Framework of the Study
An aptitude test’s main purpose or function is “not to measure what has been learned, but what can be learned” (Karmel & Karmel, 1978, p.219). It is designed to predict students’ future performance in a new situation or setting. However, because it is impossible to isolate aptitude from past learning experiences, aptitude test may indirectly measure what has been learned as well as what can be learned. This measure students’ potential capacity or ability to learn or acquire knowledge and skills when given an opportunity, just like how aptitude used on this study, the respondent’s aptitude were based from their College Admission Test (CAT) which is a standardized aptitude test. Aptitude tests are often compared to achievement tests as well. Achievement tests are designed to assess and measure current levels of performance (i.e. the skills and knowledge currently possessed by students in a particular subject area). Ultimately, achievement tests measure what an individual has learned both inside and outside of school, as well as his or her inherited academic aptitudes (Gage & Berliner, 1988; McMillan, 2001; National Academy Press, 2001; Popham, 2003; Weber, 1991). On this study, the level of aptitude in terms of english, math, and IQ of the respondents was based from
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Tacit theories are those acquired or constructed without any explicit awareness that one possesses a theory (McCutcheon, 1992). Informal theories, often, are fragmentary. Individuals are aware of some of their beliefs and assumptions regarding a phenomenon but have not yet constructed an explicit theoretical structure that integrates and justifies these beliefs (Kuhn, 1989; Paris and Byrnes, 1989). Formal theories consist of highly systematized accounts of a phenomenon involving explicit theoretical structures such as those encountered in university classes in physics, music, or statistics (Sternberg,
Ability tests assist in determining how well an applicant can perform the tasks assigned to him/her. 2. An aptitude test helps determine the person’s potential to learn on the job and acquire new skills and techniques. A good example of aptitude test is GMAT – general management aptitude test.
Justin Peligri, in his article, “No, the SAT Is Not Required. More Colleges Join Test-Optional Train,” published in USA Today on July 7, 2014, writes that students spend great deals of time studying for what many believe is the most important test of their life, the SAT. The SAT test is a standardized test used by colleges in the college admissions process. Students are overly stressed for the SAT, hurting their health and wellbeing, even though the usefulness of this test is questionable. In nearly all colleges across the country, SAT scores are a major part of the admissions process, but the major flaws of this test are going unacknowledged by these schools, therefore keeping many qualified students out of colleges, and all but destroying
Journal #2 The purpose of the article,“What Colleges Want to See on Your Application” by Emily Driscoll, is to discuss what would differentiate future college applicants in a pool of indistinguishable applications and to aid them in their quest for higher education. This article does have bias in that the author fails to consider Seniors, or students about to graduate from high school, who have neither challenged themselves nor engaged in their neighborhood. Driscoll assumes that their audience has been through every step from community service to recommendations, or has the opportunity to make up for lost time. In the article “What Colleges Want to See on Your Application,” Emily Driscoll discusses the contents the best application must display.
But has the SAT ever truly been a good way to evaluate student’s academic abilities? Many teens do not test well, SAT questions are written in a way confusing to students, and the test is taken in high school, before they are exposed to college material. The number of teens taking the SAT has increased significantly in the past few years, further invalidating the statement that overall scores are
In a country that promotes the ideas of grit, innovation, resourcefulness, and growth, I find it curious that American universities are still using standardized tests as an indicator of future success in college. Although standardized tests are only one factor in admissions to many colleges, they should not be used at all because they do not accurately predict the success of students in higher educational environments. Instead of using the SAT and ACT, admissions officers should put more weight on written essays, cumulative high school grade point average, extracurriculars, and letters of recommendation when deciding admissions. Although some may argue that the SAT and ACT offer a way of ranking students without factoring in grade point average, their ability to predict the future success of college students has not been demonstrated.
Running Head: Racial Disparities in Education Racial Disparities within Education Tatiana Martinez Georgia State University Introduction Within the world of academia, aptitude and intelligence are usually measured by standardized testing and the level of information one can attain within a certain amount of time. When a particular group consistently scores lower than another in terms of performance, the group with the lower score is considered to be inferior, or subordinate. Throughout the years there has been a noticeable disparity between African American students and European American students as it relates to education. However, are the differences and experiences that accompany the African-American culture being factored in when
For many years, there has been a great deal of controversies on whether standardized tests should be used for college admissions. Standardized testing started in America over 50 years ago and are today, more pressure-packed and ubiquitous than ever before. The first standardized test was developed in 1959 by Professor Everett Franklin Lindquist. Many admissions counselors depend on a student’s ACT and SAT scores a great deal when determining if they should accept the student or not. Though many feel that these tests are a good thing and should continue to be used, others disagree due to the numerous problems that have been discovered when reviewing students SAT and ACT scores.
Standardized tests are very common in today’s modern society. They are used as a tool to measure a person’s performance and indicate how their estimated performance will be in a college class. Every year hundreds of students take the ACT or SAT in order to get accepted into their college of choice and to receive scholarships, but they fail to see the problems with these standardized tests. As more and more people take these tests, the national average score falls causing doubt in the extremely important system. This is leading people to question whether or not the ACT and SATs are accomplishing what they were created to do.
To Test or To Read It would be nice to imagine that everyone begins at the start line together. Unfortunately, a majority of people start at a disadvantage. In most public elementary schools, there are students in every grade level that are reading behind grade level. Consequently, these same students will encounter tests throughout their whole academic career. Starting in elementary school, a literacy gap will begin to emerge among students.
All students dread one thing when it comes to school - testing. Standardized test are the main focus in our school systems instead of actually gaining knowledge at the end of the year. As a mother, Michelle Rhee, understands the lack of attention given on education as a whole instead of just waiting on the scores, but she still agrees on continuing with standardized test. Kristina Rizga opposes the opinion of Michelle Rhee as she does not believe standardized test truly measure the intelligence of a student. Kristina Rizga proves her stand against standardized test by utilizing solid use of argumentation.
Standardized testing has become one of the most popular types of testing in U.S. public schools to date. Students take numerous standardized tests throughout their childhood schooling. (Studies show that a typical student takes an average of 112 mandated standardized tests between Pre-K and 12th grade.) While standardized testing is one of the main procedures that Universities use to judge incoming students, it is not proven to be the most effective way to convey a student’s actual intelligence level. The U.S. should not focus so heavily on standardized testing because it is not a complete accurate measurement of a student’s intelligence.
Lewis Terman believed that IQ was the determining factor in any one person’s life - it would decide how successful they would be, how many awards they would receive and scholarly papers they would write, how well their future job might pay. He tested and gathered the most measurably intelligent children he could find - “gifted” individuals - and studied them over the course of their lives to observe how far they would go. The outcome of that study, and how Terman’s idea has created and influenced gifted programs for children in the United States, will show that not only does the gifted classification serve no long-term purpose, but it also tends to hurt the upcoming generations more than it helps them, creating a faulty dichotomy within the education system. Malcolm Gladwell disproves the idea of IQ determining success in his book Outliers, but that hasn’t stopped anyone from believing it.
Over recent years, the debate of whether or not to continue using standardized testing to evaluate college applicants has been somewhat controversial. Although college may not necessarily ensure success in the future, is not the only path in which success can be found, and is not a good path for every student, a majority of students that graduate high school want to go to college and need to know what it is they need to accomplish before their four years are up. Some of the colleges shifting to the idea of accepting applicants not based on test scores think that the potential to do well in college shouldn’t be based on these things. These argue that personal traits and characteristics are what determine success. Traits like these aren’t truly measurable though.
Introduction Standardized tests may be used for a wide variety of educational purposes. For example, they may be used to determine a young child’s readiness for kindergarten, identify students who need special-education services or specialized academic support, place students in different academic programs or course levels, or award diplomas and other educational certificates. Thesis Statement Standardized tests should not be eliminated completely, but should rather be evaluated in addition to other factors such as grades, extracurricular activities, and volunteer hours. This would take pressure off of students during standardized tests, allow colleges to see how well-rounded the students are, and give students who are better in other areas
Such tests are called achievement tests where these can also be used to assess, not only the student, but also the effectiveness of the school and its teachers. Aptitude tests, on the other hand, are tests designed to foresee a student’s future endeavour—on how