Standardized Tests / Worst & Best

As discussed in the course videos, standardized tests are seen as fair as all students receive the same test. Most standardized tests also rate high on validity in that they measure what they say they will measure. Most are rated high in reliability as they reflect the differences in outcomes of different students. The standardized test that I have seen correctly and incorrectly is MAP - Measures of Academic Performance found at this link:

MAP

IF MAP is used at its best, teachers conference with students so that they understand not only the skill that they need to work on, but also have an understanding of what they can do to attain that skill. Students then set goals and conference with their teacher regularly to gain an understanding on how they will reach their goal. However, it has been my experience that teachers are generally not confident about having these discussions.

When used at its worst, MAP can be used for exclusionary purposes such as entrance to a private school. If it is used as an entrance exam to simply understand where a student is then the use could be considered at its best. If the test is used to track students or to make students and parents doubt a student’s abilities or make them anxious about where they fit into the group (as mentioned in the videos as a social purpose of comparison) then this is definitely when the test would be used at its worst.