TESTING: The College Board introduces different methods for student examinations in A.P. subjects and the SAT.
By Matt Kaye, Staff Writer
As students take advantage of their last days to study, they brace themselves for another year of Advanced Placement (A.P.) exams. From calculus to history to foreign languages, the A.P. tests offer an eclectic variety of subjects for students to master. Starting this year, the central focus of two of the A.P. courses and exams shifts away from just knowing the facts to favor a deeper understanding of the material for better worldly preparation.
According to the College Board’s newly revised course and exam description for the A.P. Chemistry test, the new test will try to balance the large capacity of information with rich understanding of the concepts that goes deeper than ever before. In a nutshell, the exam will de-emphasize the importance of the “what” and inquiry more into the “why.” The goal is to breed a greater ability to successfully use reasoning and analysis that appears through college and beyond. As usual, passing the test will serve as the college equivalent to a first-year class in chemistry or as a prerequisite for courses requiring some knowledge in general chemistry. From this year on, success on the A.P. Chemistry exam will ensure that students are able to succeed in further, more advanced courses with the ability to fully understand the material.
The A.P. Spanish Language and Culture examination is experiencing modifications of its own. The test now has a deeper focus in three major areas: interpersonal, interpretive and presentational. The College Board sees these three components as the key strong points in perfecting communication in a foreign language. Along the same lines as the new chemistry exam, this test now expands outside of the concentration on knowing the material -in this case vocabulary and conjugations- to include the application of this knowledge in the right manner that better fits expectations of the real world. The newly edited course and exam description states that the use of language with contextual accuracy leads to proper meanings and successful communication. The course continues to provide cultural insight so students are more prepared in their approach to presenting the language when needed.
The College Board did not stop there, however. The crafters of the most widely-known and oldest aptitude test in the nation are redesigning the exam in what is expected to be one of the largest changes in the test’s nearly one-hundred-year history. The test will move to a more common set of vocabulary with an emphasis on the words’ contexts. The test will include an essay portion that requires students to use provided documents within their writing. The new exam will have a new portion that brings history and science into the mix as students apply their knowledge in math and language arts. The most notable change is the removal of the penalty for wrong answers.
The College Board is conveying a large shift from knowing every little detail to an approach that deals more exclusively with applying knowledge in the real world. In its more focused A.P. tests and broad SAT, the College Board is setting the bar to higher levels in its search for the most productive citizens. They hope to instill greater understanding so the next generation can solve more of the world’s problems with the most effective utilities. The revamped courses and examinations are only the first step in this process.