A “Seismic Shift” In Assessing Students
“The group calls for what’s called “assessment literacy” for teachers,
but also administrators, school boards, parents — and students.”
(Source)
A 3D Research Report by Mari Caplan
Many parents, understandably fed up by the aggressive testing associated with Common Core Standards or now Career and College Ready Standards, are demanding that they be allowed to opt out of the high stakes testing. In some cases they are allowed to do this. And increasingly we are hearing from the edu-criminals words to the effect that, “Gosh, parents may be right after all and we don’t need to test so much anymore.”
Careful Parents! This is a bait and switch!
The ONLY reason the edu-criminals are suggesting that they may not need BIG tests any longer is because the system of ASSESSING your child to see if she has been brainwashed with the desired values, attitudes, and behaviors, is now BAKED into the school day and curriculum. Throughout her class time she is watched; She is ASSESSED while doing her class work, during her recess, and within her class computer time.
As this article “Education Panel’s Proposal Could Shake Up Testing In Oregon Schools” (02/08/15), reveals:
“….teachers assess students during class constantly, in ways students barely notice. [Ed. note: Are they sure about that?]
“Every two to three minutes, you’re assessing your students, where they are with the assignments you’re giving to get feedback from them.”
Here is an example of the wonderful new technology (Thanks Pearson!) that teachers will be using to assess your kids using your tax dollars to fund it!
Perhaps this is pointing out the obvious but “Behavioral Observation of Students in Schools (B.O.S.S.) software was designed to enable psychologists to observe…” [students]. Clearly, this is NOT exactly how this tool is being planned for use in schools.
How is it legal or even remotely ethical for untrained Teachers to be expected to use devices like these to assess the psychological status of your child!!!!!
The article continues on to say that new technology for assessments would be a good thing.
“It’s money well spent, says teachers’ union leader Hanna Vaandering.
“We’ve been spending millions of dollars on high-stakes, standardized tests. This is a better way. We should invest those funds in the better way, instead of what currently is taking away from student learning.”
This new (taxpayer-funded better way) technology can also take the form of adaptable computerized software programs, more often than not, in the form of some role playing computer game, used by individual students who play as part of a team.
For instance, say the student plays a computer game in social studies, say Minecraft, for example. This specifically designed software for the Standards ASSESSES a student’s responses and ADAPTS as he plays in subsequent sessions (they have their own unique login number) to make the game playing harder or easier depending upon how well the student is “learning” the desired behavioral standard.
As this YouTube video promotes:
“We [personified games] know whenever you click. We know how long you stood waiting to make a jump. We can take in vast amounts of data and if we want, dynamically alter the experience [of the student] based on that data.”
Here is something for parents to consider:
If parents can’t even get a hard copy of the current high stakes assessments that their children are taking now, how are they EVER going to get evidence, much less be aware of, the assessments given to their children via computer games or teacher smart phone apps based on a child’s experiential or project-based work, or any of the other invisible assessment model coming down the pike?
Additional links describing Minecraft in the classroom to help teach the Standards.
Related Posts:
Can the Computer Brainwash? You betcha.
Teaching Machines and Programmed Learning
“The Attitude Changing Machine”
