History and Social Sciences - Term Paper Example

Standardized test Introduction Students are tested for a number of reasons; one of them being to assess their proficiency in a given field. On some occasions, tests are used on students to determine the effectiveness of reading and teaching materials used to train the students. Some tests have also been administered to test the expertise of the students’ tutors. Standardized tests are most certainly suitable for such tests (Shields, 2000). One ought to note that standardized tests are tests that require all the students or tests takers to give answers to similar questions whose scores and grading rubrics are similar or standardized. The standardization of the scores and rubrics makes it easy to compare the performances of the students and gage their abilities. This assignment, therefore, provides a detailed standardized test for History and Social Sciences meant for 6th, 7th and 8th graders. Also provided in this paper is the rubric that can be used to grade the test. It is worth noting that the test takes into consideration a number of factors including cultural fairness, learning disabilities, second language learners and other relevant observations. The history questions in the standardized test are categorized into the following criteria World history and geography (Ancient Civilizations) The constitution of the United States of America and the Early Republic The civil wars and their aftermath The subdivisions of the questions as indicated above form the basis of the test. They categorize the history questions into sub-sections with the aim of differentiating the questions. It is through these sub-sections that the students will also to understand the questions clearly (Miller, 1989). 1. World history and geography (Ancient Civilizations) 1.1. Question 1 Provide a detailed description of the hunter-gatherer societies while including the development of early tools and the subsequent use of fire. 1.2. Question 2 Provide a detailed description of the evolution of language and written forms of language. 1.3. Question 3 Why was slash and burn agriculture practiced by the Stone Age people? A. To fulfill spiritual beliefs B. To ease irrigation C. To scare away wild animals D. To clear land in readiness for farming 2. The constitution of the United States of America and the Early Republic 2.1. Question 1 Analyze the manner in which the American Revolution affected France. 2.2. Question 2 Compare the lives and different opportunities for the free black Americans living in the north to those of free black Americans that lived in the south. 2.3. Question 3 On what did the writers of the constitution base their ideas while writing the legislative branch? A. Congress of Vienna B. Council of Trent C. English Parliament D. French Estates General 3. The civil wars and their aftermath 3.1. Question 1 Provide a detailed discussion of the abolition of the slave trade in the United States of America. 3.2. Question 2 Provide a list of the original objectives of reconstruction and give a detailed description of the effects it had on social and political structures. 3.3. Question 3 During the periods following the American Revolution, the constitutions of most Northern states called for… A. Adoption of a state religion B. Gradual elimination of slavery C. Obliteration of state property taxes D. Universal suffrage of citizens Considerations of the test It is important to realize that the test has taken into close consideration a number of factors. For instance, the test incorporates cultural fairness. This has been addressed by the nature of the history questions and the fact that the questions have not indicated any form of cultural bias or discrimination. Since American history is widely characterized by slave trade, questions that address slave trade have no forms of discrimination or bias at all. Another consideration for the test that is worth noting is the simple English used in the questions. For this reason, English language learners can be able to understand the questions effectively without complications of incomprehensible vocabulary. Also incorporated in this test is the knowledge for 6th, 7th and 8th graders to ensure that students have an idea of what the questions seek to know (Shields, 2000). Advantages and disadvantages of the standardized test 1. Advantages of the test 1.1. The test holds teachers and schools accountable Since the scores of the test can be recorded and stored for future references, it holds both the teachers and school administration accountable. The records can also show the level of dedication of the administration and teachers and therefore make them able to adjust accordingly in the event that the scores do not meet the required standards. 1.2. Can be used to compare the capability of students from different learning institutions The standardization of the test makes it easy for teachers of different schools to administer the test to their students. Through this, students from different learning institutions can be compared, and their capabilities evaluated. The comparison can also be used to gage the performances of teachers and schools from the various institutions. 1.3. Provides guidance to teachers The test gives the teachers a chance to know what to teach and when. The absence of standardized teaching may lead to teachers of different grades teaching the same things to students in different grades. This can then result into distortion of the curriculum and subsequent confusion of the students. 2. Disadvantages of the standardized test 2.1. Evaluates the performance of students on only one day The standardized test compares the performance of the students on just one day and fails to incorporate other factors like physical or psychological stress of the students that might result to failure in the test. Subsequently, some students are bright but develop anxiety during tests, and this hinders their performance. Some students do not perform well in tests but can do better when other evaluation mechanisms like discussions are used (Miller, 1989). 2.2. Makes teachers to stick to the test One ought to note that this standardized test make can compel a teacher to focus on meeting the objectives of the test. For this reason, the teacher may fail to further explore the subject in order to provide additional information that might not be relevant to the tests but might be helpful to the students either in real life or in other tests. For this reason, the test limits the teacher. The implications for both teaching and learning with the help of the test One notable implication for learning and teaching with the help of this test is that it limits both the teachers and students in the scope of research they can do on related subjects. Both students and the teacher are limited to learning what the questions in the test will seek to know. As a result, they are not encouraged to conduct further research on the subject matter. Another implication is that students are only evaluated on their ability to remember what they are taught in class by the teacher. The test does not incorporate students’ cognition. Aside from the negative implications, the test has some promising effect on both the students and the teacher. For instance, the test eases the work of both the teacher and students but, defining the length to which they can research. As a result, teachers and students know what is relevant and what not for the purposes of evaluation (Miller, 1989). References Miller, L. J. (1989). Developing norm-referenced standardized tests. New York: Haworth Press. Shields, C. J. (2000). Standardized test practice for 7th grade. Westminster, CA: Teacher Created Resources. Appendix Grading rubric 4 (highest) 3 2 1(lowest) Points Question 1.1. Provides detailed description of the hunter-gatherer societies while including the development of stone age and the subsequent use of fire (10) Provides relatively detailed description of the hunter-gatherer societies while including the development of stone age and the subsequent use of fire (6-5) Provides little details of the hunter-gatherer societies while including the development of stone age and the subsequent use of fire (5-3) Provides no details at all of the hunter-gatherer societies while including the development of stone age and the subsequent use of fire (0) Question 1.2 Provides a detailed description of the evolution of language and written forms of language (10) Provides relatively detailed description of the evolution of language and written forms of language (6-5) Provides little details of the evolution of language and written forms of language (5-3) Provides no details at all of the evolution of language and written forms of language (0) Question1.3 Provides the right answer as D (5) Provides any other answer (0) Provides any other answer (0) Provides any other answer (0) Question 2.1 Provides a detailed analysis of the manner in which the American Revolution affected France (10) Provides relatively detailed analysis of the manner in which the American Revolution affected France (6-5) Provides little details of the manner in which the American Revolution affected France (5-3) Provides no of the manner in which the American Revolution affected France (0) Question 2.2 Gives a detailed comparisons of the lives and different opportunities for the free black Americans living in the north to those of free black Americans that lived in the south (10) Gives a relatively detailed comparisons of the lives and different opportunities for the free black Americans living in the north to those of free black Americans that lived in the south (6-5) Gives little comparison of the lives and different opportunities for the free black Americans living in the north to those of free black Americans that lived in the south (5-3) Gives no comparison of the lives and different opportunities for the free black Americans living in the north to those of free black Americans that lived in the south (0) Question 2.3 Provides the right answer as C (5) Provides any other answer (0) Provides any other answer (0) Provides any other answer (0) Question 3.1 Provides a detailed discussion of the abolition of slave trade in the United States of America (10) Provides a relatively detailed discussion of the abolition of slave trade in the United States of America (6-5) Provides little details of the abolition of slave trade in the United States of America (5-3) Provides no details of the abolition of slave trade in the United States of America (0) Question 3.2 Provides a detailed list of the original objectives of reconstruction and gives a detailed description of the effects it had on social and political structures (10) Provides a relatively detailed list of the original objectives of reconstruction and gives a relatively detailed description of the effects it had on social and political structures (6-5) Provide an incomplete list of the original objectives of reconstruction and gives little description of the effects it had on social and political structures (5-3) Provides no list of the original objectives of reconstruction and gives no description of the effects it had on social and political structures (0) Question 3.3 Provides the right answer as B (5) Provides any other answer (0) Provides any other answer (0) Provides any other answer (0) Read More