School & District Management

Study of Art Draws Conclusions On Tests

By Lynn Olson — December 13, 2000 3 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

A study of students’ drawings of themselves taking a state test in Massachusetts suggests that, far from motivating all students to do better, high-stakes testing may actually diminish how hard some youngsters try, the study’s authors say.

The study is based on the drawings of 411 students in grades 4, 8, and 10, who were asked by their teachers to “Draw a picture of yourself taking the MCAS"— the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System. Beginning with the class of 2003, students will be required to pass the mathematics and English portions of the exams to receive a high school diploma.

For More Information

The study, “Student Self- Portraits as Test-Takers,” is available from TCrecord.org, an online journal of Teachers College, Columbia University.

Policymakers often argue that such high-stakes tests will ensure students graduate with the necessary skills and knowledge and motivate them to work harder. But the study, by researchers at the Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Educational Policy at Boston College, found that students’ responses to the exams ranged from confidence to anger, negative responses generally outweighed positive ones.

“Roughly speaking, about 20 percent of the drawings were positive, 40 percent were neutral, and about 40 percent included a negative feature,” said Walter Haney, a co-author of the study and a professor of education at Boston College.

The responses do not reflect a statistically representative sample of all students in the grades tested. In the spring of 1999, the researchers recruited teachers willing to participate via e-mail. Fifteen educators from 15 schools in eight districts wound up participating; six of those teachers had responded to an invitation disseminated through a group that has criticized the MCAS.

Paul Reville, the chairman of the Massachusetts Education Reform Review Commission, the body charged with overseeing implementation of the 1993 law that led to the high-stakes tests, described the study as “a deliberately provocative attempt to arouse further public antagonism toward MCAS.”

He suggested, however, that it was not particularly alarming that some students might be anxious or angry about the exam.

“If the idea is that we’re going to live in an ideal world, where there’s no pressure of any kind associated with demonstrating competency, then we’re preparing children for a world that doesn’t exist,” he said

Of the 411 drawings, 37 percent depicted students’ taking the tests without any commentary or emotional reaction. In the remaining 63 percent, students commented on the test itself or depicted personal responses to their experiences as test-takers.

Coding System Complex

The researchers coded the drawings based on such features as student postures, the subjects being tested, and any discernible personal reactions. The categories were not mutually exclusive, and single drawings could be coded for multiple characteristics.

Of those drawings that depicted a personal response, about 18 percent were deemed to portray diligence; 5 percent illustrated confidence; and 7 percent showed students as “thinking or problem-solving.”

But a larger total proportion of drawings portrayed a negative emotion, the researchers found. About 13 percent of all drawings conveyed anxiety or fears of failing, for example; 10 percent communicated anger; 5 percent portrayed students as daydreaming or sleeping; and about the same percentage depicted boredom. In about 3 percent of the drawings, students portrayed themselves as sad or disappointed with their performance, and in about 4 percent of the drawings, students communicated relief that the test was over.

The study builds on earlier research efforts by the Boston College testing center to use student drawings to offer insight into how children perceive various aspects of their schooling. (“School Portraits,” April 26, 1995.)

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the December 13, 2000 edition of Education Week as Study of Art Draws Conclusions On Tests

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Rethinking STEM Assessment: Strategies for Administrators
School and district leaders will explore strategies to enhance STEM assessment practices across their district, within schools and classrooms.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
Federal Webinar Keeping Up with the Trump Administration's Latest K-12 Moves: Subscriber-Exclusive Quick Hit
EdWeek subscribers, join this 30-minute webinar to find out what the latest federal policy changes mean for K-12 education.
Artificial Intelligence Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: Math & Technology: Finding the Recipe for Student Success
How should we balance AI & math instruction? Join our discussion on preparing future-ready students.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School & District Management Download How to Boost Teacher Morale: A Guide for District Leaders (DOWNLOADABLE)
Our discussion guide for district leaders has three takeaways about teachers' attitudes toward their job. Use it to jump start PD with your team.
1 min read
A leader meets with their team. Superintendents, principals, schools leaders, district maps.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management No More Fresh Fruits and Veggies: Schools Grapple With Loss of Federal Funding
The Local Food to Schools program, which was canceled by the Trump administration, helped schools get fresh, local produce.
7 min read
Dan Yarnick inspects produce at Yarnick's Farm in Indiana, Pa., on June 4, 2025. The farm is one of a number of local providers who partnered with Pittsburgh Public Schools to provide students with fresh fruits and veggies.
Dan Yarnick inspects produce at Yarnick's Farm in Indiana, Pa., on June 4, 2025. The farm is one of a number of local providers who partnered with Pittsburgh Public Schools to provide students with fresh fruits and vegetables. These types of partnerships are in jeopardy with the cancellation of the Local Food for Schools program.
Nate Smallwood for Education Week
School & District Management How Schools Think Their Legal Expenses Will Change Under Trump
The first few months of the Trump administration have been like "drinking from a fire hose," an education attorney said.
5 min read
Illustrated photo of a ship made out of money and carrying a large red question mark with a stormy seascape and sky all around.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management How Schools Are Reaching Immigrant Families Over Summer
Experts advise district leaders to stay up to date on immigration policy changes.
4 min read
A principal watches her multilingual student leaders present a supportive buddy system to a room full of educators on May 29, 2024 in New York City.
A principal watches her multilingual student leaders present a supportive buddy system to a room full of educators on May 29, 2024 in New York City. The district boasts school-based teams called Dream Squads that conduct outreach to immigrant families over the summer.
Courtesy of New York City Public Schools