>The standardized tests I took (here in the US) were laughably easy and not always connected to actually learning anything.
Standardized tests are measured relatively. If you score in the top percentile the test was easy for you, but so long as there is enough variation in scores to classify students into percentiles, the test is hard enough, i.e, if 50% of students answer everything correctly it's too easy, if only 0.1% do then it's hard enough.
>But from what I've heard, their tests are more focused on demonstrating learning.
Chinese schools are notorious for their emphasis on rote learning, so I'm not sure where you're getting your information on their standardized tests.
Standardized tests are measured relatively. If you score in the top percentile the test was easy for you, but so long as there is enough variation in scores to classify students into percentiles, the test is hard enough, i.e, if 50% of students answer everything correctly it's too easy, if only 0.1% do then it's hard enough.
>But from what I've heard, their tests are more focused on demonstrating learning.
Chinese schools are notorious for their emphasis on rote learning, so I'm not sure where you're getting your information on their standardized tests.