́The Age of Examinationś: A Historical Sketch -- Monetizing Marks: The Political Economy of Examinations -- An Epistemology of the Mundane: Dissecting One Examination -- Daguerreotypes of the Mind: Paper, Partition, and Specialization -- Machining Minds: Commensuration, Tabulation, and Standardization -- Thin Descriptions: Credentials and Other Signals -- Learning and Earning: Coaching or Cramming? -- Immoral Economies: How to Cheat on a Victorian Exam -- Economies, Remoralized: Examinations as Technologies of Inclusion.
Summary:
"Starting in the 1850s achievement tests became standardized in the British Isles, and were administered on an industrial scale. By the end of the century, over two million people had written mass exams, particularly in science, technology, and mathematics. Some candidates responded to this standardization by cramming or cheating; others embraced the hope that such tests rewarded not only knowledge, but also merit. Written with humour, Making a Grade looks at how standardized testing practises quietly appeared, and then spread worldwide. This book situates mass exams, marks, and credentials in an emerging paper-based meritocracy, arguing that such exams often appeared first as ́cameraś to neutrally record achievement, then became ́engineś to change education as people tailored their behaviour to fit these tests. Taking the perspective of both examiners and examinees, Making a Grade claims that our own culture’s desire for accountability through objective testing is not a new one."-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.