Defending Standardized Testing

Defending Standardized Testing

Author: Richard Phelps

Publisher: Psychology Press

Published: 2005-03-23

Total Pages: 360

ISBN-13: 113561427X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Everyone invested in the success of American education, from parents to policymakers, are affected by or concerned about educational testing. The education reform movement of the past 15 years has focused on raising academic standards. Some standards advocates attach a testing mechanism to gauge the extent to which high standards are actually accomplished. On the other hand, some critics view the push for standards and testing as precisely what ails American education. They view testing generally as an impediment to reform, an antiquated technology that reflects an antiquated view of teaching, learning, and social organization, and perpetuates inequality. At the same time, the testing profession has produced advances in the format, accuracy, dependability, and utility of tests. Never before has obtaining such an abundance of accurate and useful information about student learning been possible. And, never before has the American public been in such agreement about the value of testing for measuring student performance, monitoring the performance of educational systems, gauging the success of reforms, and accountability. acknowledge the benefits of testing. Many of these measurement specialists also believe that those benefits have been insufficiently articulated in the public discussions of testing. Although much has been written over the past decade on standardized testing policy, little has been published by measurement specialists who support the use of external, high-stakes standardized testing. Most of the published material has been written by those opposed to such testing. The contributing authors of this volume are both accomplished researchers and practitioners who are respected and admired worldwide. They bring to the project an abundance of experience working with standardized tests. standardized testing situation, arguments, and strategies; explain and refute many of the common criticisms of standardized testing; document the public support for, and the realized benefits of, standardized testing; acknowledge the genuine limitations of, and suggest improvements to, testing practices; provide guidance for structuring and administering large-scale testing programs in light of public preferences and the "No Child Left Behind Act" requirements; and present a defense of standardized testing and a practical vision for its promise and future. Defending Standardized Testing minimizes the use of technical jargon so as to appeal to all who have a stake in American educational reform - parents, policy makers, school board members, teachers, administrators, and measurement specialists.


Book Synopsis Defending Standardized Testing by : Richard Phelps

Download or read book Defending Standardized Testing written by Richard Phelps and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2005-03-23 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Everyone invested in the success of American education, from parents to policymakers, are affected by or concerned about educational testing. The education reform movement of the past 15 years has focused on raising academic standards. Some standards advocates attach a testing mechanism to gauge the extent to which high standards are actually accomplished. On the other hand, some critics view the push for standards and testing as precisely what ails American education. They view testing generally as an impediment to reform, an antiquated technology that reflects an antiquated view of teaching, learning, and social organization, and perpetuates inequality. At the same time, the testing profession has produced advances in the format, accuracy, dependability, and utility of tests. Never before has obtaining such an abundance of accurate and useful information about student learning been possible. And, never before has the American public been in such agreement about the value of testing for measuring student performance, monitoring the performance of educational systems, gauging the success of reforms, and accountability. acknowledge the benefits of testing. Many of these measurement specialists also believe that those benefits have been insufficiently articulated in the public discussions of testing. Although much has been written over the past decade on standardized testing policy, little has been published by measurement specialists who support the use of external, high-stakes standardized testing. Most of the published material has been written by those opposed to such testing. The contributing authors of this volume are both accomplished researchers and practitioners who are respected and admired worldwide. They bring to the project an abundance of experience working with standardized tests. standardized testing situation, arguments, and strategies; explain and refute many of the common criticisms of standardized testing; document the public support for, and the realized benefits of, standardized testing; acknowledge the genuine limitations of, and suggest improvements to, testing practices; provide guidance for structuring and administering large-scale testing programs in light of public preferences and the "No Child Left Behind Act" requirements; and present a defense of standardized testing and a practical vision for its promise and future. Defending Standardized Testing minimizes the use of technical jargon so as to appeal to all who have a stake in American educational reform - parents, policy makers, school board members, teachers, administrators, and measurement specialists.


Standardized Testing Primer

Standardized Testing Primer

Author: Richard P. Phelps

Publisher: Peter Lang

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 164

ISBN-13: 082049741X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A glossary and bibliography are also provided, The Standardized Testing Primer is an ideal text for teaching this subject to undergraduate and graduate students."--Jacket.


Book Synopsis Standardized Testing Primer by : Richard P. Phelps

Download or read book Standardized Testing Primer written by Richard P. Phelps and published by Peter Lang. This book was released on 2007 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A glossary and bibliography are also provided, The Standardized Testing Primer is an ideal text for teaching this subject to undergraduate and graduate students."--Jacket.


Defending Standardized Testing

Defending Standardized Testing

Author: Richard Phelps

Publisher: Psychology Press

Published: 2005-03-23

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13: 1135614261

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The education reform movement of the past two decades has focused on raising academic standards. Some standards advocates attach a testing mechanism to gauge the extent to which high standards are actually accomplished, whereas some critics accuse the push for standards and testing of impeding reform and perpetuating inequality. At the same time, the testing profession has produced advances in the format, accuracy, dependability, and utility of tests. Never before has obtaining such an abundance of accurate and useful information about student learning been possible. Meanwhile, the American public remains steadfast in support of testing to measure student performance and monitor the performance of educational systems. Many educational testing experts who acknowledge the benefits of testing also believe that those benefits have been insufficiently articulated. Although much has been written on standardized testing policy, most of the material has been written by opponents. The contributing authors of this volume are both accomplished researchers and practitioners who are respected and admired worldwide. They bring to the project an abundance of experience working with standardized tests. The goal of Defending Standardized Testing is to: *describe current standardized testing policies and strategies; *explain many of the common criticisms of standardized testing; *document the public support for, and the realized benefits of, standardized testing; *acknowledge the limitations of, and suggest improvements to, testing practices; *provide guidance for structuring and administering large-scale testing programs in light of public preferences and the "No Child Left Behind Act" requirements; and *present a defense of standardized testing and a vision for its future. Defending Standardized Testing minimizes the use of technical jargon so as to appeal to all who have a stake in American educational reform.


Book Synopsis Defending Standardized Testing by : Richard Phelps

Download or read book Defending Standardized Testing written by Richard Phelps and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2005-03-23 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The education reform movement of the past two decades has focused on raising academic standards. Some standards advocates attach a testing mechanism to gauge the extent to which high standards are actually accomplished, whereas some critics accuse the push for standards and testing of impeding reform and perpetuating inequality. At the same time, the testing profession has produced advances in the format, accuracy, dependability, and utility of tests. Never before has obtaining such an abundance of accurate and useful information about student learning been possible. Meanwhile, the American public remains steadfast in support of testing to measure student performance and monitor the performance of educational systems. Many educational testing experts who acknowledge the benefits of testing also believe that those benefits have been insufficiently articulated. Although much has been written on standardized testing policy, most of the material has been written by opponents. The contributing authors of this volume are both accomplished researchers and practitioners who are respected and admired worldwide. They bring to the project an abundance of experience working with standardized tests. The goal of Defending Standardized Testing is to: *describe current standardized testing policies and strategies; *explain many of the common criticisms of standardized testing; *document the public support for, and the realized benefits of, standardized testing; *acknowledge the limitations of, and suggest improvements to, testing practices; *provide guidance for structuring and administering large-scale testing programs in light of public preferences and the "No Child Left Behind Act" requirements; and *present a defense of standardized testing and a vision for its future. Defending Standardized Testing minimizes the use of technical jargon so as to appeal to all who have a stake in American educational reform.


Standardized Testing in Schools

Standardized Testing in Schools

Author: Holly Dolezalek

Publisher: ABDO

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 116

ISBN-13: 9781604531138

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Discusses standardized testing in schools and the controversy about its value as a tool, the history of testing, standards, and scoring, the No Child Left Behind Act, the effects on teaching, cheating among students and teachers, and public opinion about the topic.


Book Synopsis Standardized Testing in Schools by : Holly Dolezalek

Download or read book Standardized Testing in Schools written by Holly Dolezalek and published by ABDO. This book was released on 2009 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discusses standardized testing in schools and the controversy about its value as a tool, the history of testing, standards, and scoring, the No Child Left Behind Act, the effects on teaching, cheating among students and teachers, and public opinion about the topic.


Kill the Messenger

Kill the Messenger

Author: Richard P. Phelps

Publisher: Transaction Publishers

Published:

Total Pages: 356

ISBN-13: 9781412827140

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"Kill the Messenger describes the current debate, the players, their interests, and their positions. It explains and refutes many of the common criticisms of testing. It describes testing opponents' strategies, through case studies of Texas and the SAT. It illustrates the profound media bias against testing. It acknowledges testing's limitations, and suggests how it can be improved. It defends testing by comparing it with its alternatives. And finally, it outlines the consequences for America of losing the "war on standardized testing.""--BOOK JACKET.


Book Synopsis Kill the Messenger by : Richard P. Phelps

Download or read book Kill the Messenger written by Richard P. Phelps and published by Transaction Publishers. This book was released on with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Kill the Messenger describes the current debate, the players, their interests, and their positions. It explains and refutes many of the common criticisms of testing. It describes testing opponents' strategies, through case studies of Texas and the SAT. It illustrates the profound media bias against testing. It acknowledges testing's limitations, and suggests how it can be improved. It defends testing by comparing it with its alternatives. And finally, it outlines the consequences for America of losing the "war on standardized testing.""--BOOK JACKET.


Measuring Up

Measuring Up

Author: Daniel Koretz

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2009-09-15

Total Pages: 255

ISBN-13: 0674254988

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

How do you judge the quality of a school, a district, a teacher, a student? By the test scores, of course. Yet for all the talk, what educational tests can and can’t tell you, and how scores can be misunderstood and misused, remains a mystery to most. The complexities of testing are routinely ignored, either because they are unrecognized, or because they may be—well, complicated. Inspired by a popular Harvard course for students without an extensive mathematics background, Measuring Up demystifies educational testing—from MCAS to SAT to WAIS, with all the alphabet soup in between. Bringing statistical terms down to earth, Daniel Koretz takes readers through the most fundamental issues that arise in educational testing and shows how they apply to some of the most controversial issues in education today, from high-stakes testing to special education. He walks readers through everyday examples to show what tests do well, what their limits are, how easily tests and scores can be oversold or misunderstood, and how they can be used sensibly to help discover how much kids have learned.


Book Synopsis Measuring Up by : Daniel Koretz

Download or read book Measuring Up written by Daniel Koretz and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2009-09-15 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do you judge the quality of a school, a district, a teacher, a student? By the test scores, of course. Yet for all the talk, what educational tests can and can’t tell you, and how scores can be misunderstood and misused, remains a mystery to most. The complexities of testing are routinely ignored, either because they are unrecognized, or because they may be—well, complicated. Inspired by a popular Harvard course for students without an extensive mathematics background, Measuring Up demystifies educational testing—from MCAS to SAT to WAIS, with all the alphabet soup in between. Bringing statistical terms down to earth, Daniel Koretz takes readers through the most fundamental issues that arise in educational testing and shows how they apply to some of the most controversial issues in education today, from high-stakes testing to special education. He walks readers through everyday examples to show what tests do well, what their limits are, how easily tests and scores can be oversold or misunderstood, and how they can be used sensibly to help discover how much kids have learned.


The Myths of Standardized Tests

The Myths of Standardized Tests

Author: Phillip Harris

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Published: 2011-01-16

Total Pages: 207

ISBN-13: 1442208112

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Pundits, politicians, and business leaders continually make claims for what standardized tests can do, and those claims go largely unchallenged because they are in line with popular assumptions about what these tests can do, what the scores mean, and the psychology of human motivation. But what most of what these opinion leaders say-and the public believes-about standardized testing just isn't so. However, few members of the general public, not even concerned parents, have the time or the background to keep up with the latest findings of testing experts, psychometricians, and researchers. That's where The Myths of Standardized Tests comes in. In simple, accessible language, Harris, Smith, and Harris spell out the assumptions underlying standardized tests and point out what's true about them and what's just plain mythical. But they not only debunk common assumptions; they propose better ways to judge the success of our schools. They also offer readers suggestions for ways they can help reduce the burden of tests on their children. Appendixes offer readers contact information and suggestions for actions they can take to become part of the solution to the problem of overusing and misusing standardized tests.


Book Synopsis The Myths of Standardized Tests by : Phillip Harris

Download or read book The Myths of Standardized Tests written by Phillip Harris and published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. This book was released on 2011-01-16 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pundits, politicians, and business leaders continually make claims for what standardized tests can do, and those claims go largely unchallenged because they are in line with popular assumptions about what these tests can do, what the scores mean, and the psychology of human motivation. But what most of what these opinion leaders say-and the public believes-about standardized testing just isn't so. However, few members of the general public, not even concerned parents, have the time or the background to keep up with the latest findings of testing experts, psychometricians, and researchers. That's where The Myths of Standardized Tests comes in. In simple, accessible language, Harris, Smith, and Harris spell out the assumptions underlying standardized tests and point out what's true about them and what's just plain mythical. But they not only debunk common assumptions; they propose better ways to judge the success of our schools. They also offer readers suggestions for ways they can help reduce the burden of tests on their children. Appendixes offer readers contact information and suggestions for actions they can take to become part of the solution to the problem of overusing and misusing standardized tests.


The Case Against Standardized Testing

The Case Against Standardized Testing

Author: Alfie Kohn

Publisher: Heinemann Educational Books

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 112

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Kohn's central message is that standardized tests are "not a force of nature but a force of politics--and political decisions can be questioned, challenged, and ultimately reversed."


Book Synopsis The Case Against Standardized Testing by : Alfie Kohn

Download or read book The Case Against Standardized Testing written by Alfie Kohn and published by Heinemann Educational Books. This book was released on 2000 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Kohn's central message is that standardized tests are "not a force of nature but a force of politics--and political decisions can be questioned, challenged, and ultimately reversed."


More Than a Score

More Than a Score

Author: Jesse Hagopian

Publisher: Haymarket Books

Published: 2014-11-10

Total Pages: 338

ISBN-13: 1608464369

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"Jesse Hagopian brought a rare moment of truth to the corporate-dominated Education Nation show when he spoke on behalf of his colleagues at Garfield High in Seattle. He instantly became the voice and face of the movement to stop pointless and punitive high-stakes testing."—Diane Ravitch, author of Reign of Terror In cities across the country, students are walking out, parents are opting their children out, and teachers are rallying against the abuses of high-stakes standardized testing. These are the stories—in their own words—of some of those who are defying the corporate education reformers and fueling a national movement to reclaim public education. Alongside the voices of students, parents, teachers, and grassroots education activists, the book features renowned education researchers and advocates, including Nancy Carrlson-Paige, Karen Lewis, and Monty Neill. Jesse Hagopian teaches history and is the Black Student Union adviser at Garfield High School, the site of the historic boycott of the MAP test in 2013. He is an associate editor of Rethinking Schools, and winner of the 2013 "Secondary School Teacher of Year" award from the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences. He is a contributing author to Education and Capitalism: Struggles for Learning and Liberation and 101 Changemakers: Rebels and Radicals Who Changed US History, and writes regularly for Truthout, Black Agenda Report, and the Seattle Times Op-Ed page.


Book Synopsis More Than a Score by : Jesse Hagopian

Download or read book More Than a Score written by Jesse Hagopian and published by Haymarket Books. This book was released on 2014-11-10 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Jesse Hagopian brought a rare moment of truth to the corporate-dominated Education Nation show when he spoke on behalf of his colleagues at Garfield High in Seattle. He instantly became the voice and face of the movement to stop pointless and punitive high-stakes testing."—Diane Ravitch, author of Reign of Terror In cities across the country, students are walking out, parents are opting their children out, and teachers are rallying against the abuses of high-stakes standardized testing. These are the stories—in their own words—of some of those who are defying the corporate education reformers and fueling a national movement to reclaim public education. Alongside the voices of students, parents, teachers, and grassroots education activists, the book features renowned education researchers and advocates, including Nancy Carrlson-Paige, Karen Lewis, and Monty Neill. Jesse Hagopian teaches history and is the Black Student Union adviser at Garfield High School, the site of the historic boycott of the MAP test in 2013. He is an associate editor of Rethinking Schools, and winner of the 2013 "Secondary School Teacher of Year" award from the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences. He is a contributing author to Education and Capitalism: Struggles for Learning and Liberation and 101 Changemakers: Rebels and Radicals Who Changed US History, and writes regularly for Truthout, Black Agenda Report, and the Seattle Times Op-Ed page.


The Pedagogy of Standardized Testing

The Pedagogy of Standardized Testing

Author: Arlo Kempf

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-04-29

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 1137486651

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Based on a large-scale international study of teachers in Los Angeles, Chicago, Ontario, and New York, this book illustrates the ways increased use of high-stakes standardized testing is fundamentally changing education in the US and Canada with a negative overall impact on the way teachers teach and students learn. Standardized testing makes understanding students' strengths and weaknesses more difficult, and class time spent on testing consumes scarce time and attention needed to support the success of all students—further disadvantaging ELLs, students with exceptionalities, low income, and racially minoritized students.


Book Synopsis The Pedagogy of Standardized Testing by : Arlo Kempf

Download or read book The Pedagogy of Standardized Testing written by Arlo Kempf and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-04-29 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on a large-scale international study of teachers in Los Angeles, Chicago, Ontario, and New York, this book illustrates the ways increased use of high-stakes standardized testing is fundamentally changing education in the US and Canada with a negative overall impact on the way teachers teach and students learn. Standardized testing makes understanding students' strengths and weaknesses more difficult, and class time spent on testing consumes scarce time and attention needed to support the success of all students—further disadvantaging ELLs, students with exceptionalities, low income, and racially minoritized students.