Exams as Objective Assessments?

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by Its ability to climb a tree, It will live its whole life believing that It is stupid." Attributed to Albert Einstein, but not for sure. (Quote Investigator, 2014)

  I remember talking to my older sister about her schooling as I was starting college. She told me that she mostly majored in BS or in other words, she BS'ed her way through her classes. The same tests that I had to work hard to pass, she could figure her way through, or in other words, just BS her way through. The reality is that some people are better test takers than others. I am not a good test taker.

  So the people who do well on tests are not necessarily the most knowledgeable of their subject, but also just good test takers. The biggest problem I have with college entrance exams is that they don't just test your ability to do math and English but your ability to avoid being fooled by the trick questions of which those tests contain.

  To say that tests are the only objective means of assessment is practically a contradiction in itself. There is no such thing as a perfectly objective assessment. Human knowledge cannot be measured perfectly. Tests are only the closest to an objective means of assessment available. They are still biased because of different background knowledge of both the test writer and taker.

  While we need to have a standard for students to be based off of, standardized tests do not provide data reliable enough to tell any child's future or abilities, yet they are talked as if they do in things like No Child Left Behind.

References:

• "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid | Quote Investigator. Retrieved June 24, 2014 from http://scholasticadministrator.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54f8c25c98834017c317442ea970b-popup.
• "This Week In Education: Cartoons: "Climb That Tree"." (2012) Retrieved June 24, 2014 from http://scholasticadministrator.typepad.com/thisweekineducation/2012/08/cartoons-climb-that-tree.html#.U6pXPZRdV8F.
• "Political Cartoons of No Child Left Behind | kimberlybrown22." (2011) Retrieved June 24, 2014 from http://kimberlybrown22.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/ffe2ec6f1cc0939b72efc84edb9de90e1.jpg.
• "Taking multiple-choice tests." (2014) Retrieved June 24, 2014 from http://wanna-joke.com/taking-multiple-choice-tests/.
• "Game Show Espresso: Quick tips to perk up your trianing." (2014) Retrieved June 24 2014 from http://www.learningware.com/LearningCenter/Espresso/201108.html.

A technology enhanced classroom would be set up in pods allowing groups of 3 or 4 to be sectioned off in a way that all members are able to communicate and work together on a project. Students are able to either work independently on their own computer or have one person working on the computer while the others provide feedback and help the one complete the group project.
  Upon entering the classroom, students should go immediately to their seat, log on to their computer and complete the warm-up activity which will be in a pre-determined standard location. A quick review and set of instructions will follow from the teacher and students will complete their assignment on the computer. Feedback will usually be given quickly and students will have easy access to their current grades.