IQ Obsession

I know I haven't posted for a while, but I've been busy with this, that and the other. My most recent obsession being IQ tests. I know what most of you are thinking. About how biased they are and how they don't really measure what a person knows. They don't test in areas that don't allow for quantitative analysis. And you'd be right.

So what is the purpose of an IQ test? I read an interesting article that partially answers that question. Not fully but it's very interesting. I guess I recently became obsessed with them because of the standardized testing whether it's a state test, SAT, ACT, or the CAHSEE, that I have been helping students prepare for. I noticed a strong correlation between these tests and IQ tests I have seen in the past.

Whether you like it or not testing, whether written or oral, is essential for the accurate assessment of an individual to determine how best to serve them in the process of acquiring and assimilating information. Fortunately or unfortunately as society "progresses" the need for highly developed skills and knowledge is essential to be "successful" if you don't care about that then don't read the rest of this post, if you do then continue. Education, in whatever form it takes, is an integral part of this. So making sure a child can receive maximum benefits from their education is also important. Hence the need for testing which allows for the ability to customize based on individual needs as opposed external standards.

From personal and professional experience in education, testing, evaluating and tutoring I have noticed that students who have consistently low standardized tests scores, regular test scores, and poor classroom performance struggle more academically than those with consistently higher marks. This doesn't mean that many outside factors don't contribute to these scores, but that for whatever reason the student is unable to demonstrate critical thinking skills and knowledge they should have acquired up to whatever level they are testing.

I have worked with MANY students who according to their marks from various tests and classroom grades are Below Basic and Far Below Basic, where Basic is considered to be at grade level according to state standards. Most of those students have been successful as a result of the programs that I have used with them, but it required many ours of individual attention and academic struggle on the side of the student. Where as the students who I have worked with that are Above Basic or Advanced usual require minimal instruction with the exception of topic introduction and demonstrating a few examples to obtain information that according to state standards they should know. And quite a few of them are able to figure things out on their own even if they encounter a new topic because of their highly developed critical thinking skills, logic, and knowledge acquisition abilities.

Essentially the major purpose of all the tests that are being developed is to see how effective someone is at demonstrating the critical thinking skills, logic, and knowledge acquisition abilities and retention. Because the truth is, that's what it takes to be successful in our current society.

If any of you would like to argue the point fine, but consider this first. When you are at work and your boss gives you a problem to solve. Does he/she come back later and ask you if you know about the problem and a possible solution or Does he/she come back to see a solution(s) to the problem or optimally to see you have already solved the problem?

If it's the former where do you work and why isn't it out of business and if it's the latter then obviously you have a job in the real world.

As always have a good day and enjoy.