Standardized testing is controversial everywhere, regardless of its purpose. Most countries use testing for tracking and for selecting students for admission into academic secondary schools or universities, but generally not for holding educators accountable. Many countries don't even administer standardized tests until the later grades (Rotberg, I. C. 2006).
Japan has a highly competitive examination system, but it doesn't hold educators accountable for students' scores on standardized tests. In recent years, because of a dramatically declining population, Japanese students have not had a problem gaining admission into higher education institutions. However, competition for admission to the most prestigious universities remains severe because graduates of these universities usually fill the top jobs in government and industry. Japan, like Singapore, is attempting to increase the flexibility of the learning environment to cultivate “Japanese people with ‘rich humanity’ and ‘rich creativity’ by letting individual abilities grow” (Watanabe, 2004, p. 237). Japan's traditional values of cooperation and consensus, about weakening nationalism, and—perhaps most important to parents—about making any changes that might decrease their children's test scores and chances of gaining admission into prestigious universities (Rotberg, I. 2006).
Rotberg, I. (2006). Educational Leadership. Assessment Around the World.
Retrieved from: http://neqmap.unescobkk.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Assessment-Around-the-World.pdf
It's as if you and I shared the same mind this week! I literally just finished posting my blog and hopped over to yours. Holy cats! I couldn't agree more that we need the money to fund education, but at what cost to the child? Have you had the opportunity to use, or see the use of, any testing mechanism you felt put the child's ability to complete the test over the outcome? Just curious :). Great post!
ReplyDeleteI am with you on the fact that no one test is appropriate for all students. As I said in my own blog, even the children that have a great understanding of a certain subject may not be good test takers or any number of things could have happened deterring an appropriate score. Standardized tests stink!! Who determines what is normal learning for any one child? And what if they are having a bad day? Did anybody care to take either ability or daily activities into consideration before handing the same test to every child? Sadly, the answer is no!
ReplyDeleteRight you are on that one general test for all students can’t determine what a child is capable of. As I wrote in my post, standardized tests have no way to measure someone’s potential, therefore, we cannot let these tests define someone. I’m a “victim” of standardized tests myself. When I was applying to college in the U.S. there was no way I could get a good score on the SAT. I’m such a bad standardized test taker. Whatever the case may be, I agree with assessing children holistically, and taking other aspects such as psychosocial development into account. As we have been learning, the environment does play a role in the way we learn.
ReplyDeleteWhen you wrote that Japanese are trying to let their ‘rich humanity’ and ‘rich creativity’ grow, I remembered one of the assigned articles for last week, where it said that leaders of major business corporations are now promoting creativity and play as it is seen as the future of the U.S. economy (“imagination economy”).
It is important for governments to balance the tightrope between accountability for education, and for the children. School programs and personnel need to provide conducive environments and curriculum for children to develop, while the children are encouraged to be creative, to question why. and to figure things out.
ReplyDeleteSo yes, I believe testing is necessary, but it needs to be adaptable to the way different children learn, and be valid, and beneficial to the children.