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Should we get rid of standardized testing? - Arlo Kempf

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TEDEd Animation

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Although standardized testing is a particularly hot topic in education right now, this approach to measurement has been in use for two millennia. And while the results of standardized testing can help us understand some things, they can also be misleading if used incorrectly. So what do these tests actually measure? And are they worthwhile? Arlo Kempf investigates.

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Arlo Kempf
  • Director Borbála Tompa
  • Producer Bella Szederkényi
  • Animator Iván Tamás, Barna Nemes
  • Designer Borbála Tompa
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Lesson creator

What should be the role (if any) of standardized testing in elementary, secondary and post-secondary education?

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Avatar for Moi Raful
Lesson completed

The role of standardized testing in education should be carefully considered at each level. In elementary education, standardized tests can provide a baseline for assessing fundamental skills and identifying students who may need additional support. However, they should not dominate the curriculum, as younger students benefit more from diverse assessment methods that encourage creativity and critical thinking. In secondary education, standardized tests can serve as one of several measures for college readiness and academic performance, helping to guide curriculum improvements and resource allocation. At the post-secondary level, their role should be minimized; admissions should focus on holistic evaluations, including grades, essays, and extracurricular activities, as standardized tests may not accurately reflect a student’s potential or diverse abilities. Overall, standardized testing can be a useful tool, but it should complement broader assessment strategies rather than define them.


Avatar for Andrea Ayala
Lesson completed

Standarized testing can be helpful when trying to acknowledge one´s personal habilities or improvement areas, not to test the adquired knowledge during a course, because we people express our learning in different ways. The optimum measuring method should include different spheres in which the student can express their knowledge, such as practical, written, oral, by sharing a personal anecdote. This way we can get to understand their way of thinking. In psychology we have learnt that the interview is the most powerful tool. By speaking and hearing the person with attention, we can get to know them more than by scoring a test.


Avatar for Daniela Cobo
Lesson completed

Standardized tests can be useful in education, but they should not be the only way to evaluate students. In primary school, they can help see in which areas children need more help, but it is also important to measure how they are growing emotionally and socially.

In secondary school, they can be used to measure basic knowledge in subjects such as mathematics or science, but it is necessary to combine them with other forms of evaluation, such as more practical projects or assignments.

In postsecondary, standardized tests can be useful for applications for admission or certifications, but at this level it is better to use assessments that measure more complex skills, such as problem solving or teamwork.


Avatar for Nadeline Hevelyn
Lesson completed

I think that standardized tests are fundamental for education, especially at school, because it is a universal method and can be applied in many schools around the world, but it cannot be the only method applied, because it is not comprehensive and specific and ends up not covering all the particularities of each student. It is a wonderful method for comparing large groups of individuals who are more or less at the same level with some common goals, but when in specific cases they do not represent reliable results. In this way, a combination of several evaluation methods is more benefic and more just.


Avatar for Yanis Le Bellego
Lesson completed

In my opinion. The role that standardized testing should play in elementary, secondary and post- secondary education is that standardized testing is helping students progress and notice the areas where students need more help. But they should not be the main measure of students success or program quality.


Avatar for Fernando Roldan
Lesson completed

in response to Gilyan Reyes Show comment

The role I think standerized testing should play is a test that helps better understand if a student is able to focus and excel in a time where one must try their best at answering questions with the information they know or are given.


Avatar for Gilyan Reyes
Lesson completed

In my opinion, standardized tests in elementary school can help identify areas where students may need additional support or intervention. They can also provide data for school accountability and system-wide assessments. In secondary education, standardized tests like college entrance exams (SAT, ACT) can be used as part of the college admissions process. They can provide a standardized measure for comparing students from different schools or regions. And in post-secondary education, Standardized tests may be used for certain professional certifications or graduate school admissions. They can help assess a student's readiness for advanced coursework or specific career paths. Overall, the role of standardized testing should be balanced with other forms of assessment, such as classroom evaluations, projects, and portfolios.


Avatar for Mei Bates
Lesson completed

The role of standardized testing should not be something that defines weather or not the student truly knows the material but it should be able to identify if the student is a statistically good or bad tester.


Avatar for Montserrat González Melgarejo
Lesson completed

In my opinion, the role of standardized tests in elementary education can be used to check the progress that students have in terms of their learning and, being so young, it can also involve carrying out a type of diagnosis for those who need strategies. or support for better learning. In secondary education, it seems to me that they are of utmost importance at this stage of life since these tests can redirect your path in the future, that is, when it comes to knowing your skills and areas of opportunity or when it comes to admission to a university. Finally, the role of standardized tests in post-secondary education could be based on the fact that evaluating whether students are in subjects and courses according to their level of learning can also serve to measure their efficiency in certain academic programs. Therefore, it is our responsibility as evaluators to ensure that we give an appropriate interpretation and apply the correct tests.


Avatar for Natalia Sanchez
Lesson completed

The role of standardized tests across various levels of education should provide student performance in order to understand it, identify any difficulties, as well as recognize their abilities and strengthen them, and subsequently compare their progress and intervene with necessary resources. The aforementioned can be highly beneficial if detected early, as it would help manage the desired results effectively and in less time. While there are tests that can be used for students or teachers, as well as those for university admissions or employment, assessing school success, etc. I believe it's important to complement these tests with observation and alternative assessments for a more comprehensive interpretation, as well as applying tests that involve critical thinking and problem-solving alongside content, as I believe it prepares a person for their daily life.

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