Professor Gives Standardized Tests an "F" [View All]

[LWolf]

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I know public education is not a hot topic on the tv or radio, or on the front page of GD here at DU, (unless there's a scandal to report,) but it damned well OUGHT to be.

A local professor gives standardized tests a failing grade. A new book by an MSU professor says those tests are the wrong way to judge a student. It's a debate that's been heating up across the nation. Every school has to give them, every student has to take them. Standardized tests, like the Michigan merit exam or the MEAP, used to measure student success, a practice Yong Zhao claims is majorly flawed.

Yong Zhao, MSU distinguished education Professor: "Test scores just reflect a very small fraction of what you do, basically what a test tests is your test taking skills."

Zhao says, rather than judging schools on the scores they produce, they should be graded on the opportunities they provide.

Yong Zhao: "I think education should provide as many opportunities as possible to support student's passion and interest and help them pursue, realize their dreams and potential."

http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=11026091&nav=menu25_2

Obama returned the education policy book I sent off to him last November, on election day. Perhaps if I get a couple of copies of this book, and send it, a couple of pages a day, to both Obama and Duncan?

A couple of chapters are available here:

http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/109076.aspx

Edited to add a link to the author speaking about standardized testing:

http://zhao.educ.msu.edu/2009/08/07/no-child-left-behind-and-global-competitiveness/