Tan, Jason

Standardized tests, often high-stakes in nature, are a common feature of many education systems. Although there is a movement towards authentic and/or varied assessment practices, there is still a strong reliance on standardized tests to measure student achievement despite their widely discussed and documented negative effects on teaching and learning. Short of doing away with standardized testing completely, reducing the number of mandatory high stakes national examinations seems to be a realistic and feasible solution in theory. The Integrated Programme (IP) in Singapore allows high-ability students to bypass the General Certificate of Education 'Ordinary' Level examinations at the end of their secondary education, but they are required to sit for the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level examinations, International Baccalaureate, or Advanced Placement in the final year of their pre-university education.

As intended, the removal of a national standardized examination frees up time and space in the curriculum for the pursuit of a more holistic, broad-based education and diversified assessment modes in the four years of secondary schooling. In effect, IP students enjoy a longer break between mandatory national exams, i.e. the Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) and the 'A’ Levels. This paper surfaces the concerns and anxieties of IP students regarding their ability to do well in a national examination, especially since they have grown accustomed to a different mode of assessment in their secondary education. Additionally, this paper examines student views on the relevance of their prior learning experiences in light of their preparation for the 'A’ Levels, IB or AP.

Focus group discussions were conducted annually in seven schools for three consecutive years. Online surveys were administered annually to IP students from participating schools over the span of four years. The longitudinal design tracks changes in students’ perspectives about their educational experiences as they transition from secondary to tertiary education. Quantitative findings from online surveys are included to supplement qualitative analysis; specifically, self-reported data on examination anxiety and on the use of assessment methods.

Findings indicate that students generally felt they were lacking in examination-taking techniques or skills and worried that they lack the mental stamina needed to sustain them through examinations. Discontinuities in the academic domain made some students feel that their learning experiences in the secondary years were irrelevant. Others acknowledged the discontinuities but focused instead on their personal growth, and were thus able to integrate their experiences into a coherent educational narrative. A deeper understanding of students’ lived experiences would help unearth important considerations for policymakers and educators seeking to enrich learning experiences for students within the climate of high-stakes standardized testing.