Are tests an accurate measurement of student success? This is a compelling question to answer and it has two very different points of view to go by. On one hand student success is measured by how much the student knows, but all tests do, is test the memory of the student. Of course a student can remember anything, but the student may not understand what he/she remembers.

I can remember a word, but I may not be able to tell you the definition of that word. Technically a test is not a measurement of student success it is a measurement of student memory. School is about thinking and learning in your own way. How to come to an answer, students are taught to think freely, but then corrected for not doing step by step procedures that they have been taught.

All the tests are is memory, but on the other hand the tests do offer some chances for free thinking. Many word problems often lead to a student figuring out a solution in their own manner. It requires the student to look for the correct numbers to plug in, to find out the problem first, or search for keywords in order to solve the problem. Sure they have to use the steps that they were taught but in the end they are technically thinking and finding all the information needed to do so, and that requires some measure of intellect.

Students may understand what they are taught, and memory based on. That will show the success by how they follow the instructions, Long story short, in my personal opinion, tests are not a very accurate measure of student success. All the tests do is show how well the student body can remember the information they had been taught. It does not show whether or not the student truly understands what they are doing and in no way shows true success.