High Stakes Assessments

High stakes assessments within an IB school

High stakes assessments are a common topic of debate within educational circles. Opponents argue that little more than teaching to a test happens within the classroom when high stakes assessments are used.  While proponents argue that these assessments ensure accountability and uphold standards. 

The amount of literature opposing high stakes assessments is far greater in quantity and covers all types and venues of testing.  McNeil (2000) attacks Texas's decision to rely solely on high stakes standardized exams for university admittance, citing that it creates greater inequalities as students who are behind only learn how to take a test.  Similar complaints about the marginalization of alternative forms of assessment have been noted (Penta, 2002).  Likewise with international exams such as the OECD administered PISA growing in importance for some systems, the fears of learning to the test, increased drop-out rates and cheating have arisen (Dall, 2011).  Even though, there has never been a correlation between high scores on these exams and economic success (Baker, 2007).  The plentitude of these articles does show at least one aspect of high stakes assessment very clearly and that is the stress they put on many educators.  This high stakes culture is often one of the contributing factors for teacher's deciding to leave the profession (Shaw, 2008).   

On the other hand, it has been pointed out that the majority of these fears about high stakes testing are opinions.  They are written by educators, but are based solely on the views or experiences of an individual and are not supported by empirical research (Mitchell, 2006).  In one of the more balanced approaches to high stakes, Foust, Hertberg-Davis, and Callahan (2009) conducted a qualitative study analyzing the effects on students enrolled in AP or IB programs.  They found that there were notably advantages and disadvantages.  Advantages included collaboration with like-minded students, superior class atmospheres, and pride in what they were accomplishing.  While stress, fatigue, and unflattering labels from others were some of the noted disadvantages.  However, it is important to note the disadvantages presented in this study varied significantly from what opponents of high stakes testing have listed.  

Another aspect that has surely been a guiding factor in the promotion of these types of exams is the simplicity with which they communicate a certain level of achievement.  The IB has been praised as creating an easily measured global standard (Anttila-Muilu, 2004).   

And since plenty of the other research out there is based on an individual's experience, here is my throw into the gauntlet.

 

International division of a Chinese public school

I have been teaching the IB program in the international division of a Chinese public school for about half a year.  They were recently authorized for the diploma program (DP), but the middle years program (MYP) has been a part of the school for more than five years.  The MYP has always been internally assessed and as such does not have any high stakes exams for the students.  This has created quite a lot of additional pressure on the first cohort of DP students and their teachers as the pilot group.  There are (as of yet) no consequences for DP teachers if students perform poorly.  For the students, most of them chose to enter this program in hopes of graduating with an IB diploma and the opportunities that brings with it.  So, the pressure on the students can be tremendous. 

As the teachers are all new to the program, there is considerable and noticeable teaching to the test.  We focus on the exact skills outlined in the IB standards.  That being said, it is not all bad.  The standards are well developed and emphasize key knowledge and skills.  However, the narrowing of what to study is also significant.  The real downside to this is that the curriculum tends to be Eurocentric, western-centered, and overly academic (Burnold-Conesa, 2010; Cambridge and Thompson, 2004; van Oord, 2007).  It also limits our ability to teach to student interests and some of the topics covered can be difficult to engage students. 

The lack of any kind of rigorous assessment in MYP has led to the majority of students entering the DP program unprepared for the workload and often lacking the core skills.  This has created a realization of one potential downfall in the lack of an assessment to progress from MYP to DP.  And at least within the IB world, a high stakes assessment for MYP may prove beneficial in better preparing students for the rigors of the DP program.  However, within our school, all of the students were admitted into the DP program this year, which ensured that at least some of them would be vastly unprepared as they had never even made the grade in previous years.  School policies have since been set to screen students based on performance for entrance into the DP program.

Compared to other DP programs

Several other educators have blogged about the influence of the IB DP on their school cultures.  In both of these schools, teaching to the test was quite common (Harding, 2016; Karaplino, 2016).  In one of these schools, teachers evaluations are even closely tied (although unofficially) to results (Karaplino, 2016).  Which leads me to further speculate that teacher retention/benefits/bonuses will soon be affected by the results of the DP exams.  I, also, noted other similarities such as screening students (from next year for our school) and using previous exams for preparation.  Overall, I get the impression that IB DP preparation runs fairly similar regardless of location.

Conclusion

High stakes assessments have advantages and disadvantages, although those the negatives are often cited are not necessarily the true downsides to them.  For example, teaching to the test can be beneficial, IF what the test measures are valuable skills and well defined standards.  Within the IB, the program and how it is taught appears to have been standardized and while this is beneficial in upholding the standards established, I am left wondering at what cost?  The main aim of the IB is to prepare students for university admittance and to this end, it succeeds.  However, culture should also be considered and with an admittedly western emphasis, is it worth sacrificing local cultures to be competitive internationally?  Does an international program have to western in order to be competitive?  ...Questions for another day.

References

Anttila-Muilu, S. (2004).  Globalized education: the international baccalaureate.              International research in geographical and environmental education, 13 (4).

Baker, K. (2007).  Are international tests worth anything.  Phi Delta Kappan, 89 (2). 101- 104.

Burnold-Conesa, C. (2010).  International education: the international baccalaureate, Montessori, and global citizenship.  Journal of research in international education, 9 (3).  259-272.

Cambridge, J. & Thompson, J. (2004).  Internationalism and globalization as contexts for international education.  Compare, 34 (2).  161-174.  DOI:10.1080/0305792042000213994

Dall, A. (2011).  Is PISA counter-productive to building successful educational systems?  Social alternatives, 30 (4).  10-14.

Foust, R.C., Hertberg-Davis, H., & Callahan, C.M. (2009).  Students’ perceptions of the non-academic advantages and disadvantages of participation in advanced placement courses and international baccalaureate programs.  Adolescence, 44. 289-312. 

Harding, D. (2016). My experience with high stakes assessments in international schools. The teacher is always learning,  retrieved from http://mymusingoflearning.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/high-stakes-assessments.html

Karaplino, P. (2016). The implications of the assessments on students and teachers.             Wondering about education, retrieved from https://karaplino.wordpress.com/2016/01/29/the-implications-of-the-assessments-on-students-and-teachers/

McNeil, L.M. (2000). Creating new inequalities: contradictions of reform.  Phi Delta Kappan, 81 (10).  728-734.

Mitchell, R. (2006).  High stakes testing and effects on instruction: research review. Center for public education, retrieved from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Instruction/High-stakes-testing-and-effects-on-instruction-At-a-glance/High-stakes-testing-and-effects-on- instruction-Research-review.html

Penta, M.Q. (2002). Student portfolios in a standardized world.  Kappa Delta Pi record, 38  (2).  77-81.

Shaw, M. (2008).  The impact of alternative teacher certification programs on teacher shortages.  International journal of learning, 15 (3).  89-96.   

van Oord, L. (2007).  To westernize the nations?  An analysis of the international baccalaureate’s philosophy of education.  Cambridge journal of education, 37 (3). 375-390.  DOI: 10.1080/03057640701546680