Is this the End of Standardized Tests?

Hello everyone. I have discovered an article that describes some of the possible alternatives to the constant rigor of standardized tests that schools keep forcing on students. With the rise of dissent among many different people and organizations over the frequency and difficulty among tests, many different alternatives have been suggested. I will focus on only one of them here, but to see the full article and list of options, click here.

One of the suggestions that is given in the article is that schools should use different companies who develop specific learning software to make courses specific to each class. This way, a student can take this online or downloadable course and can be tested over time, instead of being tested all at once. The tests that are given after all of the online sections are completed are stored and looked at over the course of the semester and the progress is noted. I like this idea. I can remember some of my own experiences with online learning tools. I had to use a laptop and a online pass to get to my work in an Algebra I class in college. I had never been very good at math, so I was hesitant that this would be of any benefit to me. After a few days, however, I liked it more than with the normal classroom setting. One could work at their own pace in each section and they could only advance after they had passed the previous section. For me, I loved this system. I have never believe in the onld system in math. Too many times I had experienced the problem of "Well, you got a D on the test. You obviously don't understand this material, but we are moving onto the next section. I'm sure you'll do better next time." While no one said this to me directly, that is still what it felt like. With that said, I really liked this system because it never left me behind and I could work at my own pace in the classroom and at home.

However, it would behoove me to point out that this system is not perfect. Many of these programs require internet access, and a laptop, which many students may not have at the High School level, let alone the middle and elementary grades. I myself had to pay a $300 lab fee for the Algebra I class, only to find that it was for a small, cheap net-book when I had a perfectly good computer to begin with, and this was just to make sure everyone had a laptop at the college level. It may still be an added expense for schools to give a student a computer when many parents may not be ready or able to buy them one for High school. I think that many people still think of High School as a place where computers are used on a limited basis, and the idea of them needing a computer for a whole class may be difficult to accept.

That is just one of the alternatives to rigorous standardized testing that is offered to today's public school system. What do you guys think? What do you think of the other suggestions presented in the article?