More than ever, today, testing is at the forefront of conversations and concerns about education. I believe that well-designed assessment tools that are true to what they intend to measure can and should inform teaching and learning. I also believe that assessment should be used in the service of instruction, rather than the other way around. Good teachers, by definition, should be good assessors of what their students understand and can do; that includes the ability of teachers to self-assess and determine what ought to be happening in the classroom next, instead, or in addition.
Improved performance on tests is certainly an important goal, but must represent fuller understanding of complex ideas, greater facility with skills valued in the 21st century, and deeper engagement in learning. Good tests support these goals.
Better teaching will lead to improved performance on tests. Better testing will ensure that we are indeed measuring and promoting those aspects of thinking and learning which are of value and substance in the classroom and the world at large.