-> 
MSGID: 1:141/467.0 32ccb900 
->  -=> Quoting Wesley Jones to William Lipp <=- 
->  
->  WL> I've seen this approach fail too often.  The result 
->  WL> is often "teaching to the test." 
->  
->  WJ> It seems only lazy or unethical folk would "teach 
->  WJ> to the test." 
->  
-> Calling them names doesn't help the situation.  They're just ordinary 
-> fallible human beings.  When push comes to shove, when jobs or 
-> raises depend on scores on a particular test, and when a non-educational 
-> gimmick can juice those scores, many people will succumb to juicing 
-> the scores. 
 
That was simply using common words to describe those who  
"juice the scores."  I might appologize for saying "only", 
though.  I can see that some might do it, not from laziness,  
but as a means to an end.  Either way, it's always unethical. 
 
 
->  WJ> If they are prone to that attitude 
->  WJ> just imagine how they might teach without any testing. 
->  
-> Whoa!  I've forgotten exactly what "this approach" was, but I didn't 
-> mean to support a complete absence of testing.  I was pointing out a  
-> problem that often occurs when much depends on results of a particular 
-> test - I bolstered the argument with examples from education and industry. 
-> We need some form of evaluation that is not overly suseptible to being 
-> juiced.  The industrial example I gave managed this problem by changing 
-> the test every few years so that older juicing techniques would no 
-> longer increase the score - perhaps such a active management is all we 
-> can expect to get. 
 
If the test is changed every few years then the baseline is lost.  It 
wouldn't  
necessarily have to be, but the tests are designed by panels, panels change 
in  
makeup and the bias of the  "current panel" would creep into the test.     
 
It seems to me that a standard test and efforts to identify those who would  
juice the scores is the better approach.  I understand your approach would  
remove the ability to artificially raise scores to some extent but changing  
a whole system because a few abuse it doesn't work for me.  Better to 
identify  
those few and deal with them than tinker.   
 
What would be best is parental evaluation of the student and honest feedback  
to the school.  Yeah, I know, fat chance.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
->  WJ>  ! Origin: Resurrection Bay BBS Seward, Alaska 907-224-8919 
->  
-> I was in Seward a few months ago!  Was in Anchorage on business and 
-> drove over for a day trip. 
 
Hope you enjoyed the visit.  Did you take a Kenai Fiords trip? 
 
Best,  wes 
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