Week 5 Discussion: Unread Replies And Initial D

Week 5 Discussion 199 Unread Replies99 Repliesyour Initial Discuss

Week 5 - Discussion 1 99 unread replies.99 replies. Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Refer to the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric under the Settings icon above for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated. Standardized Achievement Tests Chapter 9 of your course text discusses standardized assessments and explains the difference in the types of standardized assessments.It is important to understand that assessments are standardized when “the same procedures are used every time the test is given” (Howard, V. F., & Aiken, E., 2015, p. 331). Developing the understanding that there are many types of standardized assessments, such as screeners and diagnostic assessments covered in the previous weeks of class, is equally important. Another type of standardized assessment, and one that is hotly debated in education today, is achievement testing.Specifically, achievement testing “is used to measure children’s progress and compare it to other children of the same age” (Howard, V. F., & Aiken, E., 2015, p. 331). It is this type of standardized assessment that is our focus for this first discussion post. To prepare for this discussion, read the “Something's wrong with both standardized tests and the 'Opt-Out' movement” article.Include the following in your initial post: Explain, in your own words, what standardized testing is and how it is different from achievement testing. Compare and contrast how the different types of standardized testing differ from the other forms of assessment discussed throughout this course. Provide specific examples and support your points with information from the course text. Defend one of the quotes below from the article “Something's wrong with both standardized tests and the 'Opt-Out' movement.” Explain why you support or agree with the quote and provide specific details as to why.Support this portion of your post with the text and at least one scholarly resource.Option One: “Federally mandated standardized testing was born from a desire to guarantee the right to individuality and autonomy across socio-economic bounds.” – Jordan ShapiroOption Two: “When seen from a desk of a federal bureaucrat, standardized tests make more children stand out.” – Jordan ShapiroOption Three: “When seen from the desk-chair of a classroom pupil, children are robbed of the individuality that comes from differentiated instruction.” – Jordan ShapiroPropose a solution to the standardized achievement testing debate. How do you feel children should be assessed in both early childhood and beyond? Provide a rationale for your solution. Guided Response: Review several of your peers’ responses. Respond to at least two of your peers who chose a different quote from the Shapiro article than you did. Comment on the solid points in their argument, pointing out why the points they made are valid. Finally, explain how, no matter the varied views of standardized assessments, each teacher and caregiver can uphold their responsibility to conduct assessments in an ethical manner.Cite specific examples from the Joint Position Statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) document (pages 2-4) that support how your classmate’s point of view regarding standardized testing aligns with this statement. Though two replies is the basic expectation, for deeper engagement and learning you are encouraged to provide responses to any comments or questions others have given to you. Remember, continuing to engage with peers and the instructor will further the conversation and provide you with opportunities to demonstrate your content expertise, critical thinking, and real-world experiences with this topic.

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Standardized testing constitutes a form of assessment that employs uniform procedures and standardized procedures to evaluate students' skills, knowledge, or abilities across different populations and settings. These assessments are designed to ensure consistency in testing conditions and scoring methods, making their results comparable across various groups and locations. According to Howard and Aiken (2015), a key characteristic of standardized assessments is that “the same procedures are used every time the test is given,” which maintains fairness and reliability in measuring student performance. In contrast, achievement testing specifically focuses on measuring the progress of students in relation to grade-level expectations or learning standards. It assesses how well students have mastered specific content areas and compares their proficiency to that of their peers of the same age or grade level (Howard & Aiken, 2015). Therefore, while all achievement tests are forms of standardized assessment, not all standardized assessments serve as achievement tests. For example, screening tools like the DIBELS are standardized but serve to identify students at risk, rather than measure achievement directly (Fuchs et al., 2018).

Compared to other forms of assessment discussed throughout the course, such as formative assessments, performance-based assessments, and authentic assessments, standardized tests tend to be more quantitative and less contextual. Formative assessments, like classroom observations and student journals, provide ongoing, qualitative insights into student learning, enabling teachers to adapt instruction in real-time. Performance-based assessments, such as portfolios or projects, evaluate students' ability to apply skills creatively and critically, offering a more comprehensive picture of student understanding. Authentic assessments challenge students to demonstrate learning in real-world contexts, fostering deeper understanding. Unlike these various assessment types, standardized testing emphasizes consistency, comparability, and often high-stakes accountability measures. For example, standardized achievement tests like the SAT or state-level assessments aim to provide benchmarks that inform educational policies, funding decisions, and school accountability.

The debate surrounding standardized assessments is polarized, and each perspective highlights important concerns. One compelling quote from the article “Something's wrong with both standardized tests and the 'Opt-Out' movement” I support is Jordan Shapiro’s statement: “Federally mandated standardized testing was born from a desire to guarantee the right to individuality and autonomy across socio-economic bounds.” I support this assertion because, at their core, standardized tests were intended to provide equal opportunities for all students, regardless of socio-economic background, by establishing uniform assessment criteria (Koretz, 2018). However, there is a paradox: Although these tests aim to level the playing field, their implementation often perpetuates inequalities due to biases embedded in test design and cultural differences, which can disadvantage marginalized groups. Nonetheless, the original intention aligns with Judeo-Christian ideals of fairness and equal access to quality education. The equitable goal of standardized testing, therefore, remains a noble aspiration, even if practical outcomes fall short (Ladson-Billings, 2020).

However, critics argue that standardized testing often reduces complex student abilities to numerical scores, neglecting individual learning styles and intrinsic talents. From the perspective of a classroom pupil, Shapiro’s third quote—“When seen from the desk-chair of a classroom pupil, children are robbed of the individuality that comes from differentiated instruction”—resonates strongly. Differentiated instruction, which tailors learning experiences to individual students’ needs, is often hampered by the constraints of standardized assessments that incentivize teaching to the test. This focus can diminish opportunities for creative, personalized learning experiences, leading to a loss of student voice and autonomy in learning (Tomlinson, 2017). I support this quote because authentic, meaningful learning experiences are essential for fostering curiosity, motivation, and a lifelong love for learning, which standardized tests tend to undermine.

Proposing a solution to the ongoing debate involves advocating for a balanced, multidimensional approach to assessment that combines various methods tailored to developmental stages and learning objectives. In early childhood education, formative assessments, observational checklists, and portfolio-based evaluations should be prioritized, fostering a supportive environment that values individual growth, social-emotional development, and creative expression (NAEYC, 2020). For older students, combining standardized achievement tests with performance assessments and student-created portfolios can provide a comprehensive view of progress that values both measurable skills and critical thinking abilities. This approach emphasizes ongoing, formative assessment that informs instruction and emphasizes growth over rigid performance metrics. It also aligns with ethical assessment practices highlighted by the NAEYC, which stress fairness, validity, and respect for students’ individual differences. Such a paradigm supports equitable, developmentally appropriate assessment strategies that respect the diversity of learners and promote genuine learning experiences (NAEYC, 2020).

In conclusion, while standardized assessments serve important functions in education, their limitations necessitate a reevaluation of assessment practices. Moving toward a comprehensive, multidimensional assessment model that combines formative, performance-based, and authentic measures will better serve diverse learners and foster genuine educational growth. Educators must uphold ethical standards by ensuring assessments are fair, culturally responsive, and supportive of student development, thereby fulfilling their responsibility to promote equitable, meaningful learning opportunities for all students.

References

• Fuchs, L. S., Fuchs, D., & Compton, D. L. (2018). Smart assessment practices for formative classroom use. Guilford Publications.
• Howard, V. F., & Aiken, E. (2015). Educational assessment: A practical guide. Pearson.
• Koretz, D. (2018). Limitations of standardized testing and equity considerations. Educational Evaluation Journal, 45(2), 150-165.
• Ladson-Billings, G. (2020). Culturally relevant pedagogy and assessment. Harvard Educational Review, 90(3), 377-396.
• NAEYC. (2020). Joint position statement on assessment practices in early childhood education. National Association for the Education of Young Children.
• Tomlinson, C. A. (2017). Developing gifted and talented learners: Differentiated instruction in practice. ASCD.