Upon taking the ALIS Diagnostic in my TOK Lesson, I have a few thoughts about the entire testing method.
I thought that the diagnostic test was enjoyable. But, this was simply because our school pays no heed to this test. Therefore, my approach to this diagnostic assessment was very casual and I did not have a serious mindset.
Before attempting the test, I was told that the aim of the test is, upon receiving your scores, to match them with other people in the past who have had the same test scores as you, and then analyze the university options open to you based on those open to the person who shared your score in the previous years. Apparently, this testing method helps make accurate predictions about matters such as these. While I understand and believe in the purpose of the ALIS Diagnostic Test, there are other platforms that achieve the very same thing such as Maia Learning, without having a test (so no unnecessary pressure on students). Some may argue that without a test a student may misjudge their own ability and hence end up focussing on the wrong university options, however, attempting the ALIS Diagnostic test, I think makes no difference.
Essentially, I do not think this test was worthwhile for a couple of reasons. I understand that this test assessed one’s problem-solving skills by forcing one’s mind to think in various different ways through using different skill sets. But, in the context of being “smart” in school, one needs to be good in their subjects in the IB board, and if one has a good IB score, it opens doors to more competitive colleges. This IB score can also be improved over time, therefore, the college options open to an IB student at the start of the course may drastically change by the end of it, hence students need not be limited to just one set of university options. These questions did not replicate the questions that are asked by the IB. Hence, this test, I believe cannot determine one’s smartness in the school’s context, and therefore is not reliable in predicting the university options open for me in two year’s time.