JUST HOW NECESSARY ARE ALL OF THESE TESTS?
One issue that can easily get people fired up is the topic of educational reform. Education is such an important issue because it impacts all of our lives in some way. Testing has become a hot topic of discussion within educational reform. People argue that students today are being over-tested and that standardized tests are not a fair way of measuring the achievement of all students.
THE ISSUES WITH OUR CURRENT TESTING METHODS:
Problems of standardized testing… #edchat #EdPolicy #edreform #deeperlearning #stem pic.twitter.com/XoyYibu40r #Edleaders
— Ted Fujimoto (@tedfujimoto) November 27, 2015
Fund Arts, Not Tests! #edreform #edchat #tcrwp #edscape #TLT14 #satchat #njed #NYedchat @lacetothetop @DianeRavitch pic.twitter.com/a8ncTE13BX
— Lee Araoz (@LeeAraoz) October 18, 2014
The SAT is a "bizarre relic…" http://t.co/1VtM8Iz8Om #eduzen #mustread #education #testing #assessment #edreform pic.twitter.com/QZIkYyUWsA
— Will Richardson (@willrich45) January 16, 2015
#assessment #edchat #edreform Great chart on testing pic.twitter.com/qBkwCMbIxp
— Trish (@trish_leroy) July 11, 2014
A Student View of #Education via @timekord cc @MindShiftKQED #edchat #edreform #TTOG #edtech pic.twitter.com/BrtmPbX45e
— Fishtree EdTech (@fishtree_edu) May 19, 2015
How our grade-obsessed culture is harming students: https://t.co/WByXfapSwQ. #edreform #edchat pic.twitter.com/cafw1PikEU
— edutopia (@edutopia) November 30, 2015
Not everyone is against testing though. There are those who see the validity in testing as a way of measuring what students are learning .
MAYBE TESTS DON’T NEED TO BE COMPLETED ELIMINATED:
@TNTP http://t.co/4ZtuLmOBMn #mapoli #edreform pic.twitter.com/1TM11bKEpm reminder about importance of assessments i.e. to inform instruction
— Sara Holm (@SaraHolmTeacher) April 2, 2015
"Testing is good for the intellectual health of students" James Samuelson via @WSJ http://t.co/TM7zKarVDa #edchat #edreform
— Dale Chu (@Dale_Chu) February 18, 2014
#NY students, "test results are necessary to help prepare for college and the workforce" http://t.co/pAZstiLywx #ed #edreform #testing
— Expectations Project (@expectproject) April 17, 2015
Using #edreform, people can join in the discussion of the how tests are affecting students today and what needs to be done within our education system. I think that it is important that during this discussion there is a shift away from the notion of just getting rid of tests to looking at how tests can be modified to maximize learning for students.
"The answer is not to abandon #testing but to measure the things we most value, and find good ways to do that." #edchat #education #edreform
— Felipe Merchan (@chanchan_47) March 4, 2015
I think it is important to acknowledge that this is not an issue that can be fixed easily. It will take lots of work to create meaningful change in our schools across the nation. It’s critical that during this discussion that people focus on what is ultimately best for the students themselves.
Juli,
This is a great topic, that I have always wondered more about since I came to the east coast. Back in CA standardized testing wasn’t something that I had to do while I was in high school, especially as means to graduating like it is out here. With that being said , I really don’t feel like standardized testing is a n adequate way of determining a child’s intellect and what they have learned.
A big reason I don’t think it is, is because these tests are being sent out to schools, who many times may not have quality of education that other schools may have. I also so think there is a type of language and rhetoric that are used in these tests that were culturally not made for all students to succeed in. Its great that their is a hashtag that has started to talk about this issue specifically, because it was that affects the future of our country when it comes to the youth. Even if the tests are taken it out, this social media platform is a great way to discuss the goods and the bads.
Pad, I didn’t realize that standardized testing was not as big of an issue in California. I wonder if that has changed with the introduction of Common Core. I definitely agree with you that many standardized tests have a certain level of cultural material that not everyone may have access too. Thanks for the feedback!
I guess tests are like money: it’s not everything, but without it you can do nothing.
Besides, another issue with standardized tests in the US might be that they’re not standardized enough… so that many of the tests are of low quality.
An intelligent and funny discussion on this topic, check it out:
https://youtu.be/J6lyURyVz7k
Juli,
This was a very interesting post. I do no have a background in education, but I managed to escape the Common Core and graduate the year before it was implemented. However, my sister is currently in the 10th grade and I am seeing the impact it is having on her, which is generally not a good one.
I didn’t realize how many thoughtful things that are being said on Twitter in regards to education reform. The #edreform hashtag is very impactuful, I am going to have to look into it more myself. Great job!