Photo by Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu

Standardized testing has long been the traditional method of measurement of a student’s abilities for hundreds of years, but is it the best way to determine a student’s skills?

Starting in grade school, standardized testing was the conventional way to take an examination on where you were in a certain class. Students put a lot of time and effort into preparing for examinations, yet it is debatable whether or not standardized testing is the most effective way to summarize a student’s performance in their classes.

As schools continue to navigate their way through the pandemic, the top priorities are the health and safety of the students and teachers.

Staring at a screen for hours at a time during remote learning can affect how students perform on tests, potentially resulting in much lower grades.With the coronavirus abruptly altering our lives, it has also posed problems with testing in schools, both mentally and academically. Students gathering in large numbers to take these tests are a risk to both students and faculty, and the remote version of teaching is much more difficult, especially when it comes to testing, now that returning to school for testing risks the health of the students and faculty.

In the past, tests like the SAT were used to determine a student’s future in academics, with applications for college and test scores. But as schools continue to navigate their way through the pandemic, the top priorities are the health and safety of the students and teachers. As a result, some tests like the SATs are either being cancelled or made optional.

Critics say that standardized testing is just a way to see how much a student has memorized, and not a more reflective method for teachers and students.

Even before the coronavirus, there was controversy surrounding the topic of testing and whether or not standardized testing is the most successful way of assessing students’ abilities. Some students simply have a hard time of focusing on the piece of paper lying in front of them. Others have trouble finding study habits, or have trouble with procrastination.

Critics say that standardized testing is just a way to see how much a student has memorized, and not a more reflective method for teachers and students. Because of this, schools and colleges are slowly starting to veer away from standardized testing and toward more reflective and engaging assessments, like group projects or essays. With these new methods, hopefully the results will be more accurate and helpful in evaluating a student’s abilities.

Some schools have turned to seminars, or group discussions, to observe a student’s progress verbally and to generate a more relaxed and natural environment. Another method being used is self assessment, allowing students to reflect on what they have learned, and even on the teacher’s abilities, and whether or not there are better ways of teaching. Schools are also considering performance exams. These are tests based on students performing a certain task, like experiments or oral presentations, with the hope that more entertaining and creative ways of testing will appeal to more students.

Reflecting on these methods, it is clear that there are more modern techniques for analyzing student evaluations, and perhaps it’s time schools and colleges consider transitioning from customary standardized testing.