Do ACT and SAT tests measure a student’s aptitude or are they testing to see how students perform under pressure? Does that truly matter?
Is There any Justification for Timed Tests?
It is an accepted practice that standardized assessments are timed. But, what does it actually prove that a student can solve "x" amount of problems in a specific time span?
Howard Gardner, professor of cognitive psychology at Harvard Graduate School of Education, questions this practice. He is probably best known for his book, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. [Basic Books, 1983] The College Board recently made the decision to not notify colleges which students requested more time to complete the SAT. While Gardner agrees with The College Board, he questions if there is any validity in timing these tests in the first place. If the SAT is given to predict whether a student is capable of completing a college education, then how does timing of a test come into play? [1]
Are there occasions in the "real world" that have linked timing to success? Are drivers timed when they take the driver’s test? Are they better drivers if they take it quickly? When a student is given a writing assignment, does the teacher care how long it took to write it? When developing a science project, does it matter how quickly the student completed the final project or is a quality product the goal? When spelling a word, does it matter how quickly the student spelled it or is it more important that it is correct? Is it more important how long a student took to do homework or is the quality of the homework more important?
Requiring students to take tests with no manuals or notes is also not a "real world" practice. In the work place, individuals are allowed to use reference materials. "And if, the day after tomorrow, students were allowed to bring along dictionaries, or even to have access to the Web, so much the better. Such a change would far more accurately duplicate the conditions under which serious individuals at any level of expertise actually do their work," says Gardner. [1]
Many are Allowed More Time on ACT and SAT Tests
In 2009, over 40,000 students were given special accommodations when taking the SAT alone. Most of these students had learning disabilities and were given more time to take the tests. Common changes made are to give students time and a half or double time.
Who are these students? It is highly unlikely that parents in lower socio-economic groups would know that this is a possibility to help their child do well. The College Board is not releasing the family income range of students receiving accommodations. [2]
More Opinions Against Timing ACT and SAT
Valerie Strauss, writer of "The Answer Sheet: A School Survival Guide for Parents" for the Washington Post, also weighs in on the topic of timed tests. Strauss states, "Why, exactly, are these tests timed the way they are? It’s not because extensive research has shown that subjecting students to exactly this amount of time to complete these academic problems reveals something important about a teenager. It’s because of securing and paying proctors and test sites for unspecified amounts of time." [3]
Fair Test, The National Center for Fair & Open Testing, has loudly voiced opinions about ACT and SAT tests not even being necessary for college admissions. In addition, Fair Test has been a strong supporter of having the tests being untimed, if taken at all.
Gardner from Harvard argues that the time factor should be eliminated for all students that take the test. Strauss from the Washington Post agrees. Fair Test has been stating the same for many years. Perhaps, now is the time to take a look for any justification in having timed tests and persuade SAT and ACT to eliminate time restrictions.
[1] Gardner, Howard. "Test for Aptitude, Not for Speed." The New York Times, July 18, 2002.
[2] Franek, Mark. "Time to Think." The New York Times, March 29, 2006.
[3] Strauss, Valerie. "Stop Timing the ACT and SAT." The Washington Post, June 12, 2010
Barbara Pytel - Email me Experience Although I was never particularly fond of going to school as an ELL student, I ironically became a teacher, ...
