PERFORMANCE TESTS WORK FOR PILOTS, BUT NOT FOR K12 DIPLOMA
<a href="../99/01/pilot.txt">\doc\web\99\01\pilot.txt</a>


Date sent:      	Mon, 1 Feb 1999 01:15:19 -0500
From:           	"Richard G. Innes" <70224.434@compuserve.com>
Subject:        	[education-consumers] On Pilots and Multiple Choice Tests
To:             	"ClearingHouse" <education-consumers@ripple.dundee.net>
Send reply to:  	"Richard G. Innes" <70224.434@compuserve.com>


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>From a Donna Gardner Post:


<<<Well, if you want your airline pilot to be able to handle a multiple
choice test on navigation, fly at your own risk.  Only performance tests
can deal with it.>>>


Point of order here.  


Both the military (at least the Air Force) and the Federal Aviation
Administration require pilots to take multiple-choice tests on navigation
questions.  It is a required part of the process.  


Both also require pilots to take simulator checkrides and checkrides in

aircraft to demonstrate the ability.  These are true performance events
using highly instrumented equipment.   In addition, the individuals
grading performance in the simulators are highly skilled pilots with
additional training in instruction and evaluation.  I have found scant
evidence that anything in public education can begin to approach the level
of instrumentation, the degree of specificity for performance, or the
knowledge and experience levels exemplified in pilot performance testing.
And due to the tremendous amount of difficult to measure material that is
included in a decent high school education, I have serious doubts
performance events will ever prove useful in public education.


One last note:  Kentucky had perhaps the most expensive performance events
assessment ever attempted.  It failed miserably due to gross scoring
problems in 1996.


Bottom line, you cannot safely draw comparisons from my chosen career to
public education.  I will be more than happy to take on anyone who tries
to do so.


Richard Innes  


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