Settling for Scores – Why are schools still judged by the results of standardized tests?
"They teach young children to look for the right answer instead of looking for the right question. Some test questions may have two right answers or no right answer. The thoughtful child may choose an answer that is plausible but judged “wrong.” As a teaching tool, the tests are deeply flawed because they quash imagination, creativity, and divergent thinking. These are mental habits we should encourage, not punish."
That part really resonated with me personally. I remember writing a computer operators course exam back in about the early 1990's and I got only one question wrong. I was so put out about it I asked the examiner which question I got wrong. It related to what affected the capacity of storage on a storage drive. My answer had something to do with the magnetic medium but the examiner said it was not the answer that matched what was in the book, even though my answer was technically correct. I have never forgotten that "logic" to this day.
There is more to education than a textbook answer, and there is also more to it than just tests. Of course the alternatives also mean that educators have to be really well versed in the subject and cannot just match answers.
See some food for thought at https://newrepublic.com/article/145935/settling-scores
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Settling for Scores Why are schools still judged by the results of standardized tests? |