Of Standardized Testing
- Thread starter Joe Schmo
- Start date
AlexanderVonHresvelg
Active member
You need standardized tests for the reliability of tests over a nation. Now the validity, thats another question, but yes, we need the tests to be standardized so we can have fair testing.
SaintlyBloody
TKR 6 - The Herald
For nations with weak educational infrastructure, 'subjectivity' becomes a euphemism for nepotism, abuse of power (yes, educators are extremely powerful and students disempowered), politicization, corruption, and arbitrariness. Standardized testing, done right, can at least offer some degree of fairness and meritocracy. It also gives a lot more information about the examinee than is generally assumed. In both cases, anonymization and other ancillary measures are actually providing the fairness, but it is still far easier to do with standardized than not. On the other hand, too much standardization can become a trap leading down to the suppression of difference, ingenuity, even worse politicization, and the deterioration of cultural capital. In other words, it depends on the person who is using either method, in which cases, with what intentions, and via which techniques.
In general, I believe high trust, developed societies should take a mainly decentralized approach balanced with some standardization, and low trust/developing societies should take a mainly standardized approach with some exceptions (because even developing societies have islands of excellence), with the goal being eventual decentralization - but I could be wrong. A lot also depends on the importance education receives in the budget, the cultural traditions of the society concerned, etc.
In general, I believe high trust, developed societies should take a mainly decentralized approach balanced with some standardization, and low trust/developing societies should take a mainly standardized approach with some exceptions (because even developing societies have islands of excellence), with the goal being eventual decentralization - but I could be wrong. A lot also depends on the importance education receives in the budget, the cultural traditions of the society concerned, etc.
Etat
Well-known member
Food for thought to be sure!! Speaking only from my own perspective, it appears to me the national curriculum that was introduced in Australia several years ago has lead to a couple of trivial outcomes including a general decline in academic achievement and a loss of choice for parents of school kids.
But who cares about that though right?? The positives are that it has lead to an abundance of government employed bureaucrats and administrators, an exceptional amount of reporting requirements from teachers, a booming mental health industry for over-examined stressed out kids, and has opened the door to government (read lobbyist) contrived social "education" initiatives.
What's not to love about Australia's national curriculum???
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SaintlyBloody
TKR 6 - The Herald
So very sorry for this super late response. And yes, that's why I think developed/high trust societies are better off with more decentralization (depending on other factors), if they can make it work. Usually, they can make it work, and the sole reason it is easier to backfire against societies with low trust/development is that the corruption makes it difficult to enact, and it leads to fragmentation, inner strife, and implosion. I have a feeling that it's not so simple, but instrumentally, developed societies perhaps have larger burden of innovating to maintain their edge, while developing countries can simply emulate (cheaper) to catch up. In my own country, the only sectors that perform well are those run by the federal government, and all province run programmes suffer. Education is a concurrent subject, managed by both, and here too, there is a heaven and earth difference. Lip service was paid for maintaining the cultural and linguistic distinctiveness of the provinces when education was given to the jurisdiction of states, but what it has actually done is deprive students of good quality instruction and testing. Inept officials just say 'federal bogeyman bad' and keep sticking on to their power, no matter however inept they are. They also stupidly almost completely extinguished English from their curriculum, and these students have extreme difficulty absorbing complex thoughts in English or expressing their own complex thoughts in that language when they get to the University - and let's face it, the academic world is a world run in English right now. My point is, the principles of justice and equity often don't work in fragmented societies, and can potentially do a hell lot of harm, if one is not pragmatic.
Etat
Well-known member
It is clear to me that you have a better understanding of these issues than I do, and I appreciate the time you've put into your responses
I suspect you are right about centralized education being the better option in developing societies. Indeed I believe that within the borders of Australia, regional socio-economic profiles are correlated to academic outcomes which has driven the centralized approach I loathe. However I think they screwed it up. If a school attracts government funding then it makes sense their IP should be available to all government funded schools with the view to bring those struggling up to a competitive standard. Instead the government chose to impose a centrally designed curriculum with minimal scope for innovation across all schools including those producing fantastic results. They've essentially smothered the system with regulation and testing, and now wonder why it can't breath and fails to perform.
Really though all this is about for me is an opportunity to moan about the government of the day! We'll all be voting in the federal election very shortly, and one thing is certain....nothing will change
SaintlyBloody
TKR 6 - The Herald
Really, you're too kind. But I appreciate your words.It is clear to me that you have a better understanding of these issues than I do, and I appreciate the time you've put into your responses
I suspect you are right about centralized education being the better option in developing societies. Indeed I believe that within the borders of Australia, regional socio-economic profiles are correlated to academic outcomes which has driven the centralized approach I loathe. However I think they screwed it up. If a school attracts government funding then it makes sense their IP should be available to all government funded schools with the view to bring those struggling up to a competitive standard. Instead the government chose to impose a centrally designed curriculum with minimal scope for innovation across all schools including those producing fantastic results. They've essentially smothered the system with regulation and testing, and now wonder why it can't breath and fails to perform.
Really though all this is about for me is an opportunity to moan about the government of the day! We'll all be voting in the federal election very shortly, and one thing is certain....nothing will change
It's just something close to my heart (or let's say something that keeps me up at night owing to how bad it is), but I have no expertise/informed understanding whatsoever except for strong opinions. To be honest, what you said sounds like a right about nightmare! I fail to understand why Australians are always so dejected about the government though, because, after all, you can yell at your Prime Minister to get off your lawn and he will demurely scurry away like a scolded child.
That's a stereotype, ofc, and another way of saying I know too little about Australia to understand why that is. But unless I'm wrong, your country will be one of the most crucial countries in IR in this century - for many other reasons, but also for multiculturalism/immigration/first nation issues, and so far as I understand it, it'll change very deeply, and there will come many good and bad things out of that, however it changes (or doesn't change). It'll be very interesting to see how it manages the clash/fusion of so many abrupt elements at such a fast pace.
Etat
Well-known member
Indeed the problems we face pale to almost nothing in comparison to much of the world, typically scorned as first world problems, and I’m certainly drawing no comparisons to the plights of those elsewhere in the world. My position is of course relative to my circumstances.
But on a deeper level it’s important we get things right given how integrated, and in some instances dependent, regional economies are on us. On the surface of it screwing with our education system might not be particularly noteworthy, but looked at as a part of the broader machinations of society and government it can represent more sinister issues at heart.
I’ll stop now. I love your perspective, and I still detest Australian politics
SaintlyBloody
TKR 6 - The Herald
No, no, no comparisons intended! And this certainly is not what people mean when they say first world problems, not that I'd meant that. This sounds legitimately bad. I just meant that I wish to have known more about the Australian context to have been able to appreciate your perspective better, and that's a genuine wish. Given where we are situated, we are going to have to do that sooner or later, anyway.Indeed the problems we face pale to almost nothing in comparison to much of the world, typically scorned as first world problems, and I’m certainly drawing no comparisons to the plights of those elsewhere in the world. My position is of course relative to my circumstances.
But on a deeper level it’s important we get things right given how integrated, and in some instances dependent, regional economies are on us. On the surface of it screwing with our education system might not be particularly noteworthy, but looked at as a part of the broader machinations of society and government it can represent more sinister issues at heart.
I’ll stop now. I love your perspective, and I still detest Australian politics
Hopefully someone in the right place at the right time has an epiphany, and things take a better course, so that we might find some other issues to grumble about haha. Best of luck for your elections!