Educ 4891 - The Science and Politics of Testing in the United States

Institution:

Washington University in St Louis

Subject:

Description:

Why do tests permeate American Society? Tests have been integral to the decision-making process in many venues of American culture-immigration opportunities, voting rights, college admissions, workforce considerations, special education placement, educational reform, and graduation requirements. The credibility of these decisions depends upon the claim that a particular test is a scientific instrument and relevant to the decision-making process. This claim is worthy of study. The purpose of this course is twofold. The first purpose is to examine how the nexus of science and politics influence testing practices in American society. The second purpose is to explore how testing practices influence the culture of schools, civil liberties, the work place, and public discourse about merit.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.wustl.edu

Phone Number:

(314) 935-5000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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