Chapter 6 Abstract and Synthesis

Abstract

Chapter 6 of Fair Isn’t Always Equal discussed the creation of effective tests. The chapter reminds teachers that tests should not be a guessing game for students, but instead a credible method of assessing student mastery. Rather than using vague multiple choice questions which could be interpreted in multiple different ways, the teacher should encourage deeper understanding of the material, and ask for a mix of traditional and non-traditional methods such as short answers and analyzing real-life applications. Since the primary focus of testing is to reveal student knowledge, teachers should work to simplify the test through multiple approaches such as the option to circle either “true” or “false” to avoid decoding confusing hand writing. The second option is to have students write a second copy of their responses, then immediately provide answers to the class so students do not need to wait for test results. In an effort to receive the most accurate grade from the student without causing the students to become stressed, tests should be smaller and more frequent. The more often students are given the opportunity to reveal their knowledge, the more accurate the results will be. Rather than working to memorize for a large test, they will instead focus upon a specific topic and obtain better content mastery.


Synthesis

The general consensus of the class was that we must work to create effective tests which enable students to show their mastery of the subject rather than confusing them with poorly written questions. An interesting aspect of the reflections of this chapter is that many people agreed that it is time to move away from confusing multiple choice questions, and they have frequently experienced teachers who present questions in this manner. Instead, it is important to recognize that students need clear, focused questions which test their understanding rather than their ability to decode the teacher’s thinking.