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Argumentative Essay On Standardized Testing

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Standardized testing has been used for decades to measure students’ understanding, knowledge, and intelligence on school matters such as mathematics, science and language arts. Though stressful, standardized tests provide the government with information on educational disparities and allow students to receive a fair assessment, outside of the direct influence of the teacher. However, over the past few years, standardized testing has gained a reputation for being ineffective; even James Dyson, a British inventor, called the standardized testing system a “lazy” method of evaluation. Unfortunately, due to immense pressure from the public and the teachers' union, the BC Ministry of Education has taken steps to abolish the Provincial Exam system in favor of more “in-class assessments” which they claim will make the learning environment more “flexible.” Regrettably, this decision will only reduce objectivity, comparability, and accountability in the classroom. Thus, the BC Ministry of Education must readopt the Provincial Exam system as a method of evaluation to reinforce the public’s trust in the education system. The use of standardized tests is historical. In fact, they were first used in China to test hopefuls for government jobs on their knowledge of Confucian philosophy and poetry. Soon, the concept of standardized testing spread as it proved to be an easy way to test a large number of students quickly, especially during the Industrial Revolution

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