When you visit your physician, do you ask to see their MCAT scores or their college GPA? If you need an attorney, do you filter your search by their LSAT performance? Probably not. But do you also assume that if they are an attorney or a physician that they have performed at a level on these assessments to qualify/license them for the job? Probably so.
So, are tests good or bad? Needed or not needed? Consider now that AI can earn a 5 (the highest possible score) on AP exams and score in the top 10% on the bar exam with consistency. What impact does that have on your opinion of tests?
Standardized testing has been a fundamental component of education systems for decades and a controversial one with many arguments for and against it. The debate has taken on new dimensions with advancements in artificial intelligence (AI).
What influence will AI have on standardized testing? I would propose AI can have a positive impact on assessments and shift our focus from “testing to the test” to a more holistic and individualized learning and instructional approach.
1. Personalization: AI can assist with developing personalized assessments which can consider a student’s learning style, student behavior during the assessment, and performance history. AI can aid in more quickly developing adaptive assessments individualized to the person.
2. Comprehensive: AI can provide a more comprehensive assessment by incorporating a broader range of skills and knowledge, including critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. AI algorithms can better capture the full range of an individual’s abilities.
3. Continuous evaluation: With the assistance of AI, continuous evaluation can happen. By tracking progress over time, AI algorithms can provide real-time feedback that can be used to adjust teaching methods and improve learning outcomes.
4. Bias: AI is only as unbiased as the data used to train it. If the data used to train AI is biased, then the algorithms will be biased as well leading to continued inequities. However, if the data is more robust and unbiased, then the quality of tests is increased exponentially.
Tests can be used for good, but too much of a good thing can be bad for you. AI can improve tests. AI will change the way we view assessment. Will it eliminate testing? I think the jury is still out. What do you think?
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