The following respondents were critical of standardized assessments, universal tools, and standards because they do not meet the needs of individual learners:
I think we need to make sure that assessment doesn't become standardized. It needs to always meet the specific needs of each individual. We need to be wary of too much intervention from governments.
We know universal tools do not meet the needs of our learners.
We are supposed to be delivering individualized programs so why would we have standardized testing?
Standard assessments don't work and are geared towards performing certain tasks that aren't always useful. You have to take into account where the learner is and what they know outside of reading and writing.
The most burning issue is our national love affair with standards. We have become so tied to number grades and 'meeting standards' that we are actually killing many learner's chances for success.
The survey findings indicated that respondents want assessment tools that are culturally relevant and customized for populations with specific learning needs. The following quotations reflect the need for customized assessment tools.
We need assessment tools that look at streams other than the mainstreams.
Culturally appropriate tools that reflect the assumed knowledge that one would have if one were born and raised in northern Canada.
A fair culturally based assessment that considers all prior learning of adults in an ESL setting.
The complete lack of research and tools suited to the assessment and evaluation of the literacy skills of adults with intellectual disabilities.
It is important that instructors have a choice in the tools that they use since every site and area is different in terms of clients serviced, culture, etc.