MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) testing is happening now in Utah, and in the upcoming months, many students across the state will log onto their computers and begin, clicking through questions upon questions claiming to measure their growth. While some may agree these tests track progress and provide helpful insights of student learning for teachers, for others MAP testing creates stress, takes away class time, and fails to represent what the students actually learned.
The MAP test is given multiple times a year to measure student growth. Some students feel the test is pointless and highly unnecessary, turning it into a guessing game rather than an accurate measurement of learning.
Shreya Bhurtel, a Freshman at Skyline, mentioned, “Personally, I just click though and don’t even read the question, especially with the long testing sessions.”
Supporters may argue that MAP testing provides useful data for teachers and students. Sophia Hegvik, a Skyline Freshman, agrees with this statement, noting, “MAP testing can be helpful as it shows me how much I’ve grown and what I’ve learned.” This confirms that for some MAP testing can provide valuable information and insights on student academic progress.
In regards to MAP testing, many students have similar concerns. Bhurtel and Hegvik both claimed that it’s hard to stay focused during such long tests, especially when the results won’t impact their grades. This demonstrates that motivation is often low, which can lead to inaccurate scores. If students are not even fully trying, the data will not truly represent their learning or growth, making the test less useful than intended.
In the end, MAP testing may, depending on the student, provide some insight into student progress throughout the year, but it does not give completely accurate results. A few testing sessions cannot show a student’s effort, participation, or growth shown day to day in various ways, sports and subjects. Bhurtel offered, “As schools are going to probably continue using MAP testing, they should consider other ways to measure students and growth or what else they’ve learned.”
Hegvik adds, “ In my opinion, what I am learning is more than like whatever number or score I will get on the test, and students need to be measured in ways that will reflect their full abilities, growth, and like everything they learned in the school year.”
