Now that you've gotten a peek at what the test will be like, what do YOU think? It's important and timely to consider our own point of view toward standardized testing! I want to hear your opinion!
Make sure to back up your opinion with evidence. An opinion is not valid in a debate unless it has facts behind it! Cite your source! Two full paragraphs, minimum. Respond to previous classmates' points of view.
You can view both sides of the debate here: http://standardizedtests.procon.org/
You can also read up on what lawmakers are thinking here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/senate-begins-debate-on-education-law-focuses-on-testing/2015/01/21/583b24d4-a19b-11e4-b146-577832eafcb4_story.html
OR, you can do your own research and find evidence from elsewhere around the internet! :)
Standardized testing is not as good as the SBAC. "Standardized testing has not improved student achievement" (http://standardizedtests.procon.org/). Multiple choice does not help student prepare for the future. For job interviews, people can't just pick a letter from a list of choices. Students need to make their own full sentence answers. This will show how much students know and understand.
ReplyDeleteStandardized tests don't only lack in improving students. "Only 60% of colleges place considerable importance of standardized test on admission tests" (http://www.campusexplorer.com/Is-Standardized-Testing-Fair/). Not all colleges think that standardized testing is important. It will be even harder to get into a good university. In conclusion, standardized testing doesn't improve students' abilities in education.
The SBAC is better than standardized testing. "Standardized testing has not improved student achievement" (http://standardizedtests.procon.org/). Standardized testing was allowing students to not know what the question is asking. If you didn't know the answer to a multiple choice question, you still had a 25% chance of getting it right if you guessed. On the SBAC test if you don't know the answer, you can't guess and still manage to get the answer right.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the SBAC is more realistic and will prepare you for the future. For example, in high school there are few multiple choice tests, but the rest are short answer tests.
In college, there are no multiple choice tests, only very long essay tests. After college when you apply for a job, you have to type things out and explain your previous job experiences. You don't get to fill in a bubble and answer. Not only does it really test your academic skills, the SBAC it also prepares you for real life.
In my opinion, I believe the SBAC test is better than standardized test. However, I would prefer to take standardized test in my opinion. Most students believe standardized test fair. A survey of 1,342 students, 71% of students found the number of questions are "about right". 79% of those students also explained how the test questions are fair. (publicagenda.org)
ReplyDeleteIn my personal opinion, these SBAC questions cause the students to go more in depth. It causes the test takers to think more deeply instead of having a 25% chance of getting the question right no matter what. However, my concerns are if the average will lower or higher. Due to the test not being multiple choice, it decreases the chances of getting the questions right. Overall, the SBAC test is better than other test.
- Ian B.
The SBAC tests are better than standardized tests. Furthermore, " The multiple-choice format used on standardized tests is an inadequate assessment tool." (http://standardizedtests.procon.org/) The multiple choice format, makes it easy to find the answer. By using the process of elimination, you can get rid of most of the wrong answers. Then you can guess and check, until you find the answer that fits the most. The SBAC, there are very few multiple choice questions, and more short answer questions.
ReplyDeleteMany of the standardized tests are not taking seriously. Moreover, "Older students do not take NCLB-mandated standardized tests seriously because they do not affect their grades." (http://standardizedtests.procon.org/) Later in school life, many students decide that these test don't really affect their grade.Sometimes they even do designs such as a heart and christmas tree. These tests are really a joke to students in higher grades.
Standardized tests are not better than the SBAC test, as they are sometimes extremely easy, and in later school years can be a complete joke.
-Julian M
The SBAC IS a standardized test, guys! It's just the current type of standardized test the state is now using. :)
ReplyDeleteStandardized testing is beneficial, especially the SBAC. These tests provide a reasonable way to assess a student's progress. Testing also seems to have positive results in many students' educations. Educators agree that standardized testing is important to the education of children, and all students are able to participate in it.
ReplyDeleteStudents are able to be accurately assessed through these tests. They are able to excel in the appropriate areas of concern: "93% of studies on student testing...found a "positive effect" on student achievement"(http://standardizedtests.procon.org/). After the students are assessed, their educators are in a better position to educate them properly. As a result, their education becomes a higher quality one. Many educators find these tests useful when trying to help their students.
Educators understand that standardized tests are necessary to the mental development process of a child. They allow teachers to measure their students' ability: "Most teachers acknowledge the importance of standardized tests and do not feel their teaching has been compromised" (http://standardizedtests.procon.org/). Teachers acknowledge the fact that students need to be tested. Tests reveal a lot about students. Their knowledge and understanding of concepts and facts need to be tested, to ensure that they comprehend the lessons. Every student needs to be tested, and most are.
Almost every child is able to participate in a version of standardized testing. No exceptions ensure that every child is treated and tested about in a similar way: "Standardized tests are inclusive and non-discriminatory because they ensure content is equivalent for all students" ( http://standardizedtests.procon.org/). Everyone is treated equally. No one feels different or left out, and the content is similar.
In conclusion, standardized testing is a positive way to assess a child's capabilities. The testing process is inclusive, and many educators approve of it. These tests do benefit children, and it is good that we have them.
Standardize testing is good because you can track how well the student is at remembering all of the standards for this test. The CSTs are good because they are the standard paper and pencil, where everyone knows how to do "paper tests". The SBAC however is on computer where some kids can fail for their lack of technology skills. For example, some schools don't have the money to receive computers therefore kids are unable to practice technology skills before the test. Personally, I like the CSTs because paper and pencil can't die while you take the test. Like Ms. Mans our says, "If you don't plug in the chrome books, they will die only for your class" (ms mansour). This could happen during our test.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I think testing is good other may not. For example, people say testing is bad because kids are under so much pressure to do good they screw up somehow. Sure kids can be under pressure for these tests, but that doesn't knock out everything they've learned all year. I believe testing is good for kids to have.
The SBAC's are better than regular standardized testing. For example "Standardized testing has not improved student achievement". The standardized tests we have been taking over the years have not been helping, so why take them. In addition, ''Standardized tests are an unreliable measure of student performance". The multiple choice questions on the standardized tests show no form of understanding. Most of the questions are just common sense questions. Also, "The billion dollar testing industry is notorious for making costly and time-consuming scoring errors". Sometimes the test scores are not even right.
ReplyDeleteSome people may argue that standardized testing is better. "Standardized tests are reliable and objective measures of student achievement" This is not true. Like I said before the standardized test correcters are known for making errors so how can the test be a good measurement of growth? "Standardized tests are inclusive and non-discriminatory because they ensure content is equivalent for all". This is true, unless you dont speak English or have a disability. SBAC tests are better that=n regular standardized tests
-Lauren M.
Standardized testing is a good thing, that is including the SBAC. Most people think that it isn't but there are some good benefits of the testing. For example, teacher-graded work is very inadequate. There could be many mistakes and the corrections may not be very sufficient. In addition to insufficiently teacher-graded tests, they don't have any training in the testing area.
ReplyDeleteMany people may think that the SBACs aren't the best way of testing. But the SBAC testing prepares students for college. About 66% of college professors said that elementary and high schools expect students to learn too little. To expand, in elementary and high schools they think that the students learn to little. But the standardized tests would get students to think deeper and look at questions more in depth.
The standardized testing is a good thing. Not all of the teachers aren't very good in the testing facility and they help students think in a deeper manner. In my opinion, students get a better education with the SBACs. Also, the SBACs allow professionals to correct the work with accurate corrections. The standardized testing is much better for schools to give students the education they need to succeed in college.
"Senate Begins Debate on Education Law, Focuses on Testing." Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015.
-Eliza A.
Standardized testing is a good thing because it helps to grade tests accurately whereas if we took a simple paper test it might not be as accurate as a test online.For example teachers who grade tests may not be the correct people to sufficiently grade tests.(nothing against teachers).
ReplyDeleteMany people think that the Sbac's aren't the best way of teaching. Such as if people think that they aren't grading correctly and they aren't good questions. But I think that standardized testing is a good thing because it helps students to get a better way of testing
Standardized tests are an unfair, stressful time of the year in which students are taking a test that may not even be beneficial to them at all.
ReplyDeleteThe use of standardized tests rose starting from 2002, when the NCLB (No Child Left Behind) passed a law requiring their use. You would think, then, that the US' children would become more edcucated and top everyone else. Yet, this is not the case. "After No Child Left Behind (NCLB) passed in 2002, the US slipped from 18th in the world in math on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) to 31st place in 2009, with a similar drop in science and no change in reading" (Procon.org, Is the Use of Standardized Tests Improving Education in America?). The proof is in the pudding- the use of standardized tests has directly impacted America's children, and what was supposed to help kids has actually hurt them. While other countries have been finding new ways to help their countries, and economies grow, the US took students that were prospering and gave them standardized tests. The tests impacted these kids so much that the United States didn't drop only one or two spots down, it dropped 13 spots! The mathematicians, engineers, and scientists of the world are the ones that keep discovering and learning about the gentle giant we live on. America has long been known as a harbor for these people, who went out and found what no one else could. But all these explorers got their start as young children learning and making their own path. The world needs America's explorers, and these explorers will be the ones that inspire the next generation.
Almost everyone has experienced test stress. It can take ahold of you and leave you scared and stressed out. The problem resides especially with younger children. " According to education researcher Gregory J. Cizek, anecdotes abound 'illustrating how testing... produces gripping anxiety in even the brightest students, and makes young children vomit or cry, or both'" (Procon.org, Is the Use of Standardized Tests Improving Education in America?). Anxiety is not good, especially in the long run, and can truly affect a child's ability to perform well. There is no point in giving children a test if they are too nervous to perform well. While we are told that the tests will not affect our grade, they do affect other things. In middle school, the pressure has already begun. With colleges looking at test scores from as early as sixth grade, the scores you receive on these tests judge what college you get into and the quality of the rest of your life.
Some argue that when teachers grade our tests, they produce bias and grade unfairly. If this is the case, then why are our 'regular' tests and assignments being graded by teachers? Teachers are well prepared for their jobs and are taught to grade our papers on a daily basis. However, "Open-ended questions on standardized tests are often graded by under-paid temporary workers with no educational training" (Procon.org, Is the Use of Standardized Tests Improving Education in America?) People say that teachers are not good graders, yet the people who are supposedly the experts on grading test essays do not even have any credentials to do so.
Money is valuable, it's true. But money is only valuable if used in the right way. "According to the Texas Education Agency, the state spent $9 million in 2003 to test students..." (Procon.org, Is the Use of Standardized Tests Improving Education in America?) That money could have been put to use in actually educating the students, rather than throwing it on taking a test that is not even beneficial.
Sorry, Part 2 coming!
Cheers,
Sriha S. =^.^=
Okay, just one more paragraph!
DeleteIn conclusion, standardized testing is a money-consuming, stressful, and unavailing method in which a single, one time per year test is used to judge not only a student, but their teachers and school. Just as one part of a person cannot be used to see the full potential, neither can tests. Though the SBAC may have improved the quality of the tests, there are still people such as disabled children that cannot show the full extent of their minds. Other countries have found alternatives to standardized tests and are prospering. There's no reason we cannot either.
DONE.
Cheers,
Sriha S. =^.^=
Ithink that standardized testing is good. Using standardized tests you can see how well students have been doing all year. The only difference that I see between CSTs and the SBAC is that the CST is pencil and paper. The SBAC on the other hand is a bit harder because it is on a computer and people with un-trained technology skills may have a hard time. The CSTs are also all multiple choice so there is a better chance of getting the right answer. The SBAC isd short answer which asks for the right answer directly instead of giving you the chance to guess.
ReplyDeleteSome may disagree with my oppinion, however. They may say that standardized testing is putting too much pressure on students like Kylie said. They may flunk because of the pressure, but this is not the tests' fault. This is because the student is ill-prepared for the test. Besides, "Standardized tests are inclusive and non-discriminatory because they ensure content is equivalent for all students" ( http://standardizedtests.procon.org/). So the tests are not unfair or anything, they are all the same. If the student fails it is the student's fault.
Standardized testing is a good thing because it helps you find out how much he or she (student) has been progressing through the year, but I like the SBAC tests better because it actually helps me and that is in my opinion I'm not saying that they are meant for everyone but I just like them, because as I already said it helps me find out how much I have been progressing and this test has been really helping me. I'm not saying the standardized tests are bad I just think the SBAC test helps more. -Carlvesi L.
ReplyDeleteStandardized testing is actually a good and beneficial thing. For example, there are many benefits to these test. Such as, students can see how well they are doing, and how their classmates are doing as well. In addition, "Standardized tests are reliable and objective measures of student achievement." (http://standardizedtests.procon.org/). This shows that tests that are graded by a machine is very reliable and is not subject to become bias. With these tests, other schools can now compare the school-wide results.
ReplyDeleteLike I said before, have found that standardized testing has a beneficial impact on students. I agree with Meghan and Eliza that sometimes, teachers make mistakes while grading tests and sometimes they are not always accurate. I also agree with Kylie, because with standardized testing, you can track how well each students is doing. This is good to know, because you can improve the areas that you are having trouble with. -Jackson T
I think standarized testing is good. It can help teachers see if a student has been learning, and also see what they are having trouble with. Plus the SBAC seems much more interactive since its on a computer. You can highlight things and take notes on the notes tab, but on the CST you couldn't. Plus there is no more lucky guesss or anything like that, well most of the time, there still are multiple choice questions.
ReplyDeleteSome people might say they don't benefit a student at all. Well thats not right. According to the procon website, they said that,"93% of studies on student testing, including the use of large-scale and high-stakes standardized tests, found a "positive effect" on student achievement."(http://standardizedtests.procon.org) They are benefitting from these tests. And if they feel pressured, thats probably because they dont study or dont know something.
-Max Vidal
We should not have SBAC because it "has not improved student achievement." In the future, we probably will never have to take tests like this, and if we do, the test won't be simple like the standardized test is. Multiple choice questions will not improve students ability to do anything. Most students when they get a multiple choice question and they don't know the answer, all they do is guess and they have a chance of getting the question right. In the real world, you can't just "guess" for anything, you have to know what your going to do. Which is why the SBAC is pointless, and won't help us at all.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason why we should not have the SBAC is because when that time of the year comes around, it gets nerve racking. It causes "gripping anxiety in even the brightest students." Everyone is scared of what their going to score, how hard the test will be, and so much more. Because of all this, some suffer from anxiety and stress, and it's not right. Therefore, the SBAC should not even exist because it's pointless, and causes much stress.
I think standardized testing is beneficial. For example, "Standardized testing are reliable and objective measures of student achievement."(procon.org). This means the tests measure student performance in a great way. Now schools can base their changes otonthis information. Lastly, the tests do not affect your grade, so there is no pressure on students.
ReplyDeleteThrere was only one big con I noticed while taking the practice test. My lack of typing skills. And i'm sure I was not the only one. Anyone with even a slight lack will have a disavantage taking the test. However, it appears that our class or even the school has already noticed because you gave us those website to improve our skills already.
I think that the SBACS are better than regular multiple choice tests. The regular CST tests that we used to take that just consisted of bubbling a letter didn't really test us. Most of the time, students guessed or were too lazy. SBAC tests actually test the students. We actually have to answer the questions in complete full sentences before going on to the next question.
ReplyDeleteMany people may think that the SBACs are worse because of the technology part. Most likely in the future, the world will be all about technology.
The SBACS test can help students way more than regular multiple choice tests. In conclusion, they challenge our minds to think as well as actually showing us where we stand.
I believe that the SBACS are better than standardized testing. "Excessive testing may teach children to be good at taking tests, but does not prepare them for productive adult lives"(procon.org). Life is full of tests, but not the tests that we are given in school for standardized testing. Students need to be taught skills that will improve their lives in the long term. Standardized testing improves are life, but just in school up until the end of high school. After that, all of our test taking skills from Standardized testing will not be needed.
ReplyDeleteStandardized testing also doesn't test students on the whole curriculum. For example: "Standardized tests measure only a small portion of what makes education meaningful"(procon.org). Class teaches us many more techniques than what we use in standardized testing. We usually don't just bubble in questions when in comes to class work. We have to think much more in depth.
I SAY YEA! SBAC is better than standardized testing. For one thing, the SBAC does not allow us to joke around. For example, “Older students do not take NCLB-mandated standardized tests seriously because they do not affect their grades" (http://standardizedtests.procon.org/). This shows that if state testing is not taken seriously, kids will not succeed in the test if they are not educationally motivated. This will get them to realize that in the real world, you have to taje things seriously.
ReplyDeleteThe SBAC is also better because it allows free access to the tests. For example, "Testing is expensive and costs have increased since NCLB, placing a burden on state education budgets" (http://standardizedtests.procon.org/). This shows that it is very costly to just buy standardized tests. However, the SBAC is free and can be easily accessed on the Internet. This is why I say yea to the SBAC.
#YEATOTHESBAC
-Mohamed Y
YEA!!! I think the SBAC is a good way to tell about student progress. The test asks us to explain the things we have been doing all year to see if we learned the required topics in school. This shows the students level of comprehension. We are allowed to see the extent at which we learned the subjects taught. The SBAC is a very well created test about what we've done.
ReplyDeleteThe SBAC is better than the old CST because it asks us to explain our reasoning for the answer we picked. Even though there is a better chance of us not doing well on it. There are less questions and thats what mostly concerns me. The SBAC is a lot better than the CSTs. I VOTE YEA FOR SBAC!
I believe that the SBAC testing is better than standardized testing. I agree with Tyler that too many tests do not prepare you for the tests in your later life. "Excessive testing may teach children to be good at taking tests, but does not prepare them for productive adult lives"(procon.org). The SBAC prepares students and you have to use knowledge for the SBAC. It is a easy way to prepare students for their later years.
ReplyDeleteThe SBAC is better than the standardized tests because the standardized tests are mostly multiple choice, while in the other hand the SBAC makes you write paragraphs to test your knowledge. The SBAC uses students knowledge to prepare them, rather than eliminating the wrong answers and guessing on the standardized tests.
These are all really well thought-out responses. In fact, I am considering sending the SBAC committee a link to our blog, just so they can think about student feelings as they modify this test (I don't think the test will go away, but perhaps they will consider not making it so strenuous or stressful!).
ReplyDeleteYou are all brilliant and will do well on this test with a little bit of effort. I don't want any of you to stress out about it or feel like your results on one test define you, your abilities, or your intellect. I've spent all year with you, and I can assure each one of you, you are excellent writers, thinkers, readers, and creators! I am proud of your accomplishments this year!
I think the SBAC had improved from when it was the CST's. Back in the CST's they basically gave you the answer. You could take out the really obvious bad ones and just guess on the ones you have left. With the SBAC, you can now put deep thinking into your answers. Like Mrs. Mansour always says there is always a trick answer. Back with the CST's the answer was pretty obvious. Additionally, with the SBAC you get better feedback. You can easily pinpoint the things you got wrong and fix them. Schools have also improved from this testing. 20 schools have seen great achievements because of this test.(source 1)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Julianne because the SBAC will give more real life questions rather than the previous test. Imagine being in a job interview. They aren't going to give you a packet that has multiple choice answers. You would have to answer in your own words. Most questions have more than one answer. Each answer is unique to that type of person. Yes there could be an obvious answer, but some may think differently
-Adrian J.
P.S. (Sorry for being late, when I hit submit it disappeared)