Testy szkolne i rekonstrukcja edukacyjnej rzeczywistości
School Tests and Reconstruction of Educational Reality

Summary/Abstract: RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The aim of the article is to reconstruct the ideological and social problem, as well as the cultural controversy about the growing importance of tests in determining the boundaries of modern neoliberal school reality and student identity. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The main research problem can be formulated as follows: what is the role of tests in shaping the social structure and identity of young people? The starting point for answering these questions was the analysis of a representative literature on the subject, especially English-language. The methods of analysis are qualitative and are within the framework of social constructivism. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The process of the discussion consists of several stages: introduction to the problems related to the phenomenon of testing, reconstruction of selected contexts of the testing problem, analysis of the consequences of testing policy for socialization and selection processes, summaries and conclusions. The presented methods of argumentation avoid evaluating; they are definitely diagnostic. RESEARCH RESULTS: The article presents the specifics of two types of tests: diagnostic; on the example of PISA and selection tests; on the example of Chinese gaokao. The considerations were conducted around two most important categories determining the areas of analysis and interpretation – selection and socialization. It has been shown that the tests obviously serve to “sort” young people and determine their life chances, and also constitute a powerful selection mechanism, reproducing the social structure, but also creating channels of social mobility. On the other hand, it has been shown that tests shape the identity of young people. Thus, it can be stated that the selective function of tests (and more broadly – examinations) is realized through socialization in the preceding period. This happens both in the context of the (reduced) content of knowledge to which the assimilation of the test is compelled, and the construction of ways of thinking about learning / teaching, as well as thinking about educational success and shaping certain personality traits. CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Understanding the testing mechanisms as well as their role in the selection and socialization processes can serve as a starting point for pedagogical activities for a conscious and critical educational policy.

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