Grim results in student tests give pause to educationalists

Published on August 16, 2009

Eight thousand out of 295,141 examinees scored zero in the second round of the General Aptitude Test (GAT).

The National Institute of Education Testing Service (NIETS) is probing the causes of the outcome, urging those wishing to look at their answer sheets and require test results to file a request from August 24-30.

The GAT/Professional Aptitude Test (PAT) exams were held in July, and 10-20 per cent of some 360,000 student applicants failed to show up to take them.

NIETS chief Uthumporn Chamaraman said in a statement about GAT/PAT result published yesterday on www.niets.or.th that both rounds of GAT/PAThad yielded rather low scores in general.

In the July round, GAT saw the highest at 287.5 and the lowest at 0, whilst the March round saw the highest at 290 and the lowest at 0.

The July PAT average highest-lowest scores were: PAT 1 (maths) 300-0 (compared to March's 300-0), PAT 2 (science) 235-0 (254.5-0), and PAT 3 (engineering) 260-5 (240-5). The PAT 4 (architecture) were 189-3 (225-0), PAT 5 (education) at 219-0 (222-38) and PAT 6 (art) at 168-0 (165-18). The PAT 7 (foreign languages) saw highest-lowest scores as follows: French 261-3 (compared to March's 270-30), German 273-36 (288-39), Japanese 294-0 (294-0), Chinese 264-3 (291-27), Arabic 296.25-48.75 (277-41), and Pali 186-51 (279-45).

Uthumporn said that GAT, testing analytical thinking and English, had seen 1,247 examinees scoring fully in the first round but 8,000 obtaining 0 in both sections in the second round, out of 295,141 students taking the July GAT.

This puzzled the NIETS because the scores should improve the more times the student takes the tests, she said, so the agency would analyse what had caused such low scores.

Meanwhile, Chulalongkorn University lecturer Sompong Jitradap commented that 8,000 students getting 0 on the recent GAT was no surprise because the students might not yet be familiar with the test, which emphasised analytical skills and English, when most Thai educational programmes focused on rote learning.

The English test paper was also so difficult that even some lecturers or native speakers could not answer some of the questions, he said.

He urged English and other subjects be taught in such a way that students would be able to grasp the gist and analyse the test questions.

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Employers have known for decades that fresh graduates here have poor analytical skills - too much multiple choice tests!

It isn't necessarily the multiple choice nature of the tests. The PAT/GAT are also multiple choice. The SAT is multiple choice. Some of the test in the IB Program are multiple choice. Same for GCSE. This suggests that it is more the nature of the questions on the multiple choice exams given in Thai schools that is the problem. Bear in mind that a Thai teacher will have 15-20 periods per week with class sizes up to 50 students. It isn't particularly easy to do other kinds of testing when you have 500 exams to mark in three days.

It isn't necessarily the multiple choice nature of the tests. The PAT/GAT are also multiple choice. The SAT is multiple choice. Some of the test in the IB Program are multiple choice. Same for GCSE. This suggests that it is more the nature of the questions on the multiple choice exams given in Thai schools that is the problem. Bear in mind that a Thai teacher will have 15-20 periods per week with class sizes up to 50 students. It isn't particularly easy to do other kinds of testing when you have 500 exams to mark in three days.

And after tens to hundreds of such tests, teacher and students aim only to study to pass such a test, thus, rote teaching and learning.

What happened to the good old exam papers of 'Choose and answer 5 questions out of 8'?

The ability to understand principles, adapt and apply them should be the basis of assessing the student's performance.

It isn't necessarily the multiple choice nature of the tests. The PAT/GAT are also multiple choice. The SAT is multiple choice. Some of the test in the IB Program are multiple choice. Same for GCSE. This suggests that it is more the nature of the questions on the multiple choice exams given in Thai schools that is the problem. Bear in mind that a Thai teacher will have 15-20 periods per week with class sizes up to 50 students. It isn't particularly easy to do other kinds of testing when you have 500 exams to mark in three days.

And after tens to hundreds of such tests, teacher and students aim only to study to pass such a test, thus, rote teaching and learning.

What happened to the good old exam papers of 'Choose and answer 5 questions out of 8'?

The ability to understand principles, adapt and apply them should be the basis of assessing the student's performance.

As a management teacher in a University, I have over and over it is about making money rather than teaching. The obvious one is the grading policies. The teacher only make recommendation on the tests materials and final grades Administrations make the final decision every time

Quite honestly I was surprised the number of dismal failures was so low, I would have expected a much higher number, like 80,000.

These lines at the end caught my eye: "the test, which emphasised analytical skills and English, when most Thai educational programmes focused on rote learning. The English test paper was also so difficult that even some lecturers or native speakers could not answer some of the questions, he said. He urged English and other subjects be taught in such a way that students would be able to grasp the gist and analyse the test questions." Let Thai educationalistisizicators teach Thais how to write test Q's and A's.

Anyone who has worked in the bizarre world of the Thai education system will not be surprised by these results.

Most likely the test questions (especially if in English) were poorly written, the students were poorly educated, and the system was poorly prepared for the new test and its new values. I only heard about this test at the beginning of this school year, and have received very little information about how it is similar or different to previous standardised Thai tests.

No doubt someone made a lot of money on being paid for making the new test, though! Follow the money and it all becomes clear.