\doc\web\99\01\goodtest.txt Doug and Lynn Fuchs at Peabody College at Vanderbilt have already created such tests in the area of math [which test for grade level math skills reliably]. But no one is either buying [in favor of "higher order thinking" tests] Date sent: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 12:50:19 -0800 To: "ClearingHouse" From: Don Crawford Subject: [education-consumers] Flight simulator analogy Send reply to: Don Crawford ===================================================================== >Show me the academic equivalent of a flight simulator for public >education, and we'll start doing public OBE right. >>But, I don't think you're going to find that "simulator," and OBE is >guaranteed to fail without one. >>Richard Innes You're absolutely right. If we had that capacity to evaluate student mastery of the key skills with rigor and accuracy we could focus on the outcomes. The wierd thing is that we aren't even trying!? In my opinion we have the ability to design computer-assisted instruction and assessment in basic academic areas that could be reliable and rigorous. Between the real-world research on "curriculum-based measurement" and the advances in computer science there is no reason why we couldn't have understandable, down-to-earth tests delivered by computer that could tell whether students are capable of "grade-level" work and exactly what skills the students are missing and need to work on. But no one is interested in spending the money needed to design such a system. Doug and Lynn Fuchs at Peabody College at Vanderbilt have already created such tests in the area of math. But no one is either buying or listening. Instead the NCTM and the state bureacracies have led us off on a wild goose chase of completely redesigned math tests in the quest to stimulate "higher-level thinking." If the public school system just concentrated on making sure that students were fluent in basic skills and had lots of important content knowledge as "job 1" we would be a lot better off. ****************** Don Crawford, Ph.D. donc@wce.wwu.edu http://www.wce.wwu.edu/depts/Sped/donc.html (360) 650-4992 Fax:650-7516 Western Washington Univ. Spec. Ed. -Mailstop 9090 Bellingham, WA 98225-9090 I am responsible for the content of this message, which does not in any way reflect the position or policy of Western Washington University. ****************** The essence of individualism derives not from accumulating idiosyncratic affectations, but from stripping those affectations away. ===================================================================== EDUCATION CONSUMERS CLEARINGHOUSE networking and information for parents and taxpayers on the internet Subscriptions & Archives: http://education-consumers.com or You are currently subscribed to education-consumers as: arthurhu@halcyon.com TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send a blank email to leave-education-consumers-989462S@lists.dundee.net ===================================================================== For less mail, click on the following link and choose 1) a daily digest, 2) a daily list of subjects, or 3) no mail (read postings on Web) http://lists.dundee.net/scripts/lyris.pl?enter=education-consumers For more help & info: http://www.lyris.com/help or