials required for the testing denies other areas the compulsory materials thus diminishing the emphasis for budgeting. This case often proves complicated in improving the learning standards. Unfairness and extreme bias equally hamper standard testing in many schools. This is because the benchmarks of offering the test do not meet the international criteria of education (Zwick, 2013). Therefore, the unfortunate learners who miss the test are denied opportunities in the job market in spite of possessing all the obligatory requirements.
Considerably, the punishment meted on district schools that display low performance in the standard testing stifles the morale of learners. The decision to reduce the funding for such schools complicates the crisis because it results to lack of enough materials required for learning and improving the performance (Brassard et al, 2008). The failure of standard testing to correctly measure learners’ judgment and creativity means it does not promote education. Instead, it subjects students to isolated measurement of skills and particular areas knowledge. It hence gives a misplaced assessment of student achievement.
It, therefore, is imperative for the government through schools and its respective heads to critically evaluate the benefits of supporting standard testing. Alternatively, it should explore the demerits of inculcating the practice in institutions and hence seek amicable solutions of resolving the problem. This is because weighing both the pros and cons of the practice will expand the opportunities of assisting learners reach their potential and inspire teachers and parents in supporting education. However, this should not lead to the total overhaul of the system in terms of funding because it would be costly for the government resulting reducing performance amongst learners.
References
Brassard, M. et al (2008). Preschool Assessment: Principles and Practices. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Zwick, R. (2013). Rethinking the SAT: The Future of Standardized Testing in University Admissions. New York, NY: Routledge.
