As education and common core modernized with time, educators had difficulties comparing students’ academic levels and determining national standards. An educational pioneer named Horace Mann created a standardized test in 1845 to give “children equal opportunities” (Gershon). The idea expanded globally and each nation created their own forms of testing to accommodate for their country’s academic system. In Thailand, for example, O-Net is the form of testing which not only is the basis for the national curriculum, but also helps the board evaluate the educators teaching abilities (Goodman).
Another example is Singapore, which isn’t solely based on academics; they also include physical fitness tests. Each country has a different method to determine future placement, but it has been argued whether these tests are truly effective (Rotberg). For an educator, standardized testing creates a foundation for the nation’s curriculum. It provides structure and allows each student to be equally graded, which makes it easier to compare results. This also allows each student to have an equal opportunity to place at a higher level, as the tests are the same and each individual has the same foundation.
Colleges or universities can get a grasp on whether a student should continue to a higher level by comparing students’ scores with the national standard. On the contrary, testing puts excess stress on student’s on top of their everyday work. Students go to school for six or more hours a day and have to complete hours of homework at home. It creates an environment where students feel overwhelmed and anxious since they have to study for these specific tests on top of school and homework. It can cause physiological issues and eliminates creativity from students’ everyday lives (Spann).
The argument of standardized testing ties in several different perspectives and creates a complex debate of added pressure on students and teachers’ structured curriculum. Standardized testing can provide a positive aspect to students’ education such as providing a foundation for teachers and their curriculum. It can create a common basis among students that allows them to be graded fairly. It can also advocate meritocracy among students which diminishes any personal bias one may have while grading (Feinman.
By continuing the use of standardized testing, colleges are able to view each student equally, giving an individual the same opportunity as everyone else. Further, if we continue to use this way of teaching, it becomes easier for teachers to use their time wisely and teach what is necessary. Also, testing allows parents to view their child’s progress and compare them to others throughout the country. It allows them and their teachers visualize what they need to do to help the children.
When standardized tests are used appropriately, a great deal can be learned about how well schools function. According to Gale Pages, “That information [Standardized Tests] allows educators and policymakers to make better-informed conclusions about how much students are learning, which in turn allows them to make better-informed decisions about improving programs. ” By receiving scores on how students place, the opportunity for improvement opens up. Educators can emphasize what it important and spend extra or less time on what they think is necessary.
Also, if a specific department does not do well, extra money can be spent trying to improve it. Under the discussion of standardized testing, many people believe that test takers are still judged by their race. According to a graph from Gale Pages, all of the scores were similar to each other. For example, many would state that a white person would score higher on a standardized test. This graph states that Asian Americans score the highest at an average of 1083 on the SAT. The lowest score was still an impressive score of 857 by African Americans.
The education gap is closing and standardized testing allows all students to be fairly scored. These statistics come from Gale Pages, a very credible site which is recommended for educators and students to use. It can be accessed globally, and the information it contains originates from more than 120 notable publishers and 175 million primary sources. This furthers the credibility as it offers a wide variety of knowledge that can be supported by several different sources. Determining college placement can be a difficult task when looking at students academic scores.
The SAT for example is considered a “reliable tool” when comparing students to place at a higher level (Gale Pages). It has been effectively proven to grade students equally and is the most widely used scale in the United States. Not only do standardized tests help colleges determine scores, but it also prepares students and require them to learn test taking skills for when they place at the next level. Although there are different methods of testing around the world, continuing the use of standardized testing allows countries to communicate and determine which tactics work and which do not.
In Shanghai, students have an average reading score of 556 and an average math score of 600. On the contrary, Columbia has around a 412 average reading score and a 360 math score (Test). Shanghai can offer beneficial method to increase test scores. Theses statistics come from 15 year olds which is a crucial age for testing and placement before heading off to a university, which makes it easier to gauge how effective these tests are. The facts come from TIME magazine which is a highly known and credible magazine that offers statistic and information on global issues.
While standardized testing is beneficial to teachers, parents, and colleges, it negatively impacts students’ everyday lives; these tests can causes symptoms such as depression and anxiety. According to Gabriella Hirsch, students can “choke under pressure” while testing, resulting in low performance and increase anxiety levels; this is due to the overwhelming amount of stress the situation creates. When students choke under pressure, they score low on their tests and feel pressure to do better on the next one.
Hirsch has her B. S. Bachelor of Science) in Psychology from the University of Westminster in England, Ed. M (Master of Education) in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard, and studied psychodynamic systems at the University of London. Her prestigious achievements and current teaching status at Harvard University makes her a credible source. Further, her work is very recent- less than a year old as of 2017- which adds to the credibility. Currently, standardized tests often determine whether a student can graduate or further their education all over the world.
Students’ futures can rely on the scores of even a single test. In the United States, “29 states require students to pass a state mandated test in order to graduate from high-school,” according to Pamela Spann. The New England Common Assessment Program, or NECAP, decided to create a mock exam, and tested 50 volunteers that consisted of people from various occupations such as scientists, professors, senators, and state representatives. The results proved a point as 60% of the accomplished volunteers didn’t pass the current exam needed to graduate (Spann).
Also, according to the same source, the United States isn’t the only country to have this rule. Countries such as Finland and England also have students take standardized tests in order to graduate. Further, China is another country with this policy, but the situation over there was a little different. Since China had the one-child policy, sons and daughters felt even more pressure to do well, as they are the only future their family has. The standardized tests are the only thing used for college admittance.
Students view it as unfair to have to go through so much schooling only to be able to graduate by passing a single exam. Another perspective to take into account is how standardized testing can cause cheating. Cheating has become very common these days as everything is easily accessible with the internet. As technology continues to improve, sharing and posting information becomes easier to do. India’s educational system is greatly flawed and cheating has become very common with the students.
While students were taking testing in April of 2015, pictures were released showing parents scaling the walls to pass cheat sheets to their child. Further, students would be caught with mnemonics and hidden notes in their clothing (Spann). Pressure to perform well on these tests leads students to cheat, which can cause them to not properly learn the information as they know they can just look on the piece of paper when they need it. Not only can it cause students to cheat, but teachers as well. If their income or bonuses are based upon their students’ performances, they may feel obliged to cheat.
In 2013, 35 educators in Atlanta were involved in a huge cheating scandal. The teachers were accused of changing incorrect answers to improve the scoring average (Spann). Also, the tests are no longer fair as some students now have an advantage, thus making standardized testing unreliable. Ultimately, although the benefits of standardized testing can help administrators and colleges, the overall psychological effects it has on students are too risky and can end up hurting their grades in regular classes.
While testing such as the O-Net and the SAT can be proven to help potentially get a child into college, the stress it can cause isn’t a good enough reason to keep the tests around. Also, as a student, I personally know that the extra stress standardized testing brings is unnecessary. Further testing should be done to determine how different types of testing can benefit a student, maybe one that isn’t as stressful. Any further research on this issue can potentially decrease depression and suicidal rates among students.