• Standardized tests fail to account for students who learn and demonstrate academic proficiency in different ways. For example, a student who struggles to answer a multiple-choice question about grammar or punctuation may be an excellent writer.

💬 Tests like these may not accurately measure their true abilities and potential.

• By placing emphasis on reading, writing, and mathematics, standardized tests have devalued instruction in areas such as the arts, history, and electives.

💬 This narrow focus can limit students' overall educational experience and hinder their development of critical thinking skills. Focusing on a limited set of subjects can also contribute to inequalities by failing to recognize all students' diverse talents and strengths.

Effects of Standardized Testing on Teachers

• Teachers may feel excessive pressure from their schools and administrators to improve their standardized test scores.

💬 As teachers strive to meet these expectations, they may be forced to prioritize teaching to the test over providing a well-rounded education. This can lead to a narrowing of the curriculum and less time devoted to subjects that are not tested, potentially limiting students' exposure to a variety of important knowledge and skills. 

Student choice: Offer multiple response formats and performance mediums such as, written, oral, graphic. 

Personal relevance: Allow students to include their own relevant personal experiences to a topic. For example, discuss experiences of prejudice in a task related to Martin Luther King Jr. 

Transfer of knowledge and skills: Offer variation in requiring transference of knowledge and skill to novel, complex situations. For example, some students might measure a simpler three-dimensional object, like a see-saw, while more advanced students measure a complex object, like a climbing structure on a playground. 

Pace and structure: Provide students with flexibility in the amount of time allowed to complete the task and offer a variety of structures and supports to students. For example, provide a study carrel for an easily distracted student. 

Complexity of resources: Provide resources and materials with a range of complexity. For example, texts at different reading levels.

1. Kahoot!: Student-response tool that allows teachers to run game-like quizzes and build presentations with embedded quizzes. Teachers can either create their own quizzes or find, use, and/or remix public quizzes.

2. Poll Everywhere: Student-response tool that offers whole-class participation and assessment through teacher-designed surveys, polls, and discussion boards.

3. Pear Deck: An interactive presentation and lesson delivery tool that can be used via the web or as an add-on or integration with a variety of other programs. It offers a variety of ways to engage and assess.