Over the past few days it seems that the concept of testing has come up numerous times. In some cases, the discussion surrounded testing in general while in others we focused specifically on IQ testing. As teachers, we are generally expected to test our students on a regular basis. I think it is important that we consider the reasoning behind this testing as well as to understand its limitations.
When I look back on my own schooling, I remember tests as being used primarily for summative evaluation purposes. Whether they were unit tests, midterms, or final exams, these tests all had a specific grade attached. I was tested by my teachers and tested by the province. These tests were meant to give an overall picture of my achievement and were used to determine where I sat in the class and the larger community (in addition to where the school sat academically). I find this weight to be inappropriate. A test is really only a snapshot, one moment in many throughout the academic year. This snapshot may not truly be an accurate representation of the learning of a student as there are many factors that come into play during a formal test or exam. These factors include such things as test anxiety, physical conditions, mental and emotional factors, and just having an “off” day. In addition, the test itself is subject to a variety of issues such as ambiguous wording, biased questions, and items that do not consider the specific differences between students in areas such as language and culture. Finally, in most cases, tests are predominantly designed in such a way that they focus on reading and/or writing which may not be a strength for some students and may affect a student’s ability to show what he or she knows in other subject areas.
I do think there is a place in the education system for tests; however, I feel they should be used with careful thought and discretion. In some instances, I do believe tests are an effective way to do pre-assessment, assessment for learning, and assessment of learning. It is important to remember that tests are only one possible form of assessment, though, and we should make an attempt to make use of the multitude of assessment possibilities available in a way that directly fits the purpose of the assessment. We need to remember that our classrooms are made of unique individuals that develop in their own way and with strengths in different areas. It is not right to base decisions solely on information from a snapshot moment in a child’s life. Instead, I believe we, as teachers, should use all the diverse and rich information we accumulate from formal assessments, informal assessments, and other methods (such as observation, parent conferencing, etc) to make decisions that best meet the needs of the individuals in the class.
I worry that tests are relied on too heavily. In the case of IQ tests, I wonder how accurate the information obtained actually is. After thinking about the cultural and language biases and the fact that an IQ test, like any other test, is just a snapshot in time, I am concerned that these results are used to group students. I remember reading a story about a teacher who had been given a low achieving class. She looked at her roster and noticed that beside each student’s name there was a number and she immediately assumed these numbers were the students’ (high) IQ scores. With this in mind she began to teach them and expected great things, resulting in widespread success. The belief that these students had high IQs led them to achieve. It was later that the teacher found out that these numbers did not represent the students’ IQ scores but merely their student number (or was it locker combo?). This really makes me wonder...
Do our groupings of students become self-fulfilling prophecies?
When I look back on my own schooling, I remember tests as being used primarily for summative evaluation purposes. Whether they were unit tests, midterms, or final exams, these tests all had a specific grade attached. I was tested by my teachers and tested by the province. These tests were meant to give an overall picture of my achievement and were used to determine where I sat in the class and the larger community (in addition to where the school sat academically). I find this weight to be inappropriate. A test is really only a snapshot, one moment in many throughout the academic year. This snapshot may not truly be an accurate representation of the learning of a student as there are many factors that come into play during a formal test or exam. These factors include such things as test anxiety, physical conditions, mental and emotional factors, and just having an “off” day. In addition, the test itself is subject to a variety of issues such as ambiguous wording, biased questions, and items that do not consider the specific differences between students in areas such as language and culture. Finally, in most cases, tests are predominantly designed in such a way that they focus on reading and/or writing which may not be a strength for some students and may affect a student’s ability to show what he or she knows in other subject areas.
I do think there is a place in the education system for tests; however, I feel they should be used with careful thought and discretion. In some instances, I do believe tests are an effective way to do pre-assessment, assessment for learning, and assessment of learning. It is important to remember that tests are only one possible form of assessment, though, and we should make an attempt to make use of the multitude of assessment possibilities available in a way that directly fits the purpose of the assessment. We need to remember that our classrooms are made of unique individuals that develop in their own way and with strengths in different areas. It is not right to base decisions solely on information from a snapshot moment in a child’s life. Instead, I believe we, as teachers, should use all the diverse and rich information we accumulate from formal assessments, informal assessments, and other methods (such as observation, parent conferencing, etc) to make decisions that best meet the needs of the individuals in the class.
I worry that tests are relied on too heavily. In the case of IQ tests, I wonder how accurate the information obtained actually is. After thinking about the cultural and language biases and the fact that an IQ test, like any other test, is just a snapshot in time, I am concerned that these results are used to group students. I remember reading a story about a teacher who had been given a low achieving class. She looked at her roster and noticed that beside each student’s name there was a number and she immediately assumed these numbers were the students’ (high) IQ scores. With this in mind she began to teach them and expected great things, resulting in widespread success. The belief that these students had high IQs led them to achieve. It was later that the teacher found out that these numbers did not represent the students’ IQ scores but merely their student number (or was it locker combo?). This really makes me wonder...
Do our groupings of students become self-fulfilling prophecies?
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