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Standardized Testing Going Digital: Good or Bad?

Emma Kitaygorodsky, Class III Photo Credits Pixbay




In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the digitization of standardized tests stands as a significant milestone. This shift from traditional assessments to digital brings forth a new era in student evaluation and educational measurement. As technology continues to seep into every aspect of our lives, its integration into standardized testing brings both benefits and challenges for students, educators, and policymakers alike.


Standardized testing has been part of the education system in the United States for more than a century. According to Education Advanced, a company that provides educational software to help teachers achieve efficiency in the classroom, there are three key reasons why standardized tests are prevalent in the United States. The first is to use these tests as a baseline for evaluating the student's performance against the representative sample used in the standardization process. The second is to help teachers develop curricula and fill knowledge gaps identified by these assessments. The third is to draw attention to a teacher's need for additional training if a class scores below state standards. Despite these goals, issues with standardized tests being “predictable” and “not measuring intelligence” are not rare according to Education Advanced.


Historically, state assessments like the SAT and ACT have been administered in a paper-and-pencil format, with standardized procedures and scoring criteria. On the day of the test, students were provided with paper test booklets containing multiple-choice questions and, in the case of the SAT, a separate essay section until 2021. The test booklets were standardized and identical for all. Along with the test booklet, students were given answer sheets, which they marked using pencils in bubbles corresponding to multiple-choice questions. The tests were administered under time constraints, with designated time limits for each section. The administration of paper-and-pencil standardized tests involved a structured process designed to ensure fairness, reliability, and consistency in assessment practices. 

      

Is this still true now?


In recent years, there has been a noticeable trend towards digitizing standardized tests, driven by advancements in technology and a growing demand for accessibility and flexibility in testing. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital testing as schools and testing agencies sought remote testing solutions to ensure the continuity of assessments despite disruptions to traditional testing practices. 


As of March 2023, the digital SAT was launched internationally and the digital PSAT came to the U.S. last fall. In the spring of 2024, students in the U.S. took the SAT digitally using personal or school-provided laptops, or tablets through an app called Bluebook. According to an interview with USA Today, a widely accredited newspaper and news broadcasting company, The College Board, the organization that administers the SAT, “believes digitization is for the better - that societal changes demand the modern format and that students are ready and eager to enter a new electronic era.” The new, digitized versions of the SAT and PSAT give testers a “fundamentally different experience” with test taking. 


One way in which the experience has changed is the shift to “adaptive” tests. The reading and math sections are still split up but in two modules for each section. USA Today explains that “a student’s performance in the first part of each section will determine the difficulty level of the second part.” Exam experts claim that while this "adaptive" testing will make tests easier for students who get test anxiety when answering challenging questions, it may disadvantage students who just had bad luck on the first part and have no choice but to receive a “lower-than-expected score because they won't receive as many points for an easier second half.” 


Additionally, the test has been cut down from three to about two hours for efficiency. Students will get more time per question, reading passages will be shorter, and math questions will become more concise. In an interview with USA Today, Priscilla Rodriguez, the College Board’s senior vice president of college readiness assessments said, “what students are telling us is… they feel less tired, less rushed and less freaked out.” 


But, how do the students at TBLS feel?


A google form survey was conducted with Class III and Class II students, asking them short response questions and receiving answers from 15 students overall. Based on the data, most students, while enjoying the added features of a displayed timer and online annotations, felt unaccomplished and rushed. One Class III student who recently took the PSAT believes, “If we push down this path of continuous digitalization of our examinations; it may seem easier and the interface may be more pleasing, but I see us losing our processes of critical thinking.”


In addition to limiting the development of students’ critical thinking skills by using more concise questions and passages, the digitization of standardized tests brings a host of challenges, chiefly among them being the unreliability of technology. In regions with inconsistent access to stable internet connections or outdated hardware, students may face significant barriers to accessing and completing these assessments. Furthermore, technical glitches or system failures during test-taking can unfairly disadvantage students, potentially impacting the outcome of their scores. Standardized test digitization runs the risk of escalating rather than resolving educational inequality until these technical disadvantages are properly addressed. Moreover, concerns about data privacy and security have also been raised.


Already these technological challenges can be seen in the experience of TBLS students with digital assessments. Based on a survey, most TBLS students either had or knew people in their testing rooms who experienced technical difficulties which caused them to feel more focused on the functionality of their technology rather than the test itself. Students also felt that while taking a test on a computer and paper are both stressful, on paper it feels more familiar and manageable. 


In conclusion, the digitization of standardized testing represents a significant shift in the field of education, offering both opportunities and challenges. As technology advances, it provides the potential for greater efficiency, accessibility, and customization in assessment methods. However, it raises concerns about equity, security, and the lack of opportunity to use critical thinking skills. Moving forward, educators, policymakers, and tech specialists must work collaboratively to navigate these problems, ensuring that digitized standardized testing serves as a tool for enhancing and promoting educational equity for all students.


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