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Symbolic Validation: The Case of State-Mandated, High-Stakes Testing.
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Airasian, Peter W. – Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 1988
High-stakes state-mandated testing programs are discussed, illustrating that proposed educational innovations are adopted because of their power as symbols of value orientations in the wider culture. In such programs, tests represent order and control, focus on important outcomes, and symbolize basic moral values. (SLD)
Descriptors: College Entrance Examinations, Cultural Influences, Educational Change, Educational Improvement