History Standardized test

1 history

1.1 china
1.2 uk
1.3 united states
1.4 australia

history
china

the earliest evidence of standardized testing in china, during han dynasty, imperial examinations covered 6 arts included music, archery, horsemanship, arithmetic, writing, , knowledge of rituals , ceremonies of both public , private parts. these exams used select employees state bureaucracy.

later, sections on military strategies, civil law, revenue , taxation, agriculture , geography added testing. in form, examinations institutionalized more millennium. today, standardized testing remains used, famously in gaokao system.

uk

standardized testing introduced europe in 19th century, modeled on chinese mandarin examinations, through advocacy of british colonial administrators, persistent of britain s consul in guangzhou, china, thomas taylor meadows. meadows warned of collapse of british empire if standardized testing not implemented throughout empire immediately.

prior adoption, standardized testing not traditionally part of western pedagogy; based on skeptical , open-ended tradition of debate inherited ancient greece, western academia favored non-standardized assessments using essays written students. because of this, first european implementation of standardized testing did not occur in europe proper, in british india. inspired chinese use of standardized testing, in 19th century, british company managers hired , promoted employees based on competitive examinations in order prevent corruption , favoritism. practice of standardized testing later adopted in late 19th century british mainland. parliamentary debates ensued made many references chinese mandarin system.

it britain standardized testing spread, not throughout british commonwealth, europe , america. spread fueled industrial revolution. increase in number of school students during , after industrial revolution, result of compulsory education laws, decreased use of open-ended assessment, harder mass-produce , assess objectively due intrinsically subjective nature. instance, measurement error easy determine in standardized testing, whereas in open-ended assessment, graders have more individual discretion , therefore more produce unfair results through unconscious bias. when score depends upon graders individual preferences, result individual student receives depends upon grades test.

more recently, standardized testing has been shaped in part, ease , low cost of grading of multiple-choice tests computer. though process more difficult grading multiple-choice tests electronically, essays can graded computer. in other instances, essays , other open-ended responses graded according pre-determined assessment rubric trained graders. example, @ pearson, essay graders have four-year university degrees, , majority current or former classroom teachers.

united states

standardized testing has been part of american education since 1800s, widespread reliance on standardized largely 20th-century phenomenon. instance college entrance examination board did not begin standardized testing in connection higher education until 1900. test implemented idea of creating standardized admissions united states in northeastern elite universities. originally, test meant top boarding school in order standardize curriculum. origins in world war army alpha , beta tests developed robert yerkes , colleagues. before then, immigration in mid-19th century contributed growth of standardized tests in united states. standardized tests used in immigration when people first came on test social roles , find social power , status.

originally standardized test made of essays , not intended widespread testing. college board designed sat(scholar aptitude test) in 1926 broader iq test. notably, army iq tests first sat test based on in order determine student’s intelligence, problem solving skills, , critical thinking. in 1959, everett lindquist offered act (american college testing) first time. act includes 4 main sections multiple choice questions test english, mathematics, reading, , science, plus optional writing section.

large population state testing began in 1970s, , in 1980s america began assess nationally. in 2012, 45 states annual spending on assessments cost $27 per student , $669 million overall. however, once test involved administrative costs included cost per student increased $1100. need federal government make meaningful comparisons across highly de-centralized (locally controlled) public education system has contributed debate standardized testing, including elementary , secondary education act of 1965 required standardized testing in public schools. u.s. public law 107-110, known no child left behind act of 2001, further ties public school funding standardized testing. goal of no child left behind improve education system in united states holding school , teachers accountable , attempting close educational gap between minority , non-minority children in public schools. students results on standardized tests used allocate funds , other resources such teachers , administrators schools. policy not provide federal standard schools, allows each state set own standards. every student succeeds act replaced nclb. signed law president obama on december 10, 2015. act created in order revise provisions of nclc in order further allow student achievement , success.

standardized testing common way of determining student s past academic achievement , future potential. however, high-stakes tests (whether standardized or non-standardized) can cause anxiety. when teachers or schools rewarded better performance on tests, rewards encourage teachers teach test instead of providing rich , broad curriculum. in 2007 qualitative study done au wayne demonstrated standardized testing narrows curriculum , encourages teacher-centered instruction. result, standardized testing has become controversial in united states.

australia

the australian national assessment program – literacy , numeracy (naplan) standardized testing commenced in 2008 australian curriculum, assessment , reporting authority, independent authority responsible development of national curriculum, national assessment program , national data collection , reporting program supports 21st century learning australian students .

the testing includes students in years 3, 5, 7 , 9 in australian schools assessed using national tests. subjects covered in these testings include reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar , punctuation) , numeracy.

the program presents students level reports designed enable parents see child s progress on course of schooling life, , teachers improve individual learning opportunities students. students , school level data provided appropriate school system on understanding can used target specific supports , resources schools need them most. teachers , schools use information, in conjunction other information, determine how students performing , identify areas of need requiring assistance.

the concept of testing student achievement not new, although current australian approach may said have origins in current educational policy structures in both usa , uk. there several key differences between australian naplan , uk , usa strategies. schools found under-performing in australian context offered financial assistance under current federal government policy.