Chapter 14 (Standardized Testing)
- Purpose of the activity: to use the Group Activity Rotating Small Group Stations to explore the current argument about using standards and high-stakes testing to measure accountability for schools and students. The activity should take place after the chapter has been discussed and completed.
- Key Concepts
- Accountability
- Standardized Testing uses
- Reliability
- Validity
- Test Bias
- Politicizing of Standardized Testing
- Materials
- Four articles on Testing and Accountability. They should be read before the class. I suggest the four articles listed below:
- Support High Stakes Testing (Please do not tell students the position of the articles).
- http://www.ed.gov/inits/backtoschool/teachers/part4.html
(Annual testing: Learning what works by U.S. Department of Education.
- http://www.heritage.org/views/2001/ed041201b.html (Schools: A high-test formula for success by Megan M. Farnsworth)
- Against High Stakes Testing (Please do not tell students the position of the articles).
- Four different colored magic markers to help differentiate the groups.
- Start with this Completion Exercise (remember to mention that teachers should always review what was discussed in a previous lesson --- that is, connecting old to new).
- Five ideas I remember about Standardized Testing from the readings identified above are:
- __________________
- __________________
- __________________
- __________________
- __________________
- Then have students pair with the person sitting next to them and take turns
sharing their answers. After this, have students share their responses for the
entire class. (The articles deal with high stakes testing and accountability and
there are two that support it and two that are against it).
- Explain that in class today we are going to use a group activity where movement
will play an important part. The activity is called: Rotating Small Group
Stations. It works as follows:
- We will form groups of five.
- There will be three rounds lasting 10 minutes each.
- There are four stations in the room and your group will meet at one station and answer the questions that appear on the newsprint chart found at every station. The suggested questions are follows: (They should be written and placed at the stations before the class begins).
- Station One (Alfie Kohn's article):
- What is Mr. Kohn's opinion on standardized testing?
- How does he support his opinion on standardized testing?
- Do you support/disagree with his viewpoints? Explain.
- Station Two (Megan M. Farnsworth's article):
- What is Ms. Farnsworth's opinion on standardized testing?
- What is the basis for her beliefs about Standardized Testing?
- Do you support/disagree with her viewpoints? Explain.
- Station Three (Kenneth Watson's article):
- What is Mr. Wesson's opinion on Standardized Testing?
- How does he support this position?
- Do you support/disagree with his viewpoint? Explain.
- Station Four: (Back to school,moving forward: Annual Testing:What Works by U.S. Department of Education).
- What is U. S. Department of Education's opinion on standardized testing?
- How do they support their position on standardized testing?
- Do you support/disagree with their viewpoint?
- Each group will have a different colored marker to differentiate each group.
During the first ten minute round, your group will discuss the question and
write your responses on the newsprint.
- After 10 minutes, the second round will begin. Your group will move to the next
station in a clockwise direction. You will continue your discussion by responding
to the comments left by the previous group.
- After 10 minutes, the third round will begin. Your group will move in a
clockwise motion to the next station. You will continue your discussion by
responding to the comments left by the previous group.
- After 10 minutes, the fourth and final round takes place. Your group will move
in a clockwise motion to the next station. You will continue your discussion by
responding to the comments left by the previous group.
· The rotation might look like this:
- Form your groups as follows:
- Number off your class in fours (1….2….3…..4……).
- Place all your 1's in one station, the 2's in another etc.
- Equalize each group by combining/re-grouping where necessary. Remember, 4/5 group members should be the maximum in each group.
- If you have a large class, you might want to organize groups with large numbers (5-7). Having more articles will
increase the amount of time for the activity. If you choose to use more groups and maintain small groups, I suggest the following articles to supplement the articles identified above:
- Supports Testing (Don't inform your class of this position)
- Station 5 (Article by Jeanne Allen)
- http://edreform.com/oped/2001/010723.htm
- What is Ms. Allen's opinion on standardized testing?
- How do you think she feels about schools that have teachers teach for the test? Explain.
- Do you support/disagree with her viewpoints? Explain.
Or
- Station 5 (Article by U.S. Department of Education
- http://www.ed.gov/nclb/testingforresults/
(Testing for results: Helping families,schools and communities understand and improve student achievement, by U.S. Department of Education).
- What is U. S. Department of Education's opinion on standardized testing?
- What do you think is their strongest argument about standardized testing?
- Do you support/disagree with their viewpoint? Explain
Against High Stakes Testing (Don't inform your class of this position)
- Station 6 (Editorial by Patrick Welsh)
- http://www.usatoday.com/news/comment/2002/07/10/ncguest1.htm (Testing,vouchers fail to solve problems of the poor, by Patrick Welsh)
- What is Mr. Welsh's opinion on standardized testing?
- What is the basis from his argument about high stakes testing?
- Do you support/disagree with their viewpoint? explain
- Have your groups meet and work.
- After each group is finished, have them meet at their original station. Have
each group summarize their beliefs/opinions on a separate piece of newsprint.
Then have each group report their findings using a whole class presentation.
- Conclude the activity by having your class reflect on the whole experience. I
suggest the following format:
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