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U.S. students will take the SAT online

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181–190 of 407 posts

Re: U.S. students will take the SAT online

#181

VM? Folks are talking about how you have to install privacy invading software that monitors down to the OS kernel. What prevents someone from just using a VM for the exam and a VM for cheating?

You can detect if you are running in a VM

Doesn’t “virtualization based security” in Windows mean that everyone is running in a VM?

Re: U.S. students will take the SAT online

#182

As a former educator, I look forward to the day that we can simply track student ability in a trustable manner based on long term data collection in the classroom rather than requiring these additional, often expensive, exams. We would need to mediate our classroom interactions more than we do now - but the tools do so usefully are there if packaged correctly.

In an ideal world, we wouldn’t have a tiered education system and that everyone will have access to master any subject/curriculum regardless of age. Therefore, we wouldn’t need an arbitrary and flawed aptitude tests.

Re: U.S. students will take the SAT online

#183

As a former educator, I look forward to the day that we can simply track student ability in a trustable manner based on long term data collection in the classroom rather than requiring these additional, often expensive, exams. We would need to mediate our classroom interactions more than we do now - but the tools do so usefully are there if packaged correctly.

Classrooms are not built equal. The grading is highly subjective based on the teacher and there is a strong incentive to make it seem like kids are doing better than they really are. Nothing can replace a standardized test that puts everyone on an objectively measurable plane.

Re: U.S. students will take the SAT online

#184
post #182

As a former educator, I look forward to the day that we can simply track student ability in a trustable manner based on long term data collection in the classroom rather than requiring these additional, often expensive, exams. We would need to mediate our classroom interactions more than we do now - but the tools do so usefully are there if packaged correctly.

In an ideal world, we wouldn’t have a tiered education system and that everyone will have access to master any subject/curriculum regardless of age. Therefore, we wouldn’t need an arbitrary and flawed aptitude tests.

[deleted]

Re: U.S. students will take the SAT online

#185

As a former educator, I look forward to the day that we can simply track student ability in a trustable manner based on long term data collection in the classroom rather than requiring these additional, often expensive, exams. We would need to mediate our classroom interactions more than we do now - but the tools do so usefully are there if packaged correctly.

Isn't the issue that you need a shared test to measure students from across different classrooms, let alone different cities, states, countries, etc.? I agree that it would be great if student ability could be evaluated in some other way that met the same requirements as a standardized test, but I just don't see how to do that. Apart from, I guess, a one-on-one interview for every student with the colleges they apply…

There are distinct psychometric techniques used to validate the trustability of assessments. Those same techniques could be used to validate the classroom assessments, but - obviously - no one has the financial or time budget to implement such a thing. So, the idea is that you would begin by providing an assessment creation tool that can be seamlessly implemented in the classroom that also has the ability, in a more aggregated fashion, to develop assessments that pass psychometric evaluation. Would it replace the ACT/SAT immediately? Of course not. The effort would be a classic innovator's dilemma scenario in which the continuous collection of curriculum, instruction and assessment content creates a unique (and, currently, silo'ed/analog) data set against which to continuously improve the quality of the assessment tool. From there - you branch out into instructional support more broadly, but that's a much broader and more difficult context.

Re: U.S. students will take the SAT online

#186
I did a WGU CS degree, which had a lot of online testing.

It was honestly fine. They made me use an HD webcam, show my drivers license, and pan around the room to ensure I was by myself and didn’t have an easy way to cheat. They also made me share my screen on Zoom and open up the Application Monitor to ensure I was only running Firefox. They didn’t let you take notes on paper, just using a portable whiteboard that they watched me erase before leaving.

I’m not saying it’s impossible to cheat, but I would say it’s probably roughly as difficult as cheating in person. Presumably the SAT stuff would be comparable.

Re: U.S. students will take the SAT online

#187
post #11

When I took the GRE in 2017, everything was digital as well. But I couldn't believe how locked down the experience was. The testing center in downtown SF had no windows, a metal detector, and you had to check all food outside of the testing room. Just in case you were going to try to cheat off of your banana. I think each computer was also recording a video of you taking the test although I might be mistaken here. Ce…

The exams for engineering licenses have mostly switched to computer based testing. You have to go to one of those specialized Pearson testing centers and they check to see if you wrote anything on your arms and legs. The old test was famously open book, with people taking carts full of reference material. The new one gives you a searchable pdf.

Re: U.S. students will take the SAT online

#188
post #179

As a former educator, I look forward to the day that we can simply track student ability in a trustable manner based on long term data collection in the classroom rather than requiring these additional, often expensive, exams. We would need to mediate our classroom interactions more than we do now - but the tools do so usefully are there if packaged correctly.

How would you compare raw intelligence or cross schools? That kind of calibration and opportunity for smart students who had other reasons to not focus or care about high school and other remedial grades is really important.

Assessment can serve many goals, but yes - ranking and benchmarking are an important function. See my comment elsewhere for the general concept.

Re: U.S. students will take the SAT online

#189

As a former educator, I look forward to the day that we can simply track student ability in a trustable manner based on long term data collection in the classroom rather than requiring these additional, often expensive, exams. We would need to mediate our classroom interactions more than we do now - but the tools do so usefully are there if packaged correctly.

Eh I fucked around in high school a bunch (prob showed up to 40% of it) but still aced all my tests. I like the standard test gateway paradigm. Without it I wouldn’t have achieved the success I have today.

Re: U.S. students will take the SAT online

#190
post #173
post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe that most states require road tests to get your first license or to get a license if you have been unlicensed for a while but stopped requiring them for a renewal, at least if you've got a clean driving record. In at least some states this was based on data that showed that for people that had clean records the rate of road test failures was very low, and those were almost always due to test anxiety and the…

Many states no longer require a road test. Instead you take a state approved driving course and the instructor certifies you as meeting the state driving skill requirements. Most states with this system do have an option to still take a state administered driving test instead but most new drivers just take the course. My daughter got her license last August and we paid for the course. They didn’t teach her anything.…

In my state the real benefit of taking the course it that scheduling a road test with the DMV often has a multi-month waitlist. Then, if you fail, you have to wait another 2-3 months to retest.

A better lesson than the state approved course was paying for a morning on the skid pad at the local raceway with a real driving instrcutor. Once your young driver understands how to regain control of the car, they are much better prepared for the first emergency maneuver they will need to make while driving solo.

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