A Study of Teachers’ Attitude, Perceptions and Experiences towards Standardized Testing as a Fair Judging System

A Study of Teachers’ Attitude, Perceptions and Experiences

Abstract

A standardized test is one that follows definite set of rules; administered and assessed in a consistent and predictable way. Standardized tests have same questions, administration settings, scoring methodologies, and interpretations, and they are provided and scored in a consistent manner. Achievement tests, diagnostic tests, and aptitude tests are the three types of standardized exams. The use of these tests in the classroom has had a considerable impact. The study aimed to analyze teachers’ attitude towards the use of standardized testing as a fair judging system and its effectiveness. Moreover, this research also analyzed teachers’ experiences regarding the effect of these tests on their instructional decisions. It was hypothesized that teachers would have positive attitude towards the use of the use of standardized testing as a fair judging system. It was also hypothesized that these tests affect teachers’ instructional decisions. This study is a cross sectional survey based on a closed-ended questionnaire that consists of twenty questions followed by five-point Likert scale. Teachers teaching in private and government schools/colleges of Masroor (Karachi) were research population. The researchers collected data from sixteen teachers using convenient sampling technique. The findings of the study illustrated that the majority of teachers had a positive opinion about the implementation of standardized testing as a fair judging system. Standardized assessments help teachers and students better diagnose their strengths and weaknesses. But they should not be used as the sole method of evaluating a student's academic progress. Assessments must cover all the learning objectives.