Time for a standardised test
TIME FOR A STANDARDISED TEST
Let’s start with a little multiple choice exam, shall we?
Question 1: NAPLAN is a tool for:
a) Finding out how smart your kid is.
b) Improving Educational Outcomes.
c) Selecting where you should send your kids to school.
d) None of the above
The answer is D. BTW if you were wanting to answer the above question in any other way than the ways I have ascribed you are WRONG!!!
So if you disagreed with the choices there, just mark yourself down as 0/1. If you selected (d) give yourself a tick. (That’s called ‘cultural bias’ btw and I intend on using it throughout the test and if you have a problem with that just hand in your paper now and put your head on the desk.)
You might have some really good arguments for why none of those responses fit your assessment of NAPLAN. Too bad. Doesn’t feel quite right does it?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. The guy who invented standardised tests felt exactly the same way.
You may not have heard of him, so let’s do a little test to see if you are in the top percentile of people who can recall largely unimportant facts that will never help you navigate the real world.
Question 2: The inventor of the standardised test was:
a) Frederick J. Kelly
b) Kelly J. Frederick
c) John K. Frederick
d) Kelly F. Johns
You needed to go (a) on that one BTW. A little bit more information on Frederick J. Kelly. He invented the multiple choice test in 1914. World War 1 was busting out and we needed a way to quickly and efficiently, test and assign young people to the right factory or role in the military. No, I’m not joking.
Question 3: Now at the time Fred developed the test he said quite clearly:
a) ”This test is the future of education”
b) “This test is creating smarter students”
c) “The best schools should all use this kind of test.”
d) “This test is a dud”
You needed to go (d) on that one. In his actual words, he said, “This is a test of lower order thinking for the lower orders.” In other words, it tests an incredibly limited amount of what is taught and therefore has an incredibly limited worth.
In fact, as the President of Idaho University a couple of years later, Fred actually stated that he “got it wrong.” The “powers that be” disagreed and promptly sacked him.
Yes. That’s right. Standardised testing was rejected by the guy who invented standardised testing.
Question 4: But 100 years later we still use it because:
a) It’s the way we’ve always done things.
b) It’s improving educational outcomes.
c) It’s the best thing we have.
d) It’s easy.
I’m afraid that’s d) as well. [Never listen to that friend next to the bubbler that tells you to always go c) – he’s full of it.]
Let’s look at these answers though.
a) It’s not the way we’ve always done things. Standardised testing is 105 years old. NAPLAN is ten years old. People learned things prior to NAPLAN and they will continue to do so afterwards.
b) It’s not improving outcomes. Nope. Not at all. In fact, NAPLAN is having no positive effect on our children’s educational success at all.
The most comprehensive report of NAPLAN ever undertaken, is by Dr John Ainley, with data from the Australian Council for Educational Research. He concluded that there was ‘little change in the average NAPLAN numeracy scores at any year level in any state or territory between 2008 and 2017, (apart from one brief rise in year 5 scores in 2008-2009 … statistical anomaly much!!!)
In fact, well respected reports show Australia ‘spilling our lollies” dropping to 17 out of 21 schools internationally in maths/ science. A little inconsistent with the rhetoric on STEM – but don’t get me started on that one!!!
c) It’s the best thing we have. Nope. Also, not true. The schools that are achieving throughout this farce are doing what? Extra NAPLAN practice – nope.
They are hiring more teachers in specialist areas of need. Really? – “who would have thunk it!?” When you allocate more funds to the areas where its needed, you get better results – crazy town!!!
d) Then that leaves us with it’s easy and efficient.
And it is. Like a well oiled machine. Doesn’t matter what its spitting out. Just as long as its spitting out something – even if that something is our kids.
So, let’s look at your results?
0/4 – Take a good hard look at yourself.
1/4 – Did you actually read the questions?
2/4 – Maybe think about grabbing one of those NAPLAN preparation books from your local bookstore as bedtime reading – yes they really sell them.
3/4 - Don’t worry. I didn’t know who Frederick J. Kelly was either.
4/4- Congratulations. You got 100% (and this will have absolutely no bearing on how kind happy, successful, smart or rich you will become in the future.)
Andrew ‘Listens to Fred’ Wright.
TIME FOR A STANDARDISED TEST
Let’s start with a little multiple choice exam, shall we?
Question 1: NAPLAN is a tool for:
a) Finding out how smart your kid is.
b) Improving Educational Outcomes.
c) Selecting where you should send your kids to school.
d) None of the above
The answer is D. BTW if you were wanting to answer the above question in any other way than the ways I have ascribed you are WRONG!!!
So if you disagreed with the choices there, just mark yourself down as 0/1. If you selected (d) give yourself a tick. (That’s called ‘cultural bias’ btw and I intend on using it throughout the test and if you have a problem with that just hand in your paper now and put your head on the desk.)
You might have some really good arguments for why none of those responses fit your assessment of NAPLAN. Too bad. Doesn’t feel quite right does it?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. The guy who invented standardised tests felt exactly the same way.
You may not have heard of him, so let’s do a little test to see if you are in the top percentile of people who can recall largely unimportant facts that will never help you navigate the real world.
Question 2: The inventor of the standardised test was:
a) Frederick J. Kelly
b) Kelly J. Frederick
c) John K. Frederick
d) Kelly F. Johns
You needed to go (a) on that one BTW. A little bit more information on Frederick J. Kelly. He invented the multiple choice test in 1914. World War 1 was busting out and we needed a way to quickly and efficiently, test and assign young people to the right factory or role in the military. No, I’m not joking.
Question 3: Now at the time Fred developed the test he said quite clearly:
a) ”This test is the future of education”
b) “This test is creating smarter students”
c) “The best schools should all use this kind of test.”
d) “This test is a dud”
You needed to go (d) on that one. In his actual words, he said, “This is a test of lower order thinking for the lower orders.” In other words, it tests an incredibly limited amount of what is taught and therefore has an incredibly limited worth.
In fact, as the President of Idaho University a couple of years later, Fred actually stated that he “got it wrong.” The “powers that be” disagreed and promptly sacked him.
Yes. That’s right. Standardised testing was rejected by the guy who invented standardised testing.
Question 4: But 100 years later we still use it because:
a) It’s the way we’ve always done things.
b) It’s improving educational outcomes.
c) It’s the best thing we have.
d) It’s easy.
I’m afraid that’s d) as well. [Never listen to that friend next to the bubbler that tells you to always go c) – he’s full of it.]
Let’s look at these answers though.
a) It’s not the way we’ve always done things. Standardised testing is 105 years old. NAPLAN is ten years old. People learned things prior to NAPLAN and they will continue to do so afterwards.
b) It’s not improving outcomes. Nope. Not at all. In fact, NAPLAN is having no positive effect on our children’s educational success at all.
The most comprehensive report of NAPLAN ever undertaken, is by Dr John Ainley, with data from the Australian Council for Educational Research. He concluded that there was ‘little change in the average NAPLAN numeracy scores at any year level in any state or territory between 2008 and 2017, (apart from one brief rise in year 5 scores in 2008-2009 … statistical anomaly much!!!)
In fact, well respected reports show Australia ‘spilling our lollies” dropping to 17 out of 21 schools internationally in maths/ science. A little inconsistent with the rhetoric on STEM – but don’t get me started on that one!!!
c) It’s the best thing we have. Nope. Also, not true. The schools that are achieving throughout this farce are doing what? Extra NAPLAN practice – nope.
They are hiring more teachers in specialist areas of need. Really? – “who would have thunk it!?” When you allocate more funds to the areas where its needed, you get better results – crazy town!!!
d) Then that leaves us with it’s easy and efficient.
And it is. Like a well oiled machine. Doesn’t matter what its spitting out. Just as long as its spitting out something – even if that something is our kids.
So, let’s look at your results?
0/4 – Take a good hard look at yourself.
1/4 – Did you actually read the questions?
2/4 – Maybe think about grabbing one of those NAPLAN preparation books from your local bookstore as bedtime reading – yes they really sell them.
3/4 - Don’t worry. I didn’t know who Frederick J. Kelly was either.
4/4- Congratulations. You got 100% (and this will have absolutely no bearing on how kind happy, successful, smart or rich you will become in the future.)
Andrew ‘Listens to Fred’ Wright.