The Lower-Order Expectations of High-Stakes Tests: A Four-State Analysis of Social Studies Standards and Test Alignment

Scott W. DeWitt ^[10] ; Nancy Patterson ^[1] ; Whitney Blankenship ^[2] ; Brooke Blevins ^[3] ; Lorrei DiCamillo ^[4] ; David Gerwin ^[5] ; Jill M. Gradwell ^[11] ; John Gunn ^[5] ; Lamont Maddox ^[6] ; Cinthia Salinas ^[7] ; John W. Saye ^[8] ; Jeremy Stoddard ^[12] ; Caroline C. Sullivan ^[9]
1. [1] Bowling Green State University
  
  Bowling Green State University
  
  City of Bowling Green, Estados Unidos
2. [2] Rhode Island College
  
  Rhode Island College
  
  City of Providence, Estados Unidos
3. [3] Baylor University
  
  Baylor University
  
  Estados Unidos
4. [4] Canisius College
  
  Canisius College
  
  City of Buffalo, Estados Unidos
5. [5] City University of New York
  
  City University of New York
  
  Estados Unidos
6. [6] University of North Alabama
  
  University of North Alabama
  
  Estados Unidos
7. [7] University of Texas at Austin
  
  University of Texas at Austin
  
  Estados Unidos
8. [8] Auburn University
  
  Auburn University
  
  Estados Unidos
9. [9] Georgia State University
  
  Georgia State University
  
  Estados Unidos
10. [10] University of Cincinnati–Blue Ash College
11. [11] Buffalo State College–SUNY
12. [12] The College of William and Mary
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Localización: Theory and research in social education, ISSN 0093-3104, Vol. 41, Nº 3, 2013, págs. 382-427
Idioma: inglés
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Resumen
- This study indicates that the state-mandated high-stakes social studies assessments in four states do not require students to demonstrate that they have met the cognitive demands articulated in the state-mandated learning standards. Further, the assessments do not allow students to demonstrate the critical thinking skills required by the standards. In this study, researchers from four states with high-stakes social studies tests questioned how well their states' tests measured and aligned with expressed expectations for students related to this objective. They analyzed the nature of four states' high school social studies standards and high-stakes tests for higher or lower cognitive demands and the alignment between them. The analysis showed that the primary expectation for student learning in the standards is for higher cognitive activity than that represented in the tests, which are dominated by low cognitive level items.