Testing, the great divide!
If my future were determined just by my performance on a standardized test, I wouldn’t be here. I guarantee you that — Michelle Obama | Barack Obama Madison Campaign Rally (2008)
My daughter and I were recently discussing the inequities when approaching ‘standardised testing’. As a modern history major, she recalled some parallels whilst studying the US Civil Rights Movement last year in high school, particularly reflecting on Frappell (2022). What struck her was the type of tests used to obstruct voter registration among the African American community. These tests exploited a loophole in the Voting Rights Act, reinforcing an inequitable system that prevented African Americans from registering and exercising their right to vote.
As we observe the unfolding of the US elections, we must ask ourselves…. has much really changed, or are we simply utilising another loophole to suppress the marginalised?
A comprehensive analysis by Morris (2011), highlights the consequential implications for teachers and students in OECD countries. The issues of narrowing a curriculum to suit the literacy and numeracy testing approaches, can be at the expense of ‘actual learning’ and ultimately undermine the integrity of the education system at a behavioural level (Morris, 2011).
Educational inequities persist globally, and the widening disparities will continue to perpetuate cycles of poverty and limit future opportunities for millions (UNESCO, 2023). The UNESCO (2023) report further critiques the reliance on standardised tests, which fail to consider socio-economic factors and disadvantage those who do not align with dominant cultural norms.
In her recent Ed-Tech TED Talk, Williams (2024) highlights the racial inequities embedded in education and advocates for a substantial shift to empower the next generation. She argues that continuing down a standardised path limits the effectiveness of true learning, leading to a decline in educational quality, stifling critical thinking and creativity, and exacerbating marginalisation.
She illustrates these points of missing narratives and racial bias within the subject of U.S. history, as outlined below:
We have an opportunity to reshape the future of learning, making it more equitable and effective for future generations. By moving away from standardised testing and creating a more adaptable, learner-centric educational ecosystem, we can better allocate resources to provide high-quality education that meets diverse needs and supports comprehensive learning beyond the formative years (Morris, 2011; Williams, 2024).
What we’re doing right now does not build thinkers. We need tinker thinkers. What we’re doing right now does not build creators, and we need creators — Tanishia Lavette Williams | The billion-dollar problem in education (2024)
(2023). Global Education Monitoring Report 2023: Technology in education: A tool on whose terms? GEM Report UNESCO. https://doi.org/10.54676/uzqv8501
Frappell S. (2022). Civil Rights in the USA: 1945–1968. Small Caps Publishing, Australia, https://smallcapspublishing.com.au/shop/ols/products/xn-civil-rights-in-the-usa-19451968-5m8t
Morris, A. (2011), “Student Standardised Testing: Current Practices in OECD Countries and a Literature Review”, OECD Education Working Papers, №65, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/5kg3rp9qbnr6-en
William, T. L. (2024). The billion-dollar problem in education. TED Talk. https://www.ted.com/talks/tanishia_lavette_williams_the_billion_dollar_problem_in_education
