High Stakes Testing

1
High Stakes Testing

• AIMS
• and
• the
• Pressure of
• Teaching and Learning

2
Argument

• Has the pressure of AIMS testing created a
  sterile learning environment by pressuring
  teachers and students?
• Audience
• State Board of Education
• Teachers
• Students

3
Arizona Board of Education

• Mission Statement
• To assist the educational community and the
  public by developing rigorous academic content
  standards and providing valid, reliable student
  assessments aligned to the standards.

4
Background

• Superintendent Tom Horne
• -AIMS proposition questioned by many due to its
  format, execution, and grading scale.
• -Ballot proposition passed in November 2000,
  would make the Arizona Instrument to Measure
  Standards (AIMS) required for a high school
  diploma.

5
What is AIMS

• Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards
• Three portion test
• Reading- One session/ 2 hours
• Writing- One session/ 2-2.5 hours
• Math- Two 90min sessions
• Requirement for high school diploma

6
Student Report
7
Sample QuestionMath
Mary wrote a sequence using the following
steps She chose -10 as the first term. Each
term after the first was 4 less than the
immediately preceding term. What are the
first five terms in Marys sequence? A -10,
-6, -2, 0, 4 B -10, -6, -2, 2, 6 C -10, -14,
-18, -20, -24 D -10, -14, -18, -22, -26
8
State Board of Education Believes

• Having to meet these requirements will make
  students work harder
• Having to pass an exit exam will decrease the
  number of students graduating without the proper
  math, reading, and writing skills.
• This will benefit the students in the future.
• Lastly, they believe it will help students learn
  general education that students need in everyday
  life.

9
Teachers and AIMS

• Teachers are held responsible
• They do not get a pay increase if students do
  well, or a pay decrease for students doing poorly
• Only 95 of students must be tested
• After three years of failure further help and
  steps must be taken (not only teachers teaching-
  Conflicting knowledge)

10
Student Issues

• Attitude and understanding of AIMS testing
• Education focused on individual success
• Curriculum geared toward test taking
• Lack of communication

11
Attitude

• More time spent on CONFIDENCE
• Current Stanford research indicates that
  confidence is the most important preparation for
  a test
• Successful students
• comprehend the purpose for testing
• realize how the results will be used
• understand the importance of the test
• recognize the relevance of the test to
  instruction
• expect to do well on standardized tests
• are confident in their abilities to do well on
  tests

12
Individual vs. Group

• AIMS testing supports Arizona education while
  improving individuals understanding of the
  subject.
• -Standardized testing does not promote group
  problem solving
• Students often learn more from peer
  interaction rather than teacher lectures
• Testing is an individual activity that is never
  applied outside of the academic world, testing is
  not a real world occurrence.
• -Preparing for something that will only occur
  during adolescence

13
AIMS education

• AIMS testing has influenced Arizona curriculum
• -Students are taught the foundations of the
  test
• - Set Goals
• Creativity/fun?
• Prepare for testing
• Organization skills
• Memorization rather than comprehension
• Students goal is to pass the test and
  understanding of the subject is secondary

14
Lack of
Communication

• Intentions of AIMS test are unclear to students
• Vague goals
• Standardized testing is student centered and
  goal driven but goals often remain veiled to
  students.
• AIMS testing creates tension
• School- Requirement to graduate
• Home- Parents push for excellence
• Parents are also an uninformed public

15
Concluding

• AIMS testing has many variables that benefit and
  harm the Arizona education system
• Testing places pressure on both students and
  teachers
• A new style of teaching and learning is
  produced with AIMS testing
• Teachers feel pressure to instruct the
  specifics of AIMS, while students memorize
  empty facts
• A clear line of communication must be formed with
  all individuals involved if AIMS testing is to be
  relevant