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Proficiency Tests

Proficiency Tests

  • For

    Votes: 5 62.5%

  • Against

    Votes: 2 25.0%

  • Other

    Votes: 1 12.5%
  • Total voters
    8
xMathFanx said:
@ttwtt

Yes--though differing levels of 'prestige' can be assigned to the accreditation via a system such as I previously discussed. Currently, this occurs in the University system as a degree from Harvard is 'weighted' more heavily than a degree from a state sponsored public school, for instance.
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This discussion seems to be going around in circles. If it is still up to any college to decide what test results that they will (or will not) honor (acknowledge or accept?) to count towards their degree then the voluntary test (instead of taking the class) system is fairly useless.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
This discussion seems to be going around in circles. If it is still up to any college to decide what test results that they will (or will not) honor (acknowledge or accept?) to count towards their degree then the voluntary test (instead of taking the class) system is fairly useless.
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@ttwtt

You keep attempting to push this into the box of the already established Academic system. However, this is intended to be an alternative to that system, which would also be equivalently accredited. A perfect example of this would be a G.E.D. vs High School diploma.
 
Vox said:
Your counter-example was irrelevant and so stupid as to be unworthy of comment.
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@Vox

I understand the counter-example is against your interests to acknowledge; as it is trivially obvious you would fail the test, miserably. Thus, demonstrating that it does in fact measure proficiency in the subject.
 
xMathFanx said:
@ttwtt

You keep attempting to push this into the box of the already established Academic system. However, this is intended to be an alternative to that system, which would also be equivalently accredited. A perfect example of this would be a G.E.D. vs High School diploma.
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They (bolded above) are both issued by the state - and are largely considered worthless because of that. Who, exactly, would make and accredit these tests?
 
xMathFanx said:
@Vox

I understand the counter-example is against your interests to acknowledge; as it is trivially obvious you would fail the test, miserably. Thus, demonstrating that it does in fact measure proficiency in the subject.
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And that means nothing.

Which is why your counter-example fails miserably.

If you can't even get something that simple right.......how could we trust you on something complex?

:mrgreen:
 
ttwtt78640 said:
They are both issued by the state - and are largely considered worthless because of that. Who, exactly, would make and accredit these tests?
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@ttwtt

That is a separate discussion. The topic here is (essentially) whether the G.E.D. is in fact a valid alternative to a High School Diploma--and then scale that up through levels in Higher Education (i.e. AA, BA, MA)
 
Vox said:
And that means nothing.

\
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@Vox

Actually, it would mean you are not proficient in BA/BS level Physics--which is exactly what the test is designed to measure. Hence, the topic of this Thread.

Try and keep up.
 
xMathFanx said:
@ttwtt

That is a separate discussion. The topic here is (essentially) whether the G.E.D. is in fact a valid alternative to a High School Diploma--and then scale that up through levels in Higher Education (i.e. AA, BA, MA)
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Nope, that is the discussion - who would accept these test results? Many accept HS diplomas or GED certificates only with back-up in the form of passing other (standardized?) tests (e.g. the ASVAB). Many employers, including the government, now require a college degree (in any subject) just to avoid having to waste time screening alleged HS graduates to see if they are even trainable.

https://todaysmilitary.com/joining/asvab-test
 
xMathFanx said:
@Vox

Actually, it would mean you are not proficient in BA/BS level Physics--which is exactly what the test is designed to measure. Hence, the topic of this Thread.

Try and keep up.
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Nobody can keep up with the oppressive and massive ignorance and neediness of your topic.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
Nope, that is the discussion - who would accept these test results? Many accept HS diplomas or GED certificates only with back-up in the form of passing other (standardized?) tests (e.g. the ASVAB). Many employers, including the government, now require a college degree (in any subject) just to avoid having to waste time screening alleged HS graduates to see if they are even trainable.

https://todaysmilitary.com/joining/asvab-test
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No--it's not the discussion. As I and other members have already noted (multiple times), the University system clearly has very high incentives against it--although that does not invalidate the concept.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
I doubt that many colleges would allow test outs or even course credit transfers from another college to count in other than elective courses. Not only would that be a significant loss of revenue it would allow taking a test or two and getting a degree from a prestigious university based on barely squeaking by on most (if not all) such "accreditation" tests.
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There is an exception to that, which I used. I did my first 2 years at a CC, then transferred almost everything to a state college. There was only one class I took at the CC that got rejected, and it wasn't part of my major. I think a lot of state colleges and CC's have those arrangements. I even had a couple of profs that taught at both schools.
 
<alt>doxygen said:
There is an exception to that, which I used. I did my first 2 years at a CC, then transferred almost everything to a state college. There was only one class I took at the CC that got rejected, and it wasn't part of my major. I think a lot of state colleges and CC's have those arrangements. I even had a couple of profs that taught at both schools.
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OK, but that is a voluntary agreement of the "accepting" college - far different than a (state?) mandate to accept a test result as a substitute for taking any class.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
OK, but that is a voluntary agreement of the "accepting" college - far different than a (state?) mandate to accept a test result as a substitute for taking any class.
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Absolutely correct. The state school and the CC were in a mutually beneficial partnership. I worked this all out with counselors at both ends before doing it.
 
Other...

This system already exists in many colleges.
You can "challenge" the course by taking and passing its final exam and you will get full credit.
 
xMathFanx said:
Proficiency Tests

Consider, if students are (essentially) mandated to take standardized tests such as the G.E.D., SAT, ACT, GRE, GRE Subject Tests, ect. ect. to demonstrate academic knowledge, skills & abilities which is claimed to be a sufficiently strong evaluation method--Why cant 'Proficiency Tests' be administered on a range of subjects that, if passed, credentials a person in that particular area analogous to taking a course, sequential group of courses, or degree (i.e. AA, BA, MA, ect.)?

Note, 'placement testing' and 'final exams' are already standard, then why not have that model expanded greatly? That is, if a person takes and passes a 'Final Exam' on a particular subject, what is the need for them to take the 4 month course? Likewise, if a person can pass a GRE Subject Test on a given subject, which is intended to demonstrate proficiency at the level of an Undergraduate degree in the area, why should that not credential them in the area? That is, why could they not bypass the need for attending College for 4 or so years and simply take the Test if & when ready in order to earn the diploma?
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they used to have such tests

google CLEP and DANTES

i bypassed a number of courses back in when i was going to school while active duty Air Force

I was also issued credits for my technical courses that the Air Force taught

between all of that, i was able to bypass probably close to a full years worth of classes
 
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