第48 至 51 題為題組     In 2015, President Obama of the USA signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), replacing theBush-era No Child Left Behind (NCLB) that had been in effect since 2001. This new Act provides stateswith more decision-making power regarding curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Below are some bigpicture ideas influencing many states as they approach the assessment task.   One important idea is flexibility. For years, states have used standardized K-12 assessments, similarto the SAT and ACT for college application, to measure student achievement. They are easy to use, butthey fail to give a complete picture of how a student is progressing. Thus, states are rethinking one-sizefits-all standardized assessments and are instead considering personalized, student-centered assessments inschools. Obviously, the task is difficult and time-consuming. Fortunately, modern technology can helpsolve this dilemma. For instance, computer adaptive assessments can automatically adjust questions basedon a student’s performances on the previous questions. This mechanism prevents the computer from givingquestions that are obviously too easy or too difficult for the student. It thus allows teachers to quickly assessa student’s level of understanding and provide instant feedback to help in the learning process.    Another idea is multi-subject testing. Several states have started to incorporate subjects beyond thetraditional math and reading items in their K-12 assessments. All 50 states include tests on science at leasttwice prior to senior high school, and some are now starting to include social studies, government, oreconomics. Some states are also moving toward assessing multiple subjects on one test, for example,reading and social studies.  A third idea is the emphasis on students’ learning process. In pursuit of a student-centered approach,many states are putting more emphasis on assessments throughout the learning process rather than ontraditional end-of-year summative tests. Teachers are encouraged to accumulate data at different points intheir students’ learning process. These data together present a more complete picture of a student’s learning.   The last idea regards the purpose of assessment. Assessment should be used to inform both teachers’instruction and students’ learning. Teachers can modify their teaching based on students’ performance ontests; students can identify their own problems and make plans for improvement.
48. Which of the following is the best title for this passage?
(A) Computers and Assessments
(B) The Four Components of ESSA
(C) Student-Centered Curriculum and Instruction
(D) From NCLB to ESSA, with a Focus on Assessment