tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052335608137625664.post8735660743559631709..comments2024-01-04T09:45:52.185-05:00Comments on Blogging About The Web 2.0 Connected Classroom: What Is The Role Of Standardized Testing In Education?Steven W. Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15094504771347267059noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052335608137625664.post-8359460748204727252009-10-28T07:59:52.096-04:002009-10-28T07:59:52.096-04:00thought provoking blog,Technology is constantly ch...thought provoking blog,Technology is constantly changing. The W.W.W. has now evolved into “Web 2.0” and is the second wave of the World Wide Web.As parents how evolved are we in terms of incorporating technology with the curriculum? In an era of global connectivity parents should be actively involved to make the children aware of the right use of the <a href="http://www.funnelbrain.com" rel="dofollow" rel="nofollow">digital tools</a> available and how effectively they can be used for learning purposes.Such learning methodologies creates a sense of “self directed” learning and problem solving attitude among children.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052335608137625664.post-40309650246496743852009-10-17T23:27:37.157-04:002009-10-17T23:27:37.157-04:00Standardized tests minimally impact instruction. D...Standardized tests minimally impact instruction. Diagnostic assessments are essential instructional tools for effective English-language Arts and reading teachers. However, many teachers resist using these tools because they can be time-consuming to administer, grade, record, and analyze. Some teachers avoid diagnostic assessments because these teachers exclusively focus on grade-level standards-based instruction or believe that remediation is (or was) the job of some other teacher. To be honest, some teachers resist diagnostic assessments because the data might induce them to differentiate instruction—a daunting task for any teacher. And some teachers resist diagnostic assessments because they fear that the data will be used by administrators to hold them accountable for individual student progress. Check out ten criteria for effective diagnostic ELA/reading assessments at http://penningtonpublishing.com/blog/reading/ten-criteria-for-effective-elareading-diagnostic-assessments/ and download free whole-class comprehensive consonant and vowel phonics assessments, three sight word assessments, a spelling-pattern assessment, a multi-level fluency assessment, six phonemic awareness assessments, a grammar assessment, and a mechanics assessment from the right column of this informative article.Mark Penningtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13184265967777133129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052335608137625664.post-14894786658790927722009-09-04T15:50:28.601-04:002009-09-04T15:50:28.601-04:00I have traveled across a spectrum of thought on st...I have traveled across a spectrum of thought on standardized testing since I began my career. As a novice I imitated the somewhat jaded, this-too-shall-pass attitudes of my colleagues. Next I embraced standardized testing for the data it gave me in rehtinking instruction. Now I struggle with it almost entirely. I very much want to prepare my students to do well so they feel successful. I very much want to prepare students to do well because that feels like part of my job. Regardless, I worry about the monopolization of standards and testing products and services, as well as the allotment of national resources only to states participating in that monopoly. I also worry from a PR angle that national standards and continued national, standardized testing will further diminish the public's opinion of teachers. How can we be viewed as competent professionals with specialities when evaluated on general measures? How can we be trusted to know what and how to teach locally, in our rooms, if national standards and state tests are necessary? When will we ever be trained in ed schools to create valid classroom assessments if all the "important" assessments come from people who "know better?" I'm willing to work to find ways to teach past the tests to foster success and achievement for all on the tests, but I'm not willing to stop envisioning a world that trusts local educators and empowers them to build curricula around students' passions and community service instead of quashing those interests and burying opportunities for service under the pressure and curriculum of testing.Chad@classrootshttp://classroots.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052335608137625664.post-48305939444531194092009-09-03T20:48:31.199-04:002009-09-03T20:48:31.199-04:00Terrific post. Lots to think about here.
My appr...Terrific post. Lots to think about here. <br /><br />My approach to standardized testing is always one of empowerment. That is, the tests should only serve to empower, enlighten, and entertain. These are some points that I try to keep in mind and tell my students about<br /><br />1. If the test is worth its snuff, results will show improvements in learning, so if your language skills improve (as I am an ESL teacher), then your scores will go up. That's what we're here for anyway, being better language users. <br />2. Standardized tests can't test everthing; they all have limited ranges of assessment. Find out what those limits are and use those skills to boost your language skills. For example, the TOEIC test (often used in Japan for various purposes) focuses almost entirely on reading and listening. So if they are enjoying extensive listening and reading their scores will improve naturally. <br />3. Test effect and backwash are good reasons to take the tests as often as possible. ETS reports up to 10% improvements just as a result of having taken the test before. <br />4. Take the test for the first time as early in your studies as possible, before you know anything, and set this as a benchmark. Then after a little study, take it again. Your scores will improve. Keep doing that periodically, and if you are getting the input and interacting with others (in my case with English) then your scores will improve. Improvement leads to improvement, and that is a lot of fun.<br />5. Stay positive. The evidence is in. A positive mental attitude is always better then a negative one. Some may say, "Positive is fine, but being realistic is more important." In some real world situations it may be, but I think we can all agree that standardized testing is hardly real world, and imagining "can't" senarios isn't helpful for anyone. It's all "can" all the time.5330https://www.blogger.com/profile/11752690938113124517noreply@blogger.com