Standard means uniform and standardized testing is the type of test in which all test takers are requested to give the answers to common set questions, or they select common questions from the cluster of questions in a standard or consistent manner. Then it helps evaluate and compare the individual or group of students’ performance. While other types of tests and evaluations might be considered in the standardized form, there is a large scale of the population of students, and you have to test it with different sorts of questions like multiple choice questions, which 1-8 class students do. Furthermore, in standardized testing, instead of multiple choice questions, true and false statements can be given in the exam, short answers, passage-driven questions and other varieties of questions.
In the past, standardized tests were supposed to be conducted on paper and required to be fulfilled through pen or pencil, and still, this practice is ongoing in traditional schools compelling the physical classes. Still, now standardized tests are also conducted through computers and technology. The tests through computers are also said to be computer-adapted, as they are completely computer-based. In computer-based standardized questions are prepared on Google forms with the option of choosing one, and the student only has to tap on the correct bullet in case of multiple choice questions or true or false questions. Computer-based standardized testing has become popular in the crucial times of covid-19 pandemic.
Online education can be seen prevailing drastically in the world after the emergence of the coronavirus. Online education has facilitated students in various ways and has granted students convenience. In online education, students have the facilities of online course help and online exam help, which help them when they are stuck and busy. It happens a lot of times that students are so busy in their professional and domestic lives that they can hardly attend the regular classes, so they can ask their online class help facilitator to take my online class for me.
Computer-based standardized testing is large and involves as many students as possible because the computer can digest a large number of data and evaluate it with justice. The scoring through technology is also done quickly and consistently and is cost-effective. Moreover, open-ended questions are also given in standardized testing, so they must be evaluated with human hands because the test taker has to read what the student has written. The subjective part needs to be calculated by human hands, while the objective part can be calculated through the computer.
Standardized testing is a hot topic nowadays and needs to be addressed by each educational institution. Many educational researchers and experts have found standardized testing a fair means of assessment, but some found it unfair. Some experts say the reason behind its fairness and justice is that computer-based scoring reduces the chance of favoritism and incorrectness and avoids biases by every means.
REASONS FOR CONSIDERING STANDARDIZED TESTING OBSOLETE
Although there are several merits of standardized testing, it is still considered an outdated version of testing due to the following reasons;
- Increase in stress
Standardized tests are not good for all students because all students are different from each other. The same question types and nature can put students under stress. Due to intense pressure about their scores, students can eventually be stressed out and depressed because they know they might be left behind if they cannot perform well on the test. Then the students who are left behind because of this assessment type become disappointed by the academic criteria for evaluating students.
- Teachers focus on the test more rather than on the course
The core focus of the teacher becomes the testing criteria. Rather than focusing on the course and its deeper understanding of the students, the teacher focuses more on standardized testing. This phenomenon is lacking in a classroom environment, and students tend to trust less on teachers because of their straight focus on the test
Assessing students without their social abilities
A lot of students need to be assessed on their social skills, like interpersonal skills, communication skills, sporting skills, etc. The drawback of standardized testing is that it focuses on students’ academic skills. They must excel in their studies. Students who are not good at studies might be good at other activities like painting, sketching or others. Still, their evaluation criteria disappoint them, and they barely complete their studies.
- Based on a single test
Based on a single test, students are assessed and considered to be either eligible or not. The test must also be integrated with other activities so that every student might feel equally important. Furthermore, it happens a lot of time that the student is punctual. The whole year and is the active student of the class, but due to certain issues. He is not able to give the test as per the requirement. So he is graded low just because of a single test assessment. It must be analyzed by the teacher how the student acted and performed the whole year and must counsel him regarding his poor performance on the test.
- Limited scope
Standardized testing gives limited scope of success to the students. Teachers being rigid about the criteria of evaluation also makes them rigid about the scope. There is not a big picture of the student during the evaluation but a single test-based trait representing their performance.
ADVANTAGES OF STANDARDIZED TESTING
It cannot be fully judged that standardized testing is obsolete because it has some advantages also;
- Help to set the benchmark.
When parents see that the school or college is taking a standardized test for all the students. Which equally evaluates and assesses them, it helps set the educational institute’s benchmark.
- Help in identifying problematic areas
When students are given a test so it can be found out easily where. They are facing a problem, i.e. in mathematics, English, general knowledge, etc.
- Prevents subjective scores
It saves time, is good for objective grading, and helps prevent subjective grading.
BOTTOM LINE
Standardized testing cannot be completely suggested as obsolete or outdated because of some advantages. It is the responsibility of the educational institute to manage the test and align it with social activities. So that other active students might not be disappointed by the assessment criteria.
