17 Mar Keynote presentation in Newcastle: Unequal by design or Assessing for Equity?

Unequal by design or Assessing for Equity?: The Trouble with High-Stakes Testing and What We Can Do Differently

Dr Wayne Au, University of Washington

For over 100 years standardized testing has played a significant role in educational systems around the world, and in recent decades we have witnessed the rise of high-stakes, standardized testing as the defining tool for education reform and educational “accountability.” Drawing on his research and educational activist experience in the United States, in this presentation Dr. Wayne Au will address critical problems with high-stakes, standardized testing, including the racist history and modern day outcomes of such tests and their overall negative impact on teaching and learning. Additionally, Dr. Au’s presentation will discuss the forms of test resistance that have manifested in the United States, and offer some alternative assessments that provide the opportunity for more equitable assessment of student learning.

Book now for our ESRC event in Newcastle on 10 July 2015 – it’s free to attend – email C.M.McKinlay@hull.ac.uk.