When Tests Do Not Teach By Lucas
Standardized tests are tests to measure performance in a subject often
found in school or in an academic environment. Throughout the years, standardized testing has been highly controversial, spawning the question “Should standardized testing be banned?” From simple logic to research, there is much evidence that pushes us to ban standardized testing and yet there is also substantial evidence implying the contrary. To understand what standardized tests are, we must view both sides of the argument, but first, what is the real purpose of standardized testing? The purpose of a standardized testing, is to measure one’s knowledge or proficiency concerning a certain subject. For instance, Scholastic Assessment Tests or SATs are essential tests, mostly considered a significant milestone in one’s academic, collegiate or scholarly pursuits. SATs test students’ verbal and mathematical knowledge and skill. To further understand the way in which performance is measures, think of a ruler. A ruler has numerous uses and we determine what they are used for in certain situations. However, there are some circumstances in which a ruler could not be used. Rulers could not measure decibels or how loud a sound is. Neither could it measure temperature of the outdoors nor the acidity of a substance. The way in which a ruler is used also depends on its design. Say you have a long, flat and straight ruler. If you wanted to measure the circumference of a watermelon, could you do so? Of course not! A watermelon’s shape does not match with that of a ruler’s, therefore one would end up with incorrect measurements. The ruler is a perfect representation of standardized tests. These tests are often comprised of logical and right/wrong answers. Like a ruler could measure a line, a test could measure your knowledge on a subject. However, a ruler could not measure temperature, like tests could not measure abstract concepts such as creativity. Tests such as these are marked objectively. Subjects like Math and Science are considered objective tests as they rely on knowledge, logic, facts and technicality.
There have been numerous tests that have not been designed properly and the results may better reflect other characteristics or skills rather than the subject at hand. For instance, if a student taking a math test has problem reading the words, his/her test results will reflect their literacy skills rather than numeracy. However, there are still valid tests appropriate in measuring knowledge or proficiency. Not all tests are poorly design. Only some are flawed and are mostly common in objective tests and rarely in subjective tests, which are two highly different forms of examinations. Contrasting objectivity is subjectivity. Certain tests are either marked subjectively or some objective tests consists of subjective sections. Most GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) English tests contain a comprehension section or the objective section and a writing section, which, per se, is the subjective section. The definition of subjective, in these terms, are people marking you based on their personal opinion instead of pertaining to right/wrong answers. Different people equals different opinions. In comparison to objective tests, there is a lower chance of determining your score or grade as regular tests are graded by constantly different people. Why might this be of any harm or problem? This stems into a much deeper issue common throughout households around the world. It is undoubtedly very common for your parents to want their children to get good grades, in hopes of benefitting them as they grow older. There is nothing wrong with this; however, some parents take this to the extreme as they lay immense pressure on their children. This is akin to putting heavy pressure inside a bag and asking a child to carry said bag. Psychologically, physically and emotionally scarring, from stress to suicide, these outcomes stem from the effects of pressure. A slightly extreme result of this were students supposedly throwing up and vomiting during tests. Incidents like these occur constantly, urging some rules that dictate the course of action that should be taken, such as the one in the Ohio Achievement Assessment handbook. A rather more extreme result of stress yet a highly common one is the act of committing suicide. According to BBC News, ONS published suicide figures for 2014 showing 97 male suicides and 33 female suicides in the UK. These numbers have only increased throughout the past years. While the main drive were pressure from bad grades, these bad grades were sometimes tampered with. The “Value-Added Analysis” system is used in many American schools, in which teachers’ salaries are in accordance to the students’ grades, meaning that the higher the students’ grades, the higher the teacher’s rating. This encourages the tampering of test scores for a higher pay. A Washington Post article found that there were 1610 anomalies or odd occurrences in Washington DC test scores. This is suspected to have been the tampering and subversion of teachers, most likely those who are under the Value-Added Analysis system. Even if the teacher does not tamper with students’ grades, those who score low on tests are often disliked by the teacher, increasing resentment. This may lead to prejudice and unfair treatment. However, even if the scores are near perfect or perfect, the rules of the system still decrease teachers’ pay. In a completely hypothetical situation, just so that
you could understand, say the perfect score is 200/200. The algorithm or the process behind predicting a student’s mark could sometimes be flawed. In this case, the student’s predicted mark is 210. To score 210 is literally impossible as the maximum score is only 200. Then, say the student got a 200 on the test. The 10-point difference, which is, as stated, impossible to reach, would count negatively towards the teacher’s evaluation. Teachers have increasingly urged students to study harder and supply them with more assignments for personal gain. Considering the fact that standardized tests are often difficult, therefore taking a substantial amount of time to study for, a student is subjected to a constant barrage of studying rather than participating in extra-curricular activities or any other activity for that matter. People often say that this study time is a time for learning the subject and memorizing it. Many do enjoy studying, which would benefit them as studying is mandatory, but many also do not like studying and yet are forced to. Don’t misinterpret this as a message saying students shouldn’t study. It is only the suggestion that students should also make time for other activities that would perhaps motivate them, improve their learning, heighten their focus or simply put them in a good mood; such as sports or extracurricular activities, which have health and cognitive benefits, according to an MU Health article. Standardized testing undoubtedly is flawed. Despite its sometimes inaccurate or poor design, the objectivity or subjectivity or poor reflection and display of abstract concepts. Despite the heavy burden to get As placed on the shoulders of their child. Despite the amount of time one has to invest in studying. Despite the fact that it is not the only way to learn. Despite the often incoherent or mundane subjects being tested. Despite all of this and yet parents still approve of it. While it is severely flawed, we should also acknowledge its benefits. As stated, to understand this, one must view both sides. Standardized testing reflects upon logical, technical and factual prowess. For a few, it may be a way to learn and remember. As the modern world grows at an almost sporadic rate, some standardized tests have been immensely improved upon. Many opine that tests should be disallowed. Others opine that tests should still be allowed. Each side dwell completely on one side of the argument, either basing their opinions on its flaws or utilizing its benefits as a counterargument and the foundation for their beliefs. Very few dwell upon both sides of the argument and instead of laying their foundation on bias and narrow-mindedness, they strive to come up with a solution. There have been numerous resolutions surrounding the argument, only revealed to those who have truly looked at both sides, acknowledging good and bad. One such solution is to not entirely base children’s intelligence and finesse, ability or skill on tests. Instead, truly understand your child, observe them carefully and deduce whether your child should invest all his/her time on tests that may or may not honestly reflect his/her true skills. To elaborate, do not place the humongous and stress-inducing burden on your child. The online retailer, magnate, business mogul and founder of Alibaba.com, Jack Ma, told his son “You don’t need to be top 3 in your class. Being in the middle is fine, as long as your grades aren’t too bad. Only this kind of person has enough free time to learn other skills.”
All in all, we should look and both sides of the argument and look for a solution. Banning tests will be beneficial towards the side focusing on flaws while keeping tests will be beneficial the side focusing on benefits. Both resolutions are flawed and leave holes. Sometimes, the test is to blame but oftentimes, it is just us to blame. Placing pressure on children, placing your perception of your child’s intelligence according to their tests while depriving him of learning new skills. We shouldn’t change tests (except when it is poorly designed), but rather change us. Do not place pressure on children, do not base one’s intelligence on tests but rather encourage children to explore the world and learn more, because most of the time, tests are not accurate, they are stress-inducing and most of all, oftentimes, tests do not teach.
Citations: “Standardized Tests - ProCon.Org.” ProConorg Headlines, standardizedtests.procon.org/. Coughlan, Sean. “Student suicide figures increase.” BBC News, BBC, 25 May 2016, www.bbc.com/news/education-36378573. “Benefits of Sports for Adolescents.” Missouri University Health Care, www.muhealth.org/conditions-treatments/pediatrics/adolescent-medicine/benefits-ofsports. LastWeekTonight. “Standardized Testing: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO).” YouTube, YouTube, 3 May 2015, www.youtube.com/watch? v=J6lyURyVz7k. “Dictionary by Merriam-Webster: America's most-Trusted online dictionary.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/.
Profile: Stephen Hawking
Parents: Frank Hawking and Isobel Hawking. Age: 75 years old Birthdate: 8 January 1942 Education: Trinity Hall Cambridge, St Albas High School, St Albas School, University of Oxford. Favorite subject: Math and Science Degree/major: Physics and Chemistry, PhD in Cambridge University Interest: The universe, especially black holes. Books: My Brief History, The Grand Design, A Brief History of Time, A Briefer History of Time, Black Holes: The Reith lectures, George and the Blue Moon, George and the Unbreakable Code, George and the Big Bang, George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt, George's Secret Key to the Universe, The Universe in a Nutshell, Black Holes and Baby Universes, On the Shoulders of Giants, The Large Scale Structure of Space-time Awards: Erdington Medal, Hughes Medal, Albert Einstein Medal, Prince of Asturias Awards. Educational quotes: “My goal is simple. It is complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all”. “Is it difficult to comprehend? Perhaps. But I believe it is still worth trying” “All of my life, I have been fascinated by the big questions that face us, and have tried to find scientific answers to them. If, like me, you have looked at the stars, and tried to make sense of what you see, you too have started to wonder what makes the universe exist” Stephen Hawking a severely deformed scientist with that change the world because of his knowledge and passion to understand everything about the universe. Despite his conditions he is still able to discover one of the greatest discovery. Before all his great discoveries, he went to the University of Oxford. He wanted to learn mathematics but apparently, mathematics isn’t available. So he chose to learn physics instead. Stephen Hawking redefined the Big Bang Theory through his incredible knowledge in science and math. He discovered a lot about the black hole. After all his theories about the black hole, his recent one was about escaping the black hole. The black hole is known for having a very strong and powerful gravity. And everything that enter the black hole will never be seen again. Some other scientist said that everything that comes in the black hole will be destroyed, and there is no possible way to escape. But Hawking said that there is a way and hope to escape the black hole. He discovered that some particles do escape from the black hole. Particles that are consist of photons, neutrinos, and other kind of
particles. And that is now called the Hawking radiation. And another of his idea is that the universe has no space or time boundaries. And he believes that there are aliens somewhere on the other galaxies. And some of those aliens can be very intelligent. Sir Isaac Newton belief is that God created the universe, or not the universe would be a mess. But doctor Hawking said that God/a creator isn’t necessary for the universe. Because his idea is that the law of gravity is able to create the universe from nothing without making any mess. He thinks it is possible for human to have God’s mind. For he said, "If we discover a complete theory, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason – for then we should know the mind of God." There are a lot more to discover about our universe. Like doctor Hawking, maybe someday you could discover something amazing for the rest of us to know and learn. Sources: http://www.hawking.org.uk/books.html http://www.hawking.org.uk/about-stephen.html http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/BlackHoles/hawking.html https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn28090-stephen-hawking-says-he-hasa-way-to-escape-from-a-black-hole/ http://totallyhistory.com/stephen-hawking/ https://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/sep/02/stephen-hawking-bigbang-creator https://owlcation.com/stem/What-Discoveries-Were-Made-by-StephenHawking http://www.ducksters.com/biography/scientists/stephen_hawking.php
“1984” By Lucas
Eric Arthur Blair was a British novelist and essayist known better by his
pseudonym: George Orwell. Two of his famous works include “Animal Farm” a satirical story on communism and “1984” a story about an totalitarian and authoritarian dictatorship. Despite the two books having garnered much critical acclaim, “1984”, in my opinion, stands out as the better book due to its simple yet enigmatic language, its vivid depiction of a dystopia and its controversial yet thoughtprovoking meaning. The main purpose of this book is encased in the scholarly term “Orwellian”. The term “Orwellian” mostly encompasses ideas of authoritarian or totalitarian rule, but when one reads “1984”, Orwellian defines a much more deeper meaning. Orwell’s “1984” is based on the life of Winston Smith. While the main character is often central to the story, the environment and surrounding in which the character is placed is more intriguing in this book. Most readers often associate dystopian and totalitarian societies to “1984” rather than to Winston Smith himself. Winston Smith is rather a medium for Orwell’s opinions and ideas towards a dystopia, akin to the eyes that view the world like Orwell does. To view a dystopia through an Orwellian perspective, one must examine the world he created. “1984” takes place in an unrecognizable world, where all remnants of history, peace, reality and individualism is dead. Human potential and the great path to civilization is completely abolished, destroyed or decimated. Why did all this happen? It all started from the end of World War II. In reality, Japan surrenders, Germany falls and the war ends. This is followed by decades of almost imminent nuclear war, namely the Cold War. In the end, the Soviet Union falls and nuclear war never actually happens. However, in Orwell’s world, the end of World War II is followed by World War III. What ensues is all out nuclear war between numerous countries, especially Britain. The Soviet Union then proceeds to wreak havoc across the world by invading mainland Europe. The British Commonwealth and the North American countries unified (or united) to form one country. Sometime after their unification, this country falls into civil war over Capitalist ideals against a newer ideology. This war was dubbed ‘The Revolution’ and the party supporting the newer ideology emerged victorious. Now, what was once separate
countries is ruled by one party and one party alone: INGSOC. This is where the story takes place the unified country called Oceania. All of this history is not known by the inhabitants of Oceania. Their thoughts and actions are controlled by INGSOC in some ways that are obvious. “Big Brother is watching you.” is an iconic phrase in pop culture that is derived from this book. The message conveyed in this line is as it states: Big Brother is watching everything you (the people in Oceania) do. Those who disobey suffer the consequences, similar to that of our modern justice system. The slightest of errors or the slightest threat imposed to INGSOC will be met with harsh punishments. There are other forms of control that are not so obvious. The public, as stated, is ignorant to the history of Oceania and the world. Why might INGSOC restrict the public from knowing? As another author puts it “The best way to keep a prisoner from escaping is to make sure he never knows he’s in prison” – Fyodor Dostoevsky. The ignorant and feeble-minded inhabitants allow for the inundation of propaganda. This propaganda is comprised of false statistics and history manufactured in what is called the ‘Ministry of Truth’. Similar to that of the modern government, INGSOC has branches from the aforementioned ‘Ministry of Truth’, as stated, responsible for manufacturing false history as propaganda. Other branches include the ‘Ministry of Peace’ or what we know as the military, the ‘Ministry of Love’ or concentration camps in which political enemies are tortured and lastly, what is known as ‘Joycamps’ or labor camps. The deliberate and intentional irony is a perfect example of ‘doublespeak’. ‘Doublespeak’ is a literary technique in which words are used euphemistically with the purpose of not conveying meaning, but rather to undermine and corrupt the very ideas of those words. For example: “War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery and Ignorance is Strength.” This control of language stems even further up to the point where the English Dictionary is cautiously dissected to eliminate words that encourage critical thinking. This new dialect is called Newspeak. Newspeak is comprised of simple concrete nouns and a collection of acronyms. This stems even further up to the point where a scholarly term dubbed by Orwell himself, called ‘doublethink’, is implemented in this society. ‘Doublethink’ is “the acceptance of contrary opinions or beliefs at the same time, especially as a result of political indoctrination.” as the dictionary puts it. In simple terms, ‘doublethink’ is a hypnotic state in which people are to disregard their own perception and in this case, rely on the government’s definition of reality itself. For instance: 2+2=4, but the government says 2+2=5, therefore the government is right. With the effect of ‘doublethink’, the people’s (Oceania’s) thoughts themselves are violated and dictated by INGSOC. Therefore, if one’s thoughts are out of line, he/she may be accused of a ‘Thoughtcrime’. How does this define “Orwellian” and provide us with a realistic illustration? It is the fact that there is a message conveyed by the book, hidden behind the façade of a totalitarian regime. The main purpose of this book was to display the impacts of language, especially political language, on the thoughts and opinions of everyone in our everyday lives. In an essay, Orwell stated that political language is meticulously designed to exaggerate or undermine the severity of atrocities by burying it in euphemisms. For
instance: the term “ethnic cleansing” is a euphemism for racial genocide, etc. All of this is conveyed in the term “Orwellian”. While people may associate it with authoritarian, it conceals a deeper message, that is the deceptive and manipulative use of language. As for the depiction of a dystopia, Orwell tries to convey the message or even tries to foreshadow the possibility of this sort of ruling to be present in democratic societies. This has led to conspiracy theories and controversy surrounding the book as many compare INGSOC to the U.S. government. Now why might this be educating on any level? It shows readers and learners the true power that language harbors, stemming from everyday chit-chat to negotiating war and peace between nations. It displays the notion that language has the ability to shape thought. It has the power to grant people the ability to think and communicate clearly. Unlike many other books, “1984” provides readers with the choices of taking numerous perspectives in reading. Through different perspectives, there are many secrets to be unveiled from reading it. “1984” covers not only the significance and often underestimated power of language. It may provide writers with ideas, considering this book has spawned a plethora of other novels and essays. It is also thought-provoking, allowing readers to compare democratic societies to INGSOC, often changing their worldview of the modern era. While some have made connections between modern society and Oceania’s, this may results in more awareness and caution in believing parts of the media. The notion of totalitarianism itself as illustrated in this book is one of the answers to “How would a totalitarian society look like?” All in all, Orwell’s “1984” has cemented itself in literature as a literary masterpiece, from depicting a dystopia to displaying a hidden meaning and foreshadowing. I would highly recommend it to all readers, perhaps at an intermediate level due to its not too complicated language. As stated, “1984” is the inspiration to numerous other books, including Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Intriguing, disturbing and enigmatic, while you read this book on your computer, just hope that Big Brother isn’t watching you.
Citations: AlternateHistoryHub. YouTube, YouTube, 3 Mar. 2017. www.youtube.com/watch? v=GQxOKXEff4I. McCrum, Robert. “1984: The masterpiece that killed George Orwell.” The Observer, Guardian News and Media, 9 May 2009, www.theguardian.com/books/2009/may/10/1984-george-orwell. “Dictionary by Merriam-Webster: America's most-Trusted online dictionary.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/.
Advice Column: Dear the member of E.D.U., I got a chance to go to both Harvard University and Oxford University. I don’t know which one I should pick. Since I heard a lot of good comments about both university. I’m also not very sure what I want to take as my major. But I am thinking of science and math. I wish you could help me decide which university to go to, it would mean a lot to me. Thank you for your time. From, The indecisive person
Dear indecisive person, Not only about the education from the university, you need to also think about which university will make you feel more comfortable. And it is also very important for you to know exactly what subject you want to take seriously. Oxford University is better in the economics study compared to Harvard University. But Harvard University is better in liberal arts studies. So you can discuss with your family which subject you should pick. If you decide to learn about mathematics or science suggest going to Harvard since it is a part of liberal arts. It is about your preference too. Harvard University is a private school, but Oxford University is a public school. Oxford University have a higher fee compared to Harvard University. And which is nearer to your family, so it is easier to keep in touvh with them. But if your family gives you permission to rent or buy a house near either of that university, you can worry less about the location of the university. So it is the matter of agreement with your family, your preferences and most importantly, what major you want to take. And think which university is more worth it for future. I hope our advice helps you pick which university to go to. And we are very happy to help you out. Source: https://www.differencebtw.com/difference-between-harvard-andoxford/ Sincerely, Member of E.D.U
How to get students more self-motivated By Bryan According to this article https://theconversation.com/how-gamification-canboost-student-success-81666 Students would be self-motivated to focus during lectures and practice or study the material. Unfortunately, this is often not the case for many reasons. Recognizing that engagement is one of the key elements for student success that’s what makes teachers and professors to develop and adopt techniques to foster it: Gamification. What is gamification? Gamification is a technique used by professors and teachers. Like games such as “leveling up”, quest, role play and etc. gamification involve using most of video game techniques in school uses such as leveling up every time for given homework, participation and etc. this makes students more engaged.
How to guide students through online content in education By Bryan Education is a process of learning or applying knowledge, skills, values, beliefs and habits. As I read this article https://theconversation.com/threestrategies-to-help-students-navigate-dodgy-online-content-85452. Educations do involve research too but not all subjects does this. Most research is done through the use of previous literature or sources from the Internet. According to a recent Stanford University Report, students’ ability to distinguish between questionable and valid online content Is an area to improve on. One example showed that researchers set high school students and university students rate the reliability of information found on MinimumWage.com only 9% of the high school students 6% of university students could identify the site was credible enough. The lack of critical judgment displayed by high school and university students as explained previously.