by JASON GOTS
What exactly is “teaching to the test”? If you’re a fan of the nationwide public school “accountability movement”, which has resulted in more frequent standardized testing at every grade level, it means teaching kids what national education experts agree they need to know.
If you hate the movement, it means either a) teaching test prep tricks, or b) teaching a limited range of factoids that are likely to appear on the test, in lieu of more meaningful content.
According to Princeton Neuroscientist Sam Wang, tests can be a valuable teaching tool when used effectively, and when used in combination with enjoyable, interactive projects that enable students to construct meaning actively (rather than learning it by rote).
Sam Wang: It turns out that both psychology and neuroscience research have converged on the idea that testing itself can, in fact, enhance learning. So, for instance, if I give you a little quiz, then immediately after I say “well, that part was right, and that part was wrong,” then you, the student, will often learn a little bit more.
On this score, standardized tests fall short as a teaching tool in that they don’t provide immediate feedback. The student gets a (monolithic, non-itemized) score weeks or months later. Few teachers revisit the test questions, allowing each student to examine and learn from her mistakes.
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