High Stakes Testing Essay
The authors use existing international and Australian literature on student’s experience of high stakes testing to support their research to answer the question ‘is high-stakes testing in the best interest of students?’ The reoccurring theme throughout the review is the negative impact that high-stakes testing has on the health and wellbeing of students. The review draws attention to existing research that suggests high-stakes testing lowers the self esteem, self image and long term confidence of students, causing stress and anxiety. The first author, John Polese, is a Professor of Education in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne. Polese played a leading role in conducting over forty major educational research …show more content…
(2012;2011;). The impact of high stakes testing: The australian story. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 19(1), 65-79. doi:10.1080/0969594X.2011.592972
Val Klenowski is a Professor of Education at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. Claire Wyatt-Smith is Dean (Academic) in the Arts, Education and Law Group at Griffith University. The authors promote the same ideas as the Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA) have on high stakes testing programs, such as NAPLAN, suggesting that they have unintended and negative impacts on teaching and learning quality. The article includes research which admits that the increased pressure on teachers to ensure improved test results has led to cheating and narrowing of the curriculum because teachers only teach that which will be tested. The article also reveals other consequences of high-stakes testing, such as; threats to teachers’ jobs if results don’t improve, more attention given to students who are more likely to achieve better grades, neglect of students who have the greatest need for support and increased absence of low performing students on test days. The article reinforces the negative impacts of high stakes testing as the sources above, thus illuminating my topic of the impact of high-stakes
Arguments Against Standardized Testing
885 Words | 4 PagesTrue high-stakes standardized testing was begun in 2001, as part of the No Child Left Behind Act, which was put into place to help make it so that all children would have an equal opportunity to learn, regardless of their race, ethnic background or their families’ income level. While their goals sound admirable, the problem began with the implementation of the act; they wanted to ensure that each child was at least proficient in the standards that they developed, so they decided that testing was the best way to do so (Aske, Connelly & Corman, 2013). The issue with this is that not all students excel at test-taking, and putting so much emphasis on it can cause a student severe stress and anxiety (Colwell, 2013). In 2009, Race to the Top was implemented, but instead of placing less emphasis on testing and more on learning, it made the stakes worse, ensuring that schools that had students who did not perform as well could be shut down, or individual teachers could be fired if they did not show what was considered to be appropriate progress in test scores, which might soon prove impossible since the optimal goal is to reach a level of 100 percent of the students in a school to the proficiency level (Tavakolian & Howell,
Critical Analysis Of A New Course By Christopher Lasch
1254 Words | 6 Pages(43). Berger gives some insight on what she thinks is the best way to invest in education. She states that she would reduce and adjust how often the standardize tests are and that parents are the ones that need to get involved in their kids’ lives for their children to succeed. Through this information not only students will see the damage that teaching to the test has done, but also the damage to society. The society needs to understand the importance of challenging a student in their education and not letting a student’s simply go through the phase of higher
High Stakes Testing Aa Summary
266 Words | 2 PagesI applaud the American Evaluation Association (AEA) in taking a strong stance on the deleterious effects of high stakes testing, especially going so far as to promulgate their reasons and concerns. It is obvious from the statement that the AEA supports the importance of testing and accountability in improving education, but finds the current testing manipulation environment to be harmful for any positive improvements in education. Specifically, how the monolithic testing focus has increased dropout rates, created cultural insensitivity, turned the community against teachers and administrators, and driven curriculum writing with a myopic focus, of teaching to the test. In addition, the AEA highlights other adverse effects of narrowing the focus
High Stakes Testing Research Paper
1110 Words | 5 PagesDiscussion Post- Chapter 7- High stakes testing Claim: High stakes testing is an extremely problematic political issue within the education system because it holds all students to the same standards regardless of disabilities or disadvantages , it encourages educators to teach strictly on information that relates to the tests, and it can have major consequences for schools across the country that are unable to make Adequete Yearly Progress (AYP). Evidence: The Learning to Teach Edition Nine textbook outlines key disadvantages to high stakes testing. Although the textbook does consider some of the advantages, which include a focus of attention on the achievement of students and providing information on areas where students may need to improve,
Standerdized Testing Argument
662 Words | 3 PagesIn Gregory Cizeks "Consequences of high stakes testing", he states "Illustrating how testing... produces gripping anxiety in even the brightest students and has been known to make children cry, vomit, or both. " You've felt it before. The nervousness, the 'what if I fail' and 'I can't fail or I'll never have a good future' thoughts. Standerdized testing instills a large amount of fear and anxiety for fear of failing. In a Washington Post article from 2011, they talk about a 7th grade girl who ran away from home to avoid a test.
Is Standardized Testing Bad
1212 Words | 5 PagesExploratory Paper: Is Standardized Testing Bad? Standardized testing has been around in one form or the other for centuries based on historical data which shows its use way back in imperial China and was used to determine the strengths and talents of individuals so that they could be effectively used in the emperor’s service. In the 19th century Great Britain introduced standardized testing to its’ territories and eventually Europe. The United States introduced standard testing to its citizens in the late 20th century and has rapidly integrated this testing tool into the nation’s public school system.
High Stakes Testing Pros And Cons
271 Words | 2 PagesAs a result, some schools are finding it tough to score above average on these test giving teachers no option, but to focus solely on learning outcomes that meet high stake test requirements. Additionally, students with low test score were always pressured by their teacher to achieve high test, scores and when they did not produce higher results, some educator, believed, if they punished the student they would become more serious with schooling and work hard to avoid the pressure or humiliating punishments (Hurley, 2007). I used to be an advocate of high stakes testing, but now I oppose high stakes testing sine I have seen first hand myself the damage it does to a student. Also, I several educators and professional use high stakes test results as a single indicator for measuring a person's competence or determining their future outcome, even though research has proven these tests is highly
High Stakes Testing Research Paper
549 Words | 3 PagesAs “Education week 's” Ron Wolk’s has said, “The system failed to educate them adequately, and now it punishes them for not being educated. " Ron Wolk is stating that with a school district failing to educate its students, these students have to pay the price by failing the test. High Stakes testing may also affect the district. Low scores could result in the reorganization of schools or a shift of resources to charter schools or private-school vouchers. Who knew that one test could severely damage a community and school
Test-Based Accountability System: Case Study
479 Words | 2 PagesDo you agree with the perception that high-stakes tests are motivators of hard work? What kind of motivation (or demotivation) can they provide? According to Airasian (1988), what are the “dangers” created by the socially perceived symbolic richness of high-stakes tests?
Freakonomics Summary And Analysis
886 Words | 4 PagesThe authors then introduce the topic of high-stakes testing, which increases a teacher’s incentive for cheating. If a teacher has students that receive poor test scores, the teacher can be passed over for a raise. In extension, if the whole school does not do well then federal funding can be withheld and the teacher could be fired. Teachers can also receive positive incentives for their students to perform better on the high-stakes testing, which include promises of promotions and bonuses (Levitt & Dubner, 2009).
Incentive Summary
449 Words | 2 PagesIn my opinion, public educational curriculums and accountability guidelines should be established at the state and local levels where parents/guardians play an integral role in the decision making process. I do not believe standardized tests alone are an accurate measure of a student’s knowledge; their classwork, projects, and literary works also represent a student’s talent and capabilities. In agreement with Robert Schaeffer, a representative for the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, that federal mandated programs such as the No Child Left Behind and The Race to The Top high-stakes tests foster the temptation to cheat because they serve as means to both punish and reward students, teachers, and principals based solely upon test scores (Schaeffer,
Diane Ravich Solutions Start Here Sparknotes
933 Words | 4 PagesTests should be low-stakes, flexible questions and evaluations should ask for thoughtful responses and not multiple-choice guesses, and a reinforcement of the fact that tests are not the “be all, end all” when it comes to the goal of the education system. By doing this, we would give
Outline For Standardized Testing Essay
1131 Words | 5 PagesI. Students average 20-25 hours a year taking standardized testing, according to a study completed by the Council of Great City Schools. II. This testing is used for a variety of things, all of which affect the way we are educated. III. Through my research on testing, I have found that the tests that we have all sat through are not as accurate as one may think.
Persuasive Speech On Standardized Testing
1868 Words | 8 PagesThe state tried to force this child, Ethan, to take this test. In the meantime while Andrea was fighting the school system, Ethan Rediske passed away. It doesn’t have to be this way. Our children aren’t all dying of terrible diseases, but these standardized testing is killing our brothers and sisters creativity and passion for school instead. Standardized tests do not accurately measure what students know and what they can do, nor are they accurate predictors of future success
Argumentative Essay On Standardized Testing
1098 Words | 5 PagesSchool rankings are important and taken very seriously, especially in public schools. The higher a school ranks; the more advantages it gains. The government provides high ranking schools with funds or subsidies to help obtain new facilities, advanced technology, and more professionally experienced teachers. If students of a specific school do not achieve certain criterion that raises the school’s ranking, then the school will not gain the benefits of funds or subsidies that are provided by the government. To prevent this failure from becoming a reality, teachers will try and “teach to the test”.
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