Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Go Back                 Case Posted on October 16, 2015 4:15 pm Add to Favorites JezaHa Reps: 108 Is Retesting Ethical? We have started implementing retests at my school. If students make below a 70, they have the option to retest. Many feel as though a lot of retests would be fluffing the grade, for once they master that standard, we eliminate that low grade and only count the higher one. Is this the right mindset?                 Submit a Possible Solution Please read response(s) below (if any) before posting your solution.                 Solution 1 Posted October 16, 2015 6:00 pm eryMav Reps: 75 I believe that it is fluffing the grade because it creates a sense of learned helplessness. Specifically, if students know that they can take a test as many times as they need to they will stop valuing the content and will study less. I believe the best option is to allow for test corrections where students can correct the questions they miss, but have to provide an explanation for why the new answer they chose is correct. This will still give students the opportunity to demonstrate mastery and will still put value on the original test. The points they get back should not be the same as what the questions were originally worth. Votes: +36 / -3 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution vaWety Reps: 82 I teach fifth grade. I allow very few retests because I don't feel retests are fair to other students. Many times, if a student knows he/she can retest, they will not study and try their best the first time. When a student does take a retest in my classroom, I average the first grade and the second grade to get a final grade. I believe this is the fairest way to handle retests, instead of simply dropping the lowest grade.   Posted on: October 18, 2015 12:35 am gyVyPe Reps: 250 I agree with this statement and allowing students not to retest because they may not study the first time.   Posted on: February 24, 2017 6:02 pm Xetuzu Reps: 206 I like your explanation for your solution. I think test corrections is a better approach compared to re testing multiple times.   Posted on: March 1, 2021 6:12 pm Add a Comment                 Solution 2 Posted October 18, 2015 7:07 pm QuvuLy Reps: 78 I believe allowing students to re-test is perfectly fine. The teacher within the classroom should be able to differentiate assessments to ensure that students are able to assess successfully. On top of that, students should have to justify to the teacher that they are ready to reassess. Students can do this by doing extra work on what they struggled on, go to tutoring, or anything else a teacher may require before reassessing. The bottom line is teachers want to see students be successful, and if students can justify to teachers they are ready to reassess, then students should have the right to be able to reassess. Votes: +13 / -1 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 3 Posted October 19, 2015 1:06 am uGaLaz Reps: 77 I have given students their tests back, let them use their notes and correct each problem they missed. If they show all of their work, which proves they went back to their notes, and get the right answer then I will give them half of the credit back for the problem. In your situation, I think the highest a child should be able to make is a 70 if they make below that a retest. It is unfair to students who prepared the first time if the students who waited until the retest, get extra time to study and can outscore them. I also think it sets up a mindset of "this test doesn't matter, they'll just let me retake it" with the students which is only handicapping them in the end. Votes: +10 / -1 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 4 Posted October 16, 2015 5:52 pm aQaWus Reps: 131 I understand the idea behind the retest, but I'm not sure it should be able to take it more than a second time if they still don't get above a 70. I would also make so the students that are retesting can only get a 70 because to the students that pass it on the first time is not fair to them for the student that retest gets a higher grade. I don't believe that is the right mindset. Votes: +9 / -7 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 5 Posted October 19, 2015 3:24 am WubuLe Reps: 100 I believe it is. If the overall outcome is to get students to learn then what are the grades supposed to do. I think we should focus on the learning and not the grades. In life the real world will teach them about placement in society because of their time and achievement. In the schooling years I believe that we should merely provide them with the skills to be successful not consequences that do not teach. Votes: +6 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 6 Posted October 18, 2015 9:53 pm GaXyve Reps: 76 I often have students make corrections or give them back previously taken assessments to retake. I do not feel that this is unethical because through this process, the students are being exposed to the content more. Through more exposure, they are more likely to retain and understand the concepts. It is not fluffing if they are working to earn the score. Votes: +4 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 7 Posted October 16, 2017 11:04 pm zuMyJe Reps: 100 Maybe a better solution is providing students with a limited number of retests allowed per semester around 1 to 3. Votes: +4 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 8 Posted February 29, 2016 2:09 am uJasuX Reps: 203 In my classroom, I allow my students to make corrections to tests, but they can only earn up to half credit for each correction. Votes: +4 / -1 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 9 Posted February 28, 2016 8:51 pm SuGaNe Reps: 226 I never thought this was fair, because if student A made a 71 and student B made a 65 then retested and got a 75, it was unfair to student A. This teaches students just to not study because they can always retake it. I would give ALL students the option to retest once, and average the two grades. Votes: +3 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 10 Posted October 9, 2016 9:22 pm qyryMa Reps: 203 This is something that could be argued on both ends. I would say this is ethical ASLONG as it is something that is being addressed with the lesson planning. If your lesson plans are not helping the students retain and understand the information, you can usually tell if the majority of the students are failing the tests. However, you need to have some accountability. If you have the option to retest all the time students might take advantage of this. Votes: +2 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 11 Posted October 18, 2015 8:50 pm qevaSe Reps: 111 I do not see anything wrong with retesting students at least one time. If students did not passed the summative assessment then they did not learn the skills necessary to do so. After the failed assessment, teachers should reteach students using another method. I would not retest several times but just one. Votes: +2 / -2 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 12 Posted November 25, 2022 12:40 pm yDapem Reps: 200 Retesting is ethical if it is not forced, or used as a form of punishment. Redemption is not fluffing the grade, it is a reinforcement of knowledge that may have been weak. Votes: +1 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 13 Posted February 24, 2017 6:01 pm gyVyPe Reps: 250 I believe this is a good mindset to have because it gives the students the opportunity to try again and do better. Votes: +1 / -2 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 14 Posted March 1, 2021 12:44 am yhedyZ Reps: 205 I dont think it is right for every student to get a retest on every test. This will cause the students to not be prepared as much as they would if they didnt think they were able to retake it. I would say if more than 50% of the students fall below 70% then maybe allow them to retest if they chose. Votes: +1 / -2 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 15 Posted October 3, 2023 6:15 pm amyJyp Reps: 206 I think a retest could be helpful if the students don’t know a retest is optional before the first attempt. A student could have had an off day or had things going on at home on the sat of the test and didn’t know as well as they could have. Votes: +0 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Submit a Possible Solution Please read response(s) below (if any) before posting your solution.