Comment by grandmczeb
6 years ago
I can understand biases in a specific test (e.g. cultural biases), but those can (and should!) be corrected with better design and specific accommodations. Do you think that testing as a general method of evaluation is biased though? Because the objection I typically see isn't "we need better test design" it's "there's a component of student ability that cannot be measured by a test".
It is more about things like stressing over tests, dyslexia, ability to sit still for x hours and ability to express yourself in writing.
These all affect how well you test, but do not determine your skill in the subject. Hence, having a disadvantage in any of the above gives you a system disadvantage in the educational system.
The cure for test stress is preparation, i.e. studying. Nothing works better on a test than knowing the material. The rest is just excuses.
That works for most of us, but not for all. It's basically the same as public speech, some people simply will do badly unless they go through some radical change.