“Multiple Choice”

What do you think about when you see the photo above?  Maybe you did well on those standardized multipe choice tests which was also reflected in a positive grade point average and acceptance to a college of your choice.  Or maybe those tests were stressful and didn’t really reflect what you actually knew about the content. And maybe you just didn’t care because you didn't like school and knew that you weren't planning to go to college anyway.

I am not a proponent of high-stakes multiple choice tests. As expressed by Tony Wagner in the film, Multiple Choice, "Students are graduating with the primary skill being how to pass tests so curiosity withers. It's a muscle. It has to be exercised. We have no way of developing our advantages, our human capabilities unless we transform education." What gets tested gets taught, and that is why teachers often focus on reading, math, and science But more often than not, the lessons don't stick. That is why teachers need to spend valuable time reviewing previous lessons before the "important" test. 

Back in January 2015 when the Smarter Balanced Assessments were being rolled out, when students, teachers, and schools would be "rated" based on the results, our staff took part in a practice test for sixth grade math. The adults struggled. Here are some of their comments:

• There were so many factors that affected my performance on this test like reading comprehension, familiarity with the computer, keyboarding skills, etc. that I fail to see how this gives a true measure of a child's content knowledge in math.
• I can see why students are guessing.  It was difficult.
• Moving from one section of the test to the next is not intuitive; the test is text-heavy.  It seems never-ending - too bad they don't show a progress bar in the window.
• I have concerns over a computer-graded test as multiple solutions may not be counted due to the lack of thought on the computer's part.  Students may also lack the perseverance to follow through on some of these questions even if they have the skills necessary to solve.
• I think students may be thrown by the format of the test and all of the buttons.  Students may possibly fixate on the technical aspects rather than the academic purpose.
• Students will be limited in writing quality responses due to their lack of confidence in keyboarding skills.  
• The test needs to be scrutinized further because we want to set student up for moderate success, not doomed failure.

We realized that the test was not a true measure of what we knew. Fortunately, our teachers came to the conclusion that testing was required for our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders, but we would be careful to not put additional stress on the students. And these tests just measured reading and math. There are no high-stakes tests for students who may be gifted in other areas such as art or music.  What about a student who has great interpersonal skills, who has advanced physical motor skills, or who may have creative out-of-the-box ideas but struggles with reading or math or science? A test score does not define a student, and our responsibility as educators is to guide and support all students, not just those  who plan to continue their education, post high-school. We should be exposing them to many different activities so they can discover what they might be interested in or passionate about. School shouldn’t be focused on high stakes tests. 

My husband Randy and I recently attended the Hawai`i premier of the film “Multiple Choice” which was produced by Ted Dintersmith. It is an amazing film with so many thoughts about what education could and should be. Hint: It's not about being good at taking multiple choice tests. The film showcases the Emil and Grace Shihadeh Innovation Center located in Winchester County, Virginia. It's a small regional workforce city with students attending from the surrounding rural areas. The school emphasizes real-world skills in their Innovation Academy which includes a Health Sciences Academy, an Advanced Technology Academy, and a Workforce Academy in addition to college readiness classes, All students are encouraged to take a course in the Innovation Center where they gain skills and possible certification that can lead to jobs right out of high school. The film shared the stories and voices of several young students including a young lady who has aspirations of becoming an attorney. She shared that her experience taking welding and carpentry courses at the Innovation Center were valuable skills that she can use throughout her life. I think all high school students should have opportunities to take non-college prep courses that could help them in adult life. 

Our world is changing rapidly. In December 2013, my op-ed was published in the local newspaper where I shared that schools needed to introduce their students to coding. The prediction was that we would face a severe shortage of coders by the year 2020. Well, it's now 2026, and recent college graduates who majored in coding are having difficulty finding jobs and there is a high probability that other professions could be replaced by AI. (Article here.) And those who attend a four-year college often graduate with a huge student loan debt which impacts their personal lives.

But do you know what kinds of jobs are in demand? Carpenters, welders, electricians, plumbers, and other trade jobs. There is a huge demand for these jobs in our country. Workers are aging, infrastructure needs to be upgraded, new housing projects are being developed. This is a great time for students to explore options in the trade industry. Often, there are on-the-job training or apprenticeship programs available so those who opt to enter the trades could begin earning a salary right away. 

My husband and I reflected about “Multiple Choice” as we were driving home. “That was good,” Randy said. “I’m glad we came.” And then he added, “How can we get more people to see the film?” Randy is not an educator. He is an attorney and former legislator so his positive comments were validation that the film has the potential to make a difference in our educational systems.

Dr. Jason Van Heukelum, the District Superintendent responsible for the Emil and Grace Shihadeh Innovation Center says it best, “The purpose for school is not to be good in school. The purpose for school is to prepare students for life.” Let’s stop focusing on multiple choice test scores and instead focus on engaging our students so they can be the passionate learners and leaders we need to address the challenges we are facing now and in the future.

Will you join us?

Note: I’m sharing this blog by Dr. Mark Hines; he clearly articulates his thoughts and wonderings after viewing the film. I think these 10 points are worth discussing. Mahalo, Mark!