Written Assignment Unit 7

Exploring Standardized Testing: Understanding, Definition, Pros and Cons, and

Implications for Future Practice

Anonymous

University of People

EDUC 5220-01 Curriculum Design -AY2023-T5

Angela Sansone

August 2, 2023
 Introduction

In many nations around the world, standardized testing has become a popular means of

assessing pupils' learning. While some believe that these examinations provide an objective

measure of knowledge and skills, others contend that they are limited in scope, have a negative

impact on teaching and learning, and are ineffective at detecting student abilities. In this

assignment, we will look at several aspects of standardized testing, such as its definition,

positives and negatives, and consequences for teaching and learning. With a better grasp of

standardized testing, we will investigate whether it is currently used in my milieu as well as most

public and private schools in my country, Philippines, in general.

Understanding of Standardized Testing

A form of exam that is delivered and scored in a consistent, or standardized, manner is

referred to as standardized testing. This means that the test format and content are the same for

all test takers, and the test is assessed according to a predetermined scoring system. It is a sort of

test in which each student is required to answer the same set of "standard" questions and is

assessed in a consistent and uniform manner (Drew, 2023). In education, it is used to assess

student performance and progress (ProCon.org, 2020), as well as the efficacy of educational

programs and policies, and to compare the performance of different students, schools, or

districts.

Own definition of Standardized Testing

Standardized testing is a system-based assessment that is used to assess learning

outcomes across target levels during specific periods of basic education. This is an assessment

method that uses a consistent set of questions and grading standards to evaluate learning

outcomes across target levels at specific intervals in basic education. This strategy measures
student learning consistently and offers data for policy decisions. It seeks to assess student

achievement and progress by applying the same criteria to all students, regardless of background.

This method also assures that all students are evaluated using the same set of rules, reducing

bias, and ensuring a fair playing field. However, detractors contend that standardized testing only

evaluates a limited set of skills, encourages "teaching to the test," and may not accurately reflect

a student's genuine learning capacity.

The Positive and Negative Attributes of Standardized Testing

Positives Attributes:

• Standardized exams allow school boards and regulatory organizations to determine if

stated educational objectives for each grade level are being met (Drew, 2023).

• Standardized assessments provide an objective measure of knowledge and a useful

indicator for identifying areas for improvement (ProCon.org, 2020).

• It can let pupils from low-income secondary schools compete with students from more

affluent institutions (Spark Admission, 2021).

• It can also enable schools across a state or country set higher educational standards

(Spark Admission, 2021).

Negative Attributes:

• Standardized examinations merely identify which kids are competent at taking tests; they

provide no meaningful measure of progress, and they have not increased student

performance (ProCon.org, 2020).

• Standardized assessments can be unfair to particular student groups, such as those from

low-income homes or those with impairments (Drew, 2023).

(Drew, 2023).

• Standardized exams have the potential to narrowly focus on test preparation at the

expense of other crucial parts of education, such as critical thinking and creativity

(Nixon, n.d.).

Thoughts on Standard Testing

For me, standardized testing is a necessary tool for evaluating student performance and

progress, however, it is also a flawed and unreliable measure of student achievement.

Standardized tests have been criticized by the National Education Association, as noted in Long

(2023), for being an unreliable and biased assessment of student development (Schmeiser et al,

2006). According to some research, the measures are unreliable and limit the curriculum to only

what is tested (Chudowsky & Popham, 1999; Darling-Hammond, 2004). Furthermore,

standardized examinations may fail to account for student variances or progress over time (Kohn,

2000). Despite these reservations, standardized testing is nonetheless a common element of many

educational systems.

As a result, when evaluating student performance, it is critical to use multiple measures,

such as teacher-created assessments and student self-assessments, in addition to standardized

testing (National Education Association, n.d.). This allows for more accurate and comprehensive

evaluations of student achievement. Furthermore, the outcomes of standardized testing should

not be used as the main or primary consideration in making curriculum and teaching decisions.

Rather, the information gleaned from diverse measurements should be used to guide overall

decisions about student learning and accomplishment (Darling-Hammond, 2004; Long, 2023).
Does standardized testing is currently practiced in my milieu?

The answer to this question is Yes! Standardized testing is currently used in my milieu, as

well as in most public and private schools in the Philippines. The Department of Education

(DepEd) administers the National Achievement Test (NAT) to all students in Grades 3, 6, 10, and

12, which is a standardized set of examinations designed to determine their academic levels,

strengths, and weaknesses, as well as knowledge learned in major subjects throughout the year

(Philippine Public Education, 2013). The NAT's purpose is to give actual data on pupils'/students'

accomplishment levels, which may then be used as a benchmark.

Conclusion

To sum up, standardized testing is a widely used assessment tool in schools around the

world, including the Philippines. Though it has limitations, it is used to evaluate student

performance and progress in a consistent and uniform manner. While it is a useful tool for

comparing students' academic achievement, it has negatives in that it measures a small set of

skills and frequently encourages "teaching to the test." Furthermore, it can be unjust and

burdensome for some student groups. As a result, several measures, other than standardized

testing, such as teacher-created assessments and student self-assessments, should be used to

accurately assess student achievement. Even if it is already common in many educational

institutions, it should not be utilized as the main means of assessment.

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