Making a grade : Victorian examinations and the rise of standardized testing

Author / Creator

Elwick, James, 1973- author

Available as

Online

Summary

"Starting in the 1850s achievement tests became standardized in the British Isles, and were administered on an industrial scale. By the end of the century, over two million people had written mass ...

"Starting in the 1850s achievement tests became standardized in the British Isles, and were administered on an industrial scale. By the end of the century, over two million people had written mass exams, particularly in science, technology, and mathematics. Some candidates responded to this standardization by cramming or cheating; others embraced the hope that such tests rewarded not only knowledge, but also merit. Written with humour, Making a Grade looks at how standardized testing practises quietly appeared, and then spread worldwide. This book situates mass exams, marks, and credentials in an emerging paper-based meritocracy, arguing that such exams often appeared first as "cameras" to neutrally record achievement, then became "engines" to change education as people tailored their behaviour to fit these tests. Taking the perspective of both examiners and examinees, Making a Grade claims that our own culture's desire for accountability through objective testing is not a new one."--

Show More