Thread by @marcolearning

Are the 2021 #APExams equitable and fair? Here’s what thousands of AP teachers and students say. /THREAD
finance.yahoo.com/news/poll-show…

1. In order to provide AP students as many options as possible in 2021, @CollegeBoard devised a complex system for this year’s AP Exams. For the essential details: marcolearning.com/what-we-know-a…

2. Questions about equity arose immediately after College Board announced the format for this year’s exams on February 4. Our founder John Moscatiello analyzed that announcement here:

https://twitter.com/HookedonJohnics/status/1357541800303603712?s=20

3. One obvious problem with the initial plan was that digital test takers were required to have a computer with “a built-in camera or attached camera” as well as a photo ID.

4. We posted about the camera requirement on the Marco Learning TikTok account, and the post went viral, reaching more than 2 million students in just a few hours. tiktok.com/@marcolearning…

5. The pushback from students on our TikTok account was intense. Students raised a host of concerns about fairness and protecting their privacy.

6. AP teachers and coordinators objected on social media, and AP Coordinators let their voices be heard in official College Board surveys.

7. A few days after the February 4 announcement, the College Board changed course and removed the camera and photo ID requirements for digital #APExams.

8. Since February, the College Board has made a number of other changes to the AP Exams. Yet, for most teachers and students, the current plan for this year's AP Exams is still inequitable and unfair.

9. We recently surveyed more than 1,100 AP teachers and students through online platforms, especially in vetted AP teacher groups like our Facebook group “Online Resources for AP Teachers”
facebook.com/groups/marcole…

10. An overwhelming majority of respondents (almost 68%) did not believe that this year's exams were more "equitable or fair" than the 2020 AP Exams. Only 15% believed they were more “equitable and fair” than last year’s abbreviated exams. Results: finance.yahoo.com/news/poll-show…

11. In their responses, teachers listed a number of problems with the 2021 AP Exams. For many subjects, the paper-and-pencil and digital versions of the exams will ask different kinds of a questions or ask them in a different sequence or score them on a different rubric.

12. For the differences between the paper-and-pencil and digital exams: marcolearning.com/the-ultimate-g…

13. Teachers also lamented that digital test-takers will not be allowed to move back-and-forth on multiple-choice or free-response questions, which means students will need to develop new test-taking strategies for the digital exams.

14. Other teachers pointed out that some students will be taking exams unsupervised at home, while others will be taking exams at schools wearing masks and practicing social distancing.

15. Many teachers objected to the College Board’s decision to test the full curriculum on this year’s exams, when most teachers have faced serious reductions in instructional time. (The College Board has indicated the colleges will only offer credits for "full" exams.)

16. Many teachers of international students objected to the requirement that digital AP Exams be administered at the exact same time worldwide (again). This mean's that thousands of international students will be taking 3-hour exams in the middle of the night.

17. Finally, teachers objected to the fact that students cannot take the exams on any kind of mobile device or tablet or on personal Chromebooks. In New York City, for example, students were provided with iPads that they cannot use to take the exams.

18. Students are continuing to raise many objections to the College Board’s plans, especially on our TikTok account, which has garnered more than 12 million views in the past few months. tiktok.com/@marcolearning

19. The paper-and-pencil AP Exams start in just a few days. For our students' sake, we hope that these exams will be administered in a way that is as safe and fair as possible for everyone. /END