Aren Standardized Tests the most objective way to assess children?
Only the scoring of multiple-choice answers is “objective” because it is done by machine. But correct answers that are only partially marked correctly (the “bubble” not filled all the way in, or stray marks outside the bubble) are marked wrong. Human beings, who are quite subjective, choose what items to include on the test, the wording, content, the determination of the “correct” answer, and the type of testing situation. Short answer questions and essay questions are evaluated by people who may not have an education degree, who are taught in a day or two how to “score” a test, and who have a high caseload of tests to score each day (see here). And now, companies have developed machines to assess writing. As we know, machines cannot understand intent. They do not recognize creative use of language. Yet, in the future, machines could be grading your child’s test which is used to determine promotion to another grade or even graduation.
Related Questions
- What if my state requires testing, or if my children need to take standardized tests later for college admissions? Will they be prepared?
- Why should parents be confident that the schools curriculum would help children excel on the states standardized tests?
- Are standardized I.Q. tests unreliable for younger children (i.e., children under age 5)?
