In the most recent chapters we read on Au, I was most interested on his views on standardized testing and both the direct and secondary effects it has on education. His research tells of how standardized testing creates a great impact within schools starting from the most important component- the pedagogy. He finds that the pressures that come with these testing procedures and their high-stakes consequences is what nudges educators towards teaching styles which they, themselves, find to be incorrect. “When punitive consequences area attached to test scores, teachers do indeed match their pedagogy and content to the test norms” (Au, p.85). Like we discussed in class, this means students are no longer exposed to other material such as art, gym and history. The fear of these tests and their potential consequences are so powerful that programs and curriculum such as these are being cut from the learning agenda. “The ends of instruction are determining the means: The tests are determining what is taught”. Thus, high-stakes testing is exerting content control over the curriculum.
The idea of the triple-bind theory explains these effects and the impact they have on students. This cycle accounts for the effects that mostly impact the quality of education that children are receiving. Schools change how material is being taught into ways that children cannot relate to or build upon. This control over material keeps truly valuable from the classroom. This placed students at a disadvantage. The research Au shares on test-focused teaching explains that it leads to limitations in the learning process for students: “Students are increasingly learning knowledge associated with lower level thinking, and they are often learning this knowledge within the context of the tests alone” (Au, p.88).
Standardized Students
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3 responses to “Standardized Students”
Melissa, I was also very interested in Au’s description of standardized testing and the effects they have on education. I have also read through our course readings and research for my group’s podcast topic that it is very common for teachers to adjust their teaching methods in order to teach in a way that favors standardized testing. I can see why this is a problem because of the other subjects that you mentioned such as art and gym that are being overlooked because teachers and schools are so focused on test scores. However my question is, as long as standardized tests are being administered, how can we focus on these other subjects when the subjects such as math reading and science are of such importance? Is there a way to include art and gym and other subjects that students are interested in while also stressing the importance of the test subjects? Although i believe other subjects are just as important as the core test subjects, I think that as long as standardized tests are still being given, a compromise must be reached.
I think the title to this blog post does a good job of summarizing the results of standardized tests dictating what is taught in public schools today. The idea of “standardized students” almost gives you this factory or robot feeling where everyone is becoming more and more similar and the value in diversity if shrinking. We talked about in class how China’s public education system is on the more extreme side of this “standardized students” idea where creativity and innovation are weaknesses. It seems like we are becoming more like China in this respect and losing the individualism aspect that makes this country so great because of the freedoms we have. It is also interesting that while we seek to increase our test scores in an attempt to reach China’s level, they are trying to become more individualistic like us. Perhaps we have lost the understanding of how important that is in today’s society where everyone wants the same things and scoring well on math and reading is how you get there.
I agree with the ideas Melissa has posed and have seen the affects of high-stakes testing on the curriculum. This idea is further portrayed in the documentary 180 Days: A Year Inside an American High School, where they have to take the State mandated tests and receive good results in order to keep their school open. The work and progress the teachers and students do throughout the year are not accounted for, when all the district and funding looks at the results of such tests. In the film much of the work the students did was centered around the standardize testing subjects. When a student tested to not meet the required standards, they were taken out of electives so that they could focus on the test coming up. This speaks to Melissa’s point of letting non-testable subjects fall behind the new curriculum formed to adhere to the best test results.