Seeker wrote on May 22^nd, 2003 at 11:07am:

.... And, Chris, the SAT is NOT a test of learned information.  It is a test of your ability to take standardized tests.  A person with excellent test taking skills can very easily score incredibly higher than their actual knowledge base. Seeker

Seeker,

I've come to wonder about the evolution of the term "standardized test" into a sort of epithet. That a test is "standardized" simply means that it has some sort of repeatability or consistency in administration. The term "norming", another such term, means that scores are mapped in some way to a fixed distribution, possibly a specific demographic or time frame. That these tests, like all tests, have various reliability issues and especially biases is also true but this has little to do with standardization per se. One can find all sorts of criticisms of standardized tests but little in the way of alternatives other than warm fuzzies such as "authentic" (sounds good)! learning assessment, etc. There is a great deal of passionate*, well intentioned but poorly researched work in all these areas.

If it is so hard to effect assessment and control over these processes critical to the whole society, imagine how difficult it will be to bring accountability to the polygraph community. Just look at their response to the NAS study. You know how those pointy headed academics are.

:)

*when any research is passionate, it is born questionable. When any teacher isn't passionate, their students start class with a handicap.

-Marty