With social distancing in effect and no clear sight as to when the pandemic will end, it's become impossible for standardized tests, such as the AP tests, to take place in the traditional manner. Instead of canceling the exams altogether, College Board announced that the AP exams this year will be digital, at home, open note/book, and only 45 minutes. These changes make it seem like the exams will be easier this year, right? While many students are excited about the change, some are panicking. Many are realizing they don't have a stable internet connection or a quiet place they can work, while others don't have a device they can complete the test with. With so many students at a disadvantage, the new testing arrangement seems unfair, as different testing environments can a student's performance. Additionally, College Board hasn't released any information on refunds for the test, only the mention of free cancellations. So, students who have paid for the tests are in a sticky situation- do they cancel and lose $100, or take the test anyway?
Another concern with these at home tests is cheating. In the past, students were in a room that was closely monitored by AP test proctors to ensure everyone was focused on their own work. This year, it will be hard to do that since no one will know exactly what a students' doing behind their screen.
With the threat of cheating and the fact that students have different advantages or disadvantages, it begs the question: Should College Board have canceled the tests altogether instead of changing it?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/04/03/home-or-school-may-or-june-advanced-placement-exams-will-go-despite-coronavirus/
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I agree that it's hard to standardize people's testing conditions, but I also think that it's important that people who took AP classes to try to get college credit get a chance to earn it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and Tessa, for me personally, I was going to take my AP Spanish Lang and Culture test and we had prepared all year with improving on our essay writing skills in under a certain time. I had practiced countless of essays on my own time and now writing and essay will not be on the AP Exam. While, I am upset that there is only 45 minutes to complete a years worth of preparation, I did not want to lose my money for my AP Exams.
ReplyDeleteThe college board is a large organization and I believe they are going to put a lot of effort into keeping students from cheating. I know regardless of what they do, people are going to find a way to cheat, but with the shorter time limit, I think people who try to cheat will just run out of time and not be able to complete the tests.
ReplyDelete