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Atkinson, Richard. Standardized Tests and Access to American Universities. University of California Office of the President -SelectedWorks of Richard Atkinson (2001): 137-148. Web. 3 Apr. 2015.
Atkinson critiques the increased emphasis which has been placed upon standardized tests; announcing that they have distorted the educational system in the United States. In the process he concludes this distortion has created negative viewpoints which students impose on themselves along with the changing image of the educator who is now focused more on gaining high test scores. The author indicates standardized tests may be helpful indicators in order to see how students and schools are performing, but when they are used incorrectly their credibility disappears. By having witnessed the effects of standardized tests in the modern education system, Atkinson has created a platform of recommendations which aim to reinvent the requirements for standardized tests.
Berry, Christopher M. and Sackett Paul R. Individual Differences in Course Choice Result in Underestimation of the Validity of College Admissions Systems. Association for Psychological Science 20.7 (2009): 822-829. Web. 5 Apr. 2015.
Based on a previous study, Berry and Sackett perform and detail their own case in which they prove past studies have often underestimated the predictive abilities of standardized tests along with high school GPAs. They build up the important employment of scores received from standardized tests and high school grades in the college admissions process and how they intersect in order to construct an academic performance profile for students. In order to conclude results this duo calculated predictive individual course grades and compared them to results from high school grades and standardized test scores and found both of these scores provide accurate assessments in predicting academic achievement at the higher institution level.
Costa, Arthur L. and Marzano, Robert J. Question: Do Standardized Tests Measure General Cognitive Skills? Answer: No. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. (1988): 66-71. Web. 5 Apr. 2015.
Costa and Marzano analyze various studies which focus around the cognitive abilities of students and their relationship to success on standardized tests. They look into the ways in which students are prepared and how particular cognitive abilities come into play when answering different sorts of questions. Despite the publishing date of this source (1988), it predicts revolutionary ideas in order to modify standardized tests to focus more upon learning and being able to apply concepts instead of knowing tricks to bypass difficult questions. In the current time, their forecasts have largely been adopted in a move towards testing which assess at a broader range and is taken beyond the classroom (71).
Geiser, Saul and Santellices, Maria Veronica. Validity of High-School Grades In Predicting Student Success Beyond The Freshman Year: High School Record vs. Standardized Tests as Indicators of Four-Year College Outcomes. University of California, Berkeley-Center For Studies in Higher Education. (2007): 1-35. Web. 4 Apr. 2015.
The main point of this piece emphasizes the idea providing high school grade point average is the best predictor of grades during freshmen year and beyond at institutions of higher education. Geiser and Santellices reach these conclusions through using supporting evidence from a case study performed at the University of California, Berkley which follows over 80,000 students and their grades during their time attending the university. Provided through evidence of other case studies they focus upon the trend towards moving away from standardized tests and adding more weight back upon a student’s high school record in evaluating their college performance. After taking the stance to return focus on high school performance rather than standardized test scores, they conclude this to be an accurate measure in predicting performance abilities. They include support which also emphasizes that this movement levels the playing field by diminishing socio-economic and minority limitations which currently remain in place.
Noble, Julie P.; Sawyer, Richard L. Is High School GPA Better Than Admission Test Scores for Predicting Academic Success in College? College and University 79.4 (2004). Web. 5 Apr. 2015.
Based on various prediction equations Noble and Sawyer dive into studying the accuracy of high school grades and standardized test scores and their impacts on predicting success at institutions of higher education. They found that ACT scores were effective measures in predicting success at all first-year GPA levels included in their study and overall provided more accurate indicators than compared to those of high school CPA. Through the employment of actual statistical data these researchers are able to establish a valid point which is based upon facts and reassures the correlation between scores received on standardized tests and grades received at the college level. Recognizing recent trends in the admissions policy of major institutions, Noble and Sawyer go on to provide confidence that these correlations which they found may not stand true for forever and may even change in response to other modifications occurring in this industry.
Banner Image courtesy of CIA Library (Flickr).
Atkinson, Richard. Standardized Tests and Access to American Universities. University of California Office of the President -SelectedWorks of Richard Atkinson (2001): 137-148. Web. 3 Apr. 2015.
Atkinson critiques the increased emphasis which has been placed upon standardized tests; announcing that they have distorted the educational system in the United States. In the process he concludes this distortion has created negative viewpoints which students impose on themselves along with the changing image of the educator who is now focused more on gaining high test scores. The author indicates standardized tests may be helpful indicators in order to see how students and schools are performing, but when they are used incorrectly their credibility disappears. By having witnessed the effects of standardized tests in the modern education system, Atkinson has created a platform of recommendations which aim to reinvent the requirements for standardized tests.
Berry, Christopher M. and Sackett Paul R. Individual Differences in Course Choice Result in Underestimation of the Validity of College Admissions Systems. Association for Psychological Science 20.7 (2009): 822-829. Web. 5 Apr. 2015.
Based on a previous study, Berry and Sackett perform and detail their own case in which they prove past studies have often underestimated the predictive abilities of standardized tests along with high school GPAs. They build up the important employment of scores received from standardized tests and high school grades in the college admissions process and how they intersect in order to construct an academic performance profile for students. In order to conclude results this duo calculated predictive individual course grades and compared them to results from high school grades and standardized test scores and found both of these scores provide accurate assessments in predicting academic achievement at the higher institution level.
Costa, Arthur L. and Marzano, Robert J. Question: Do Standardized Tests Measure General Cognitive Skills? Answer: No. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. (1988): 66-71. Web. 5 Apr. 2015.
Costa and Marzano analyze various studies which focus around the cognitive abilities of students and their relationship to success on standardized tests. They look into the ways in which students are prepared and how particular cognitive abilities come into play when answering different sorts of questions. Despite the publishing date of this source (1988), it predicts revolutionary ideas in order to modify standardized tests to focus more upon learning and being able to apply concepts instead of knowing tricks to bypass difficult questions. In the current time, their forecasts have largely been adopted in a move towards testing which assess at a broader range and is taken beyond the classroom (71).
Geiser, Saul and Santellices, Maria Veronica. Validity of High-School Grades In Predicting Student Success Beyond The Freshman Year: High School Record vs. Standardized Tests as Indicators of Four-Year College Outcomes. University of California, Berkeley-Center For Studies in Higher Education. (2007): 1-35. Web. 4 Apr. 2015.
The main point of this piece emphasizes the idea providing high school grade point average is the best predictor of grades during freshmen year and beyond at institutions of higher education. Geiser and Santellices reach these conclusions through using supporting evidence from a case study performed at the University of California, Berkley which follows over 80,000 students and their grades during their time attending the university. Provided through evidence of other case studies they focus upon the trend towards moving away from standardized tests and adding more weight back upon a student’s high school record in evaluating their college performance. After taking the stance to return focus on high school performance rather than standardized test scores, they conclude this to be an accurate measure in predicting performance abilities. They include support which also emphasizes that this movement levels the playing field by diminishing socio-economic and minority limitations which currently remain in place.
Noble, Julie P.; Sawyer, Richard L. Is High School GPA Better Than Admission Test Scores for Predicting Academic Success in College? College and University 79.4 (2004). Web. 5 Apr. 2015.
Based on various prediction equations Noble and Sawyer dive into studying the accuracy of high school grades and standardized test scores and their impacts on predicting success at institutions of higher education. They found that ACT scores were effective measures in predicting success at all first-year GPA levels included in their study and overall provided more accurate indicators than compared to those of high school CPA. Through the employment of actual statistical data these researchers are able to establish a valid point which is based upon facts and reassures the correlation between scores received on standardized tests and grades received at the college level. Recognizing recent trends in the admissions policy of major institutions, Noble and Sawyer go on to provide confidence that these correlations which they found may not stand true for forever and may even change in response to other modifications occurring in this industry.
Banner Image courtesy of CIA Library (Flickr).