EDUCATION RESEARCH QUESTION

Education Research Question

Education Research Question

Every year, tons of kids are subjected to standardized tests in schools. Standardized tests, such as New York State Regents exams and others, used in twenty-eight out of fifty states (“Testing, Assessment, and Excellence”) are used to assess a student's knowledge in particular subjects such as math and reading. All that is learned for an entire year is evaluated in a roughly three hour test on one day. Is this fair? How can everything learned over the span of a year be tested in one day? What happens if a student who received high grades in a subject during school has a bad day and scores low on the standardized test? The score on the test is more important to states than the actual grade received in the class. Every year students who normally excel in a certain subject fail the test because of factors, such as sickness or test anxiety. Standardized test are not a good way to evaluate a child's proficiency of specific subjects. Standardized testing is a waste of time. The idea of standardized testing was created to measure the intelligence of students and the quality of schools, and to compare scores with other schools in different states or locations. It seems like a good idea, but the way the idea was put into action is not as effective as it was hoped to be. Standards were lowered in the United States in order to generate higher scores and create the appearance of higher intelligence. In doing so, certain knowledge was compromised in order to focus mainly what would be on the tests. “The mad rush to embrace high-stakes testing says we are now reaping what years of superficial indifference have sown” (“Testing Assessment and Excellence”), meaning we got what we asked for. We have dumbed down our youth to create high test scores. In attempts to be academically superior, the United States is actually lowering their level of intelligence and trying to cover it up with statistics.

In order to receive higher scores on the test, schools tend to teach only what will be on it. In doing so, information that once seemed important to learn is now not required and no longer taught. “Quality developmentally appropriate teaching and learning practices have taken a backseat to the more focused attention on low level skills that can be assessed easily on a standardized multiple-choice test” (Solley, 2007). Information is now much more condensed, compared to times before teaching for a standardized test. “ Important skills that schools once taught, such as critical thinking, discussions, and problem solving, are being replaced by low-level, fill-in-the-blank worksheets and drills” (Solley, 2007). Students aren't going to be prepared for their futures if not taught these important skills in schools. If this teaching style is continued, it seems that common sense skills will be lost, and the country will be filled with people who can no longer form or talk about their opinions, but will be considered able ...