Parents want to know that their children are performing up to standard. For years, school districts have used standardized test to keep track of student performance and to make comparison between themselves and others. In my opinion, these types of test does not measure what children know and can do. Children often believe they are being tested on material they have covered to see how well they comprehend the material, in reality, these test are putting pressure on children to memorize information. Standardize testing labels children because they does not provide useful information about the individual child. In order to assess children to find out what a child is learning, I feel that assessments such as observations records, student work samples, data from running records, and recording of student's performances are indeed ways to measure students' achievement.
In the country of Korea, the entire education system is geared entirely to the test. Principals and administrators are concerned only with how their school fare competitively against others. The test results are only used to determine which are the best students, and then categorize them. The students achieving the best scores are sent to specialized charter schools for an education in technology, science or other pursuits. The poorest test achievers are sent to industrial schools.
Ref:
Woelders, A. & Moes, E. (2002). Testing and Education in Korea. Retrieved from http:/bctf.ca/publications/newsmagarticle.aspx?id=11224
Diane,
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting reading your post about Korea. I used to have a family in one of my classrooms that was from Korea. She is over in the states obtaining her doctorine. She was telling me one time that over there teachers were reguared as a mediocre job, and it was not unless you were teaching at the college level when it took any prestige. Reading your post made me wander how tests can mean so much yet the proffesion was looked at differently.
Diane-I couldn't agree more. Observations and portfolios of the child's work is the best way to know what they are learning. We just read in our text about how stress effects the school age child. I'm sure that school administrators know this information yet they continue to use standardized tests...I just don't get it.
ReplyDeleteDiane,
ReplyDeleteAre the students’ test scores compared to all children in the country? Are they then given a percentile ranking and the students are then placed into the various groups? I find this to be interesting. In this instance a single test is used to determine the career path of a child. Here performance on the test is linked to intelligence. As a result of this, children who score highly are encouraged to study the sciences. Perhaps this may alter the results of international comparisons.
I feel for the children in Korea. What if the child was sick or had a bad headace when it was time to take the test? The rest of the lives is depended on that one test. I wonder is it posiible for a child in Korea is able to retake the test for placement.
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