Article Review

Validity and Importance of Standardized Tests

In his article, "Teaching To the Test: What Every Educator and Policy-maker Should Know," Louis Volante discusses the issues surrounding standardized tests. Volante argues that the emphasis on student scores alter how teachers are teaching their students. The importance of the tests influences what the teacher teach the students and how they teach. The validity and purpose for the tests decreases once teachers are focusing too much on the content of the tests, rather than the curriculum and students’ needs.

Volante emphasizes that testing needs to be focused on student learning and development. Administrators should be aware of how much time teachers are spending on standardized test preparation, as well as, how to help teachers re-evaluate their preparation techniques. According to Volante, professional development and proper resources need to be provided for schools showing low scores. Finally, Volante states that the public needs to take a critical position of the data presented from education.

Volante makes a number of valid points in his criticism of the emphasis placed on the importance of standardized testing. Most importantly, less pressure should be put on the teachers for having good student scores. The purpose for the tests should be focused on finding where improvement needs to be made. Also, the tendency for students to have anxieties or resentment for tests could be eliminated if there was less dependence on test scores. Students should be rewarded for growth and critical knowledge through-out the year, rather than the rank of their school’s test results.

Resources:

Volante, L. (2004, September 25). Teaching To the Test: What Every Educator and Policy-maker Should Know. Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, 35, 1-6. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ848235.pdf