Running Head: CHANGING THE BIAS TESTING SYSTEM

Making Childrens Lives Better: Changing the Bias Testing System

Kristen Rix
116252
University of Prince Edward Island

Child Development - Psychology 308

Vickie Johnston
Thursday April 3rd 2014

INTRODUCTION

CHANGING THE BIAS TESTING SYSTEM

In every country we use tests as a measure of students knowledge throughout the school
system. Why? Because we need to assess how much they are learning in order to assess if we are
meeting our goals in terms of educating these children with the necessary skills and information
to set them up for successful lives. The testing system is extremely important since it attaches a
number value to each student which in turn decides if and to which university they will attend, if
they will receive scholarships or bursaries, among many other things. Society puts so much
worth and emphasis on academics and intelligence but often this emphasis is biased. Gardner has
developed a theory of multiple intelligences that outline seven different forms of intelligence,
Linguistic (verbal), Mathematical (logical), Spatial (visual), Musical-Auditory (aural), BodilyKinesthetic (physical), Interpersonal (social), and Intrapersonal (solitary) (Kail & Zolner,
2012). The school system and the testing system are biased towards very few of these subtypes

in terms of distinguishing overall intelligence. The entire testing system in general is geared
towards people who are linguistic and logical-mathematical, and nothing else. Not only is this
bias a problem since children could have their strengths in other areas but they are not allowing
opportunity for the other areas to be developed and evaluated.
This picture really spoke to me and made
me realise the implications of the testing
system and the issues it creates for our
students. It creates an implication within
our society that these two forms of
intelligence are more important and
valuable for success.

CHANGING THE BIAS TESTING SYSTEM

I recently discussed this issue with an elementary school teacher who told me that the
testing system has bothered her for years. Not only is she familiar with using tests in her
classroom but also has two children who have grown up in the system so she has seen the issue
from both perspectives. As a parent, she said it is incredibly frustrating to watch your child study
so hard and understand all the information for a specific test then come home with a mark that
does not reflect the effort. But as a teacher, she has started to see hope; the government and the
department of education are starting to finally recognise the issue. The last school wide meeting
they had for faculty and staff was focused on how girls and boys learn very differently and how
teachers need to structure their courses and curriculum delivery in order for optimum learning to
be possible for both genders (Angele, 2014). These differences could also be applied to culture,
and learning styles.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
This topic is extremely important for me personally because I want to be a teacher in the
very near future. I have been accepted to the French education program for intermediate/senior
next year at UPEI. I hope to be a teacher who inspires and gives equal opportunity to all children
so that they can benefit as much they can from the experience of learning. I want to not only
teach subjects but teach all the skills that arent outlined in the curriculum including confidence,
creativity, equality, strength, and determination. These years are incredibly important for
childrens cognitive development as well as the development of their self-confidence. Therefore,
a strong and fair testing system is needed in order to optimize childrens individual potential, and
teach them the true meaning of a rich education.

CHANGING THE BIAS TESTING SYSTEM

OBJECTIVE
I would like to propose a testing system that would allow students to have a more equal
chance of demonstrating their knowledge. This guide would be in the form of a detailed
document that is available and sent to all teachers as well as taught during Professional
Development days so that every teacher can get a good sense of the importance of a system like
this and also give them ample opportunity for questions, concerns, and suggestions to the system.
Here below is the general outline of the document I wish to propose:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Introduction and description of the issue at hand

How this system could benefit many children and improve their academic lives
Characteristics of a Good Test and the implications these have on children
Detailed outline of Rules/Guidelines to follow when creating fair tests
Test templates for each subject and for each grade section

Since section 1 and 2 have already been discussed in the introduction section of this proposal I
will briefly outline what would be included in sections 3 and 4 of the document.
I will start by outlining some of the characteristics that are incorporated in a good and fair test.
1) Good tests allow the child to show their knowledge of the subject being tested.
Understanding is emphasized
2) A Good test would be able to tap into all the different ways of thinking or reasoning in
order to cover different learning styles (for example the use of pictures, diagrams, charts,
colour, words, and examples/scenarios).
3) A good test should not induce stress or panic, but instead is fair and equal by making sure
the questions are neither too broad nor too specific and that they cover the main concepts
that were taught in class.
In the fourth section a detailed set of rules for this new testing system are outlined.
1) Tests should include many different types of questions, for example multiple choice, true
and false, matching, fill in the blanks, short answer, long answer, essay, or case

CHANGING THE BIAS TESTING SYSTEM

study/example questions. Depending on the subject some may not be possible but the
more types of questions incorporated into a test the better chance the child has of
showing their knowledge on the topic.
2) For bigger questions that are worth more marks (essay or long answer) there should
always be choice. This is not done in order to make the test easier but to lower the
stress on the student and save them from a panic reaction if they do not know the answer
right away. Allowing choice will also to tap into a more in depth knowledge, knowledge
of what you know.
3) At the end of each big test there could be a special question. This question is to be created
and answered by the student. This gives the students opportunity to show what they know
on a topic in detail that may not have been asked for specifically on the test. It fosters
creativity and confidence in the students and gives them the opportunity to show how
much they worked to understand the concepts. This can be done at any level or for any
test since the question can be extremely simple or extremely involved depending on the
max points awarded for the question, the subject, and the grade.

As additional information in the document, guidelines on testing strategies would be outlined.

1) NO tests should ever be the same. Especially bigger tests such as midterms for older
grades. Teachers need to take the time to prepare fair tests that focus on the material
discussed in class. This reduces students getting a hold of old tests to study the answers.
2) Tests should be allowed to be re-written if mark is low/unsatisfactory. This will not give
students any sort of advantage since it would be open to all students and the rewrite
would happen all at once. Allowing rewrites teaches students that it is ok to perform
lower than they had hoped or expected as long as they are willing to try again. These tests
will improve the students drive to understanding the concepts (which is extremely
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important for junior high or highshool when exams test all info taught during the
semester) and lower the risk of them simply wanting to give up and move on.
3) Lastly, this new testing system would be completely rid of marks on a 1-100% scale. This
emphasizes a strive for perfection in children that should not exist. Nobody and no body
of work can be absolutely perfect and the stress of striving for 100 is not the point of a
true and full education. Instead, ranges of marks would be introduced and everything
would be given a letter grade, as is currently done in some places. Example, 95-100
would be A+, 90-94 A, 85-90 A-, 80-85 B+, 75-80 B, 70-75 B-, 60-70 C, 50-60 D, below
50 F. This eliminates the stressful strive for 100% and perfection as well as the intense
competition between classmates that could arise with the other percentage system.

CURRENTLY ON PEI
Currently on Pei, the education program teaches the importance of different learning
types in the classroom. There are resources available such as test banks for test creating but not
all teachers use these resources. I believe a structured and equal testing system that is used
province wide would greatly benefit children all over the island.

THE NEXT STEP

This is a project I would love to incorporate in my own classroom within the next few
years, once I have my education degree and am teaching full time. If I see that it is working and
that the students are benefiting, I would absolutely love to pass the idea on to other teachers in
the school and bring my proposal to higher people. Then I could follow the steps outlined above
in order to make this testing system a reality on Pei. I am extremely passionate about equal
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opportunity for all students and have learned a lot about fairness while doing this proposal. I
hope someday to be able to integrate my ideas in my own classroom and make childrens lives
better on PEI.

References

- Angele, H. (2014, 03 27). Interview by K.M. Rix []. Opinions of testing system on pei.
- Kail, R. V., & Zolner, T. (2012). Cognitive development in middle childhood. In R. Kail (Ed.),
Children: A Chronological Approach (Third Canadian Edition ed., p. 340). Toronto,
Ontario: Pearson Canada.
- Lands, B. (Producer). (2013). There is More than One Way to Climb a Tree [Web Photo].
Retrieved from http://www.thelandscapeoflearning.com/2012/09/please-climb-thattree.html
- Overview of learning styles. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.learning-stylesonline.com/overview/
- Prince edward island teachers' federation. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.peitf.com/