Are Test Scores A Good Indication Of A School's Competency Essay Sample

<p>The test scores are often used in testing the performance of the students at almost all levels of education. The test scores, therefore, reflects the knowledge or position of the students to various levels of ranking as determined by each institution or school. The test scores are often an average of the academic performance of an individual student or the whole school. Test scores, therefore, shows the ability of the students to grasp and cram as well as memorize what they are taught in class. Test scores also shows the performance of the students on various subjects or units.<br <!--more-->/> Test scores are used by the teachers in order to assess or evaluate the performance of the students on various grounds. The test scores are often averaged by the teachers in order to determine the overall performance of the students, as well as the performance of the whole school or institution. The positions of the various schools can be evaluated with the help of test scores f the students in each school in order to know the best schools in the ranking. This, therefore, makes the test scores relevant and crucial in evaluating the academic performance of both the students and the institutions in general.<br /> Test scores at times may fail to show the general performance of the students. The aspects relating to the sports and leadership qualities cannot be measured using the test scores. The failure of test scores to capture the other important aspects as sports and leadership qualities makes the test scores an inefficient method of evaluating performance (Harwood, 2008, p.18). This makes it very difficult to determine the performance of the students in such other important fields as the sports and other co-curricular activities like music and communication skills or public speaking. The co-curricular activities are very important aspects in the lives of the students that should also be evaluated in determining the overall performance of the students. This, therefore, makes test score not suitable fully for evaluating the performance of the students.<br /> The good or excellent test score may only show the competency in academics while the student may be very weak in aspects as socialization and other hobbies like singing and swimming. The test scores may, therefore, not show the overall performance of the individuals in all the relevant fields that should be tested. The test score, therefore, only indicates academic performance or competence while the students may be lacking in the other important spheres of life which require common and general practices.<br /> The use of test scores in the evaluation of performance or competency of the students encourages cramming in order to achieve high results. This is disadvantageous in the sense that it may not encourage the students to concentrate on the importance of the content delivered to them. The students will lose focus making education irrelevant. The use of test scores usually results in a great performance especially where the teachers teach their students on how to score high marks or scores in their examinations. This, therefore, leads to lose of the focus since the goals of education are not attained.<br /> In conclusion, the test scores are only suitable in evaluating the academic performance of the students and the general school life. The use of test scores, however, fails in measurement of performance relating to other important aspects of life sports and hobbies as well as development social skills. The aspects relating to the solution of real life problems may not be measured using the test scores.</p> <h2>References</h2> <p>Are test scores a good indication of a schools competency? - Off-Topic Discussion - GameSpot. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.gamespot.com/forums/offtopic-discussion-314159273/are-test-scores-a-good-indication-of-a-schools-com-27584496/<br /> Essay on "Are Test Scores a Good Indication of a School's Competency?". (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.writingapaper.net/essay-on-test-scores-indication-schools-competency.html<br /> Harwood, R., Miller, S. A., & Vasta, R. (2008). Child psychology: Development in a changing society. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.</p>