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There's a decent argument to be made that standardized tests distort the education system by making good test results the goal of teaching and attending class,

There's a decent argument to be made that standardized tests distort the education system by making good test results the goal of teaching and attending class, rather than learning whatever the class is supposed to teach. To put it differently, it's not comparing students on the basis of tests that's the problem, it's what those tests cause the students and teachers to do in the year leading up to them. I used to be quite strongly anti-test because in my opinion, testing well is a skill like any other that can be learned largely independently of what the test is on, and it doesn't transfer outside of a school environment. I've softened that opinion a little because testing well seems to require performing abstract thought under stress, which is probably useful in more situations than I originally thought. Still, while it's useful for categorizing students, I still suspect it has a net negative effect on learning outcomes.

ajsnigrutin 5y ago
Can't the tests be made to reflect the whole subjects? For example have the math test cover everything that high school math programmes are supposed to teach, so there's no way to prepare for the test, except to actually teach the whole subject? For example, our general high schools ("gymnasiums") have predefined lists of topics, that sudents will learn there, and the standardized tests basically cover everything. How can you prep for eg. derivatives, except by actually learning and doing derivatives?
- SuoDuanDao 5y ago
  One needs to learn derivatives at least in the form they'll be on the test. A lot of high school teachers I had were familiar enough with sorts of questions on the standardized tests their classes would be taking that they taught these subjects with an artificially narrow focus, in order to boost our grades compared to other schools. Of course, teachers at those schools no doubt did the same. The result is that a lot of people who studied eg. derivatives would be much less able to apply that knowledge in any environment except the standardised test.

ajsnigrutin 5y ago

Can't the tests be made to reflect the whole subjects? For example have the math test cover everything that high school math programmes are supposed to teach, so there's no way to prepare for the test, except to actually teach the whole subject? For example, our general high schools ("gymnasiums") have predefined lists of topics, that sudents will learn there, and the standardized tests basically cover everything. How can you prep for eg. derivatives, except by actually learning and doing derivatives?

SuoDuanDao 5y ago
One needs to learn derivatives at least in the form they'll be on the test. A lot of high school teachers I had were familiar enough with sorts of questions on the standardized tests their classes would be taking that they taught these subjects with an artificially narrow focus, in order to boost our grades compared to other schools. Of course, teachers at those schools no doubt did the same. The result is that a lot of people who studied eg. derivatives would be much less able to apply that knowledge in any environment except the standardised test.