My thoughts on tests as the only objective assessment of student learning

I think its dangerous to have only one method of evaluating students.  Our students often know much more then what's asked of them on an objective test.  Our society says that it values creativity and divergent thinking, why then are we locking our students into these cookie cutter, one size fits all assessments?  The American Psycological Society sites the methods in the diagram as a more accurate means to determine if a student is learning.  Now this diagarm's immediate applications deal with undergraduate psychology students, but I believe it should be used in all disciplines.

(American Psychological Association 2002)


With all of the brainpower here in our country I wondered why testmakers vary the types of assessments we administer.  I got my answer in the video link below, and I learned a new word...Psychometirics.

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2006/05/04/education/1194817099099/shortage-of-school-testing-experts.html

When we learn we learn with our whole brain. We consider things from an intelectual/factual , emotional,  visual and creative point of view.  To measure students on simply the facts is shallow and reduces the subject matter to a series of numbers and letters with no real depth.   I was asking one of my teammates about tests we use to admit students into the gifted program who do not speak English.  I was told that there is a visual test given to gifted students who have the cognitive ability, but have not mastered the language.  My point is if we already have this type of test, then why can't we create others that ask questions that address various modalities?  In my opinion we need to better qualified pshycometricians, and to attract them from the business/private sector we will have to compensate them.  This really makes me rethink all the mnemonics and songs we use to help students remember the the facts. Although fun if tests assessed on a deeper level then teacher would have to teach on a deeper level.  With that said, I will close this blog the same way I opened it with a wonderful song about the elements:

Thank you