The Philosophical Limitations of Educational Assessment: Implications for Academic Selection - Hardcover

by Ian Cantley (Author)

This book uses philosophical analysis to argue that there are tensions associated with using results of high stakes tests to predict students' future potential. The implications of these issues for the interpretation of test scores in general are then elucidated before their connotations for academic selection are considered. After a brief overview of the history of academic selection in the United Kingdom, and a review of evidence pertaining to its consequences, it is argued that the practice of using the results of contemporary high stakes tests to make important decisions about students incurs logical and moral problems that a conscientious educator cannot ignore. The gravity of the moral transgression depends on the purpose and significance of the test and, in the case of high stakes tests used for academic selection purposes, it is argued that, not only can the moral wrong be highly significant, but better solutions are within reach.

Back Jacket

'The book presents a convincing argument that high-stakes academic testing measures the wrong attributes and, on the whole, does more harm than good, especially in the context of academic selection. It places the onus on educators and on wider society to come up with better alternatives. The book is well researched, concise, to the point and extremely relevant to educators, caregivers and school system administrators everywhere.' - Alex Lautensach, University of Northern British Columbia, Canada

Author Biography

Ian Cantley is a Senior Lecturer in Education at Queen's University Belfast, UK. His research interests lie in both educational assessment and mathematics education, and he has published extensively in these areas. Ian's teaching and supervision responsibilities include contributions to initial teacher education, and masters' and doctoral programmes in education.