Final+Proposal

  · I want to be able to show students that standardize testing are not everything and that their abilities to perform as a person is more important than their test results. · If I get a chance to go to different schools throughout the area, I want to be able to talk to different students and get their views on standardize testing and compare them to other schools throughout the area. · I want to be able to work close with my mentor in getting in contact with school boards and parents from the schools to see how they feel about their child taken tests that colleges or higher levels of education look at. · I want research different colleges and be able to find out if they look at a student’s tests scores and why they don’t look at their ability just as much. · Finally, I want to be able to find out from students if they get discouraged because of standardize testing and how many have to make changes in their lives because of them.    
 * Background **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- Deciding to do my project on standardized testing was something that I knew was going to be a challenge for me. I want to prove that when students are forced to take tests they change their lives. Some students are getting judged on what their test score results. When students are under pressure they get nervous and some don’t do too well. Students are being looked at when they take tests by their school and their future college or university (if they plan on going). Most people are starting to realize that the dropout rate is starting to increase because students can’t pass their tests. When colleges look at their scores, they probably don’t consider the ability level of a student. Colleges look at their past grades and forget that some people are better at performing their tasks instead of taking a test on them. Even some schools are starting to realize that standardize testing is not a good idea. It’s causing their teachers and students to become unhappy. Just testing students is not going to determine what they can do as a person. The tests only show if the student is capable of remembering certain things and some things they will never use again. I want to be able to show that students are being affected by these tests and that schools shouldn’t just look at their scores without considering that they are a good and productive student.
 * Vision **- When this project is completed it will not make a difference to me but others as well. After being able to prove that standardize tests impact students in negative ways and that schools worry too much about their results instead of their abilities, I will feel good. After proving my point I will know the truth about how students change their lives because of these tests. I want to be able to help students realize that testing shouldn’t take over their lives. Worrying too much about how testing will determine their future should not be put into their minds. I want to be able to show students all over that testing has to be done but they shouldn’t stop doing their daily activities because of them. When other people here my project it will show them how most students are affected by standardize tests. When they see how students change, teachers, parents, or adults in general will be able to help the students. They will be able to show them that standardize testing is mandatory but should not take over their lives.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Goals- **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Products **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- One way I will show that I met my goals is through a portfolio. The portfolio will include the information that I received from teachers, parents and students. The information will tell me how each person feels about standardize testing and if they are against it. It will also include a chart of how many people are for testing and how many people are against it. Another way I will show that I met my goals is by putting together a video that shows different point of views on the topic. The video will include students, teachers, parents, and hopefully principals from different schools. The video will be brief and will help others see the views from people who want to show others how students are being affected by testing.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Task Analysis **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- In order to complete my project I am going to need information from different types of students. I need to know what type of student they are and when they take test, how do they react. I need to know from parents and teachers how they’ve noticed a change in their student’s behavior or how they’ve reacted to them taking tests. I’m going to be looking at students from different schools in order to get more of a variety of information. I need to have all my questions that I will be asking before I set dates to go to different schools. I want to have all my interviews done before the second week of December, hopefully by mid or the end of November I will be finished.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Mentor and Topic Expert Analysis **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- My mentor’s name is Marilou Watson. I picked her because I knew out of everyone; she will be the person that will be able to help me the most when I have to go to different schools and talk to people, especially parents. When I first talked to her about my project idea, she told me that it’s going to be a challenge and that going to schools is going to be a lot of work. She taught me that I’m going to have to concentrate on this more than anything because it’s going to be a lot of work. Also, that I need to have questions and something that explains what I’m doing and why I’m doing this. I plan on working with my mentor as much as possible. I want and will meet with her at least once a week. I’m going to explain to her what my research has showed, what my project ideas are and how I will need her help. I want to be able find a way that will make this project interesting and fun and I know she will be able to help me with that. I plan on keeping her interested by coming up with new ideas as to how to go about my project and make it something that will affect a lot of people.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Conclusion **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- To me this project is very important because I want to show how students are affected by testing. Knowing that some students are being judged because of their test results is something that shouldn’t be occurring. If a majority of students do not test well, students should have the opportunity to show that they know things in a different way. I’m going to have to be patient and not stress over this project but hopefully I will be able to be successful. I hate to see students dropping out of school or giving up on their future because they failed their tests. My weaknesses are going to be a challenge to overcome but I can do it. My major challenge is finding schools that will allow me to interview students or teachers and once I find the schools, when will I have the time do go and not miss school. I don’t know how often I will be able to miss school because I was working on my project, but hopefully I will be able to miss a couple of days, but not too many. I’ve realized how important this project is and how much time it takes. I have to work on making more time for this project and talk to my mentor as much as possible.