History has impacted everything that makes up the contents of complicated and busy lives in these modern times. The United States of America’s education systems has been molded, blueprinted, and revamped with the development of our nation and the growth our liberties. The education system began with the colonization of Europeans to the new continent, and was mostly influenced by the religions and belief systems held superior by the early Europeans. America has since grown into a melting pot of cultures and belief systems, and the education system would not have evolved with the diversity without challenges and skepticisms as to what defined knowledge.
It took many great minds to critize and challenge the monoculture that had pervaded the education system, and these varied individuals began their impacts shortly into the Renaissance period around the 1500’s, and the religious and cultural biases that created the framework of early education system began to undergo critical changes. “Today’s concern for universal education is a continuation of a trend that became pronounced during the Reformation. Many church leaders believed that the Bible was the repository of all wisdom; hence, it was desirable for all to learn to read so they might have access to its truths. Later, during the Renaissance, a growing emphasis on the worth and the importance of the individual evolved. Our schools’ concern for meeting individual differences developed from this perspective,” (Armstrong, Page 209). For the early education system being originally developed by the Puritanical European, it was limited to knowledge laid out by the churches and leaders, and this created a barrier for mankind. The barrier was that the limitation of information compiled would have kept us from evolving as humans, it would have kept us in a box and not allowed for the growth and adaptation of information and knowledge.
Francis Bacon was one of these great minds who challenged the notion of knowledge and truth, and his oppositions to the limits of the education system of those days, very crucially impacted our modern system of education by removing the limitations. “In the early 17th century, the work of Francis Bacon (1561-1626) helped to establish the idea that truth could be challenged and modified through observation and careful weighing of evidence. This provided the foundations for the modern scientific method, something that continues to be enormously important in today’s schools,” (Armstrong, Page 209). Francis Bacon expressed that our history is only an account of what historians have written, and since they were written out of perspectives, he challenged that knowledge, like history, should be up for scrutiny and required testing and evaluation of what defined as knowledge. The very science method of Bacon’s philosophy is mirrored in our current education system, where knowledge is challenged with technologies and new scientific discoveries. Bacon made clear that it was necessary to acquire skepticism of facts in order for them evolve and develop with all the new discoveries. Just like the solar system was once thought to be center of the universe, telescopes have turned old theories on their heads. For example, we can clearly see with various images NASA has provided recently, that the universe is far vaster than we could have contemplated before, but without the doubts, and without the testing, like sending satellites into space, we as a group of humans would have never advanced our understanding of the immensity of the universe, and the complexities of planet Earth. Francis Bacon was one of the great minds brave enough to challenge old standards. His theories continue to influence modern science and the new information unfolding with continuous research and analysis. Scott Smith makes a strong argument in an article titled Francis Bacon’s Vast Vista Inspire: He stood strong for scientific research and liberty: "He deployed his great literary style, and a depth of thought at once original and powerful, to argue for a Great Instauration, or new beginning of knowledge," said Daniel Robinson, professor of philosophy at the University of Oxford in England and author of the Teaching Co.'s "Great Ideas in Philosophy." "In his groundbreaking 'Novum Organum' or New Method, Bacon established the authority of observation in discovering the nature of the external world and the authority of experimental method as the way to select the correct from competing theories of causation. Experiments like this don't succeed or fail, they simply expand our knowledge, he said. He argued that nothing should be off limits -- 'whatever deserves to exist, deserves to be known.'"
Everyday scientific research is revealing more and more data that challenge old notions of the world. Our education system continues to adjust to these changes, and the change is vital for us as a civilization. Students of today will become workers, educators, developers, contributors, and leaders for the future of our society. New scientific research has contributed so much to changes as a Nation, and has directly effected our education system. The importance of opening up to new knowledge has created new dynamics for education, and the more we learn, the more we can realize how little we know, and how much more we have to learn.
Megan Smith
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Infinite Potentials
INFINITE POTENTIAL
The World Wide Web has revolutionized research for scholars and academics all around the globe. Information is now only a click away, which for future generations will seems like no big deal, but for those generations prior, it has changes drastically. Research at one point included card catalogs, and shelf after shelf of books, and was limited to regions and limited by quantity of different libraries. Currently, we almost literally have the world at our finger tips, and we can access information from anywhere around the globe, in a matter of minutes, just from our computers. The one downfall of all the knowledge access comes in in evaluating and choosing appropriately with deductions which web sources are reliable and which are controversial.
Determining which websites to choose when researching requires learners to consider a number of options in deducing down different choices from search engines. First element is to determine is relevancy. With all of the information that comes with searching we must eliminate choices either by adding different search words, or by quickly reading through different articles until the ones with the most relevancy are being singled out, so that there is not too much time wasted, or too many alternative avenues of information to navigate through. It is easy to cloud information by having too much data on something that you are trying to pinpoint or specify. This may seem time consuming, but ultimately with practice it will save many hours for the learner.
The second area to consider in researching a topic is authority. Authority, by means of a credible writer or researcher can be validated by the authenticity of the author/authors. For instance, look into the writers background or credentials, look at the resources they used and make sure it is thoughtful and well backed up. There is a lot of fraud in our country and all over the world, and therefore this step is very important.. If you can not affirm the authors research, then there is no evidence for their conclusions. This requires us to remain skeptical and cautious, and to take every detail into consideration.
This ties into the third search criteria, which is accuracy. Accuracy can also be tested by considering authors, their backgrounds, and even bibliographies. Is their research backed up? Are the sources of the research valid themselves? You can look at what other people may have responded to the articles or follow the lines of investigation to see what brought accuracy and credibility to the different issues of the topic. Is the author sincere, bitter, angry, or dualistic? Or are there a lot of opinions or are facts backed by references? This may require time and patience, but it is essential and important to look into every element and make sure that it is coming from a nonbiased source with authenticity and honesty.
The next point to consider is the currency. When was the article written? Is it up to date with other research? Have there been advances since the research was dated. Information changes on a daily basis, and upgrades, or changes constantly. What may be affirmative one day, could be revamped and reevaluated in no time. Make sure that other articles are around the same timeline and compare the difference to assure you have the most relevant, up to date credibility of the present circumstances. Even just one year can alter so many issues, and this is so very vital when continuing research, otherwise you just be rewriting what has already been written and affirmed.
Finally, one must take into consideration the objectivity. Objectivity ties in with accuracy, but it is more about the writers composing facts and not opinions. Opinions are subjective in nature and vary from individual to individual. Research based on facts will give more insight to the truth of matters. Opinionated essays are always available, but it may not assist a researcher well in developing different levels of an arguments, especially if it is leaning towards one way of thinking.
It may seems overwhelming, but given the enormous amount of data available to us, these steps will make a huge difference as to what is being researched and concluded. It is so important to always remain skeptical, and to really delve into the topics to get a full and broadened understanding. The World Wide Web can be a tool of knowledge with a lot of power and influence, and we must be particular and cautious, because there is also a lot of fraudulence. More power always comes with a cost, but awareness can diminish this vulnerability and lead us to better research with greater understandings.
Megan Smith
The World Wide Web has revolutionized research for scholars and academics all around the globe. Information is now only a click away, which for future generations will seems like no big deal, but for those generations prior, it has changes drastically. Research at one point included card catalogs, and shelf after shelf of books, and was limited to regions and limited by quantity of different libraries. Currently, we almost literally have the world at our finger tips, and we can access information from anywhere around the globe, in a matter of minutes, just from our computers. The one downfall of all the knowledge access comes in in evaluating and choosing appropriately with deductions which web sources are reliable and which are controversial.
Determining which websites to choose when researching requires learners to consider a number of options in deducing down different choices from search engines. First element is to determine is relevancy. With all of the information that comes with searching we must eliminate choices either by adding different search words, or by quickly reading through different articles until the ones with the most relevancy are being singled out, so that there is not too much time wasted, or too many alternative avenues of information to navigate through. It is easy to cloud information by having too much data on something that you are trying to pinpoint or specify. This may seem time consuming, but ultimately with practice it will save many hours for the learner.
The second area to consider in researching a topic is authority. Authority, by means of a credible writer or researcher can be validated by the authenticity of the author/authors. For instance, look into the writers background or credentials, look at the resources they used and make sure it is thoughtful and well backed up. There is a lot of fraud in our country and all over the world, and therefore this step is very important.. If you can not affirm the authors research, then there is no evidence for their conclusions. This requires us to remain skeptical and cautious, and to take every detail into consideration.
This ties into the third search criteria, which is accuracy. Accuracy can also be tested by considering authors, their backgrounds, and even bibliographies. Is their research backed up? Are the sources of the research valid themselves? You can look at what other people may have responded to the articles or follow the lines of investigation to see what brought accuracy and credibility to the different issues of the topic. Is the author sincere, bitter, angry, or dualistic? Or are there a lot of opinions or are facts backed by references? This may require time and patience, but it is essential and important to look into every element and make sure that it is coming from a nonbiased source with authenticity and honesty.
The next point to consider is the currency. When was the article written? Is it up to date with other research? Have there been advances since the research was dated. Information changes on a daily basis, and upgrades, or changes constantly. What may be affirmative one day, could be revamped and reevaluated in no time. Make sure that other articles are around the same timeline and compare the difference to assure you have the most relevant, up to date credibility of the present circumstances. Even just one year can alter so many issues, and this is so very vital when continuing research, otherwise you just be rewriting what has already been written and affirmed.
Finally, one must take into consideration the objectivity. Objectivity ties in with accuracy, but it is more about the writers composing facts and not opinions. Opinions are subjective in nature and vary from individual to individual. Research based on facts will give more insight to the truth of matters. Opinionated essays are always available, but it may not assist a researcher well in developing different levels of an arguments, especially if it is leaning towards one way of thinking.
It may seems overwhelming, but given the enormous amount of data available to us, these steps will make a huge difference as to what is being researched and concluded. It is so important to always remain skeptical, and to really delve into the topics to get a full and broadened understanding. The World Wide Web can be a tool of knowledge with a lot of power and influence, and we must be particular and cautious, because there is also a lot of fraudulence. More power always comes with a cost, but awareness can diminish this vulnerability and lead us to better research with greater understandings.
Megan Smith
The Evolution of Education
The Evolution of Education
History has impacted everything that makes up the contents of complicated and busy lives in these modern times. The United States of America’s education systems has been molded, blueprinted, and revamped with the development of our nation and the growth our liberties. The education system began with the colonization of Europeans to the new continent, and was mostly influenced by the religions and belief systems held superior by the early Europeans. America has since grown into a melting pot of cultures and belief systems, and the education system would not have evolved with the diversity without challenges and skepticisms as to what defined knowledge.
It took many great minds to critize and challenge the monoculture that had pervaded the education system, and these varied individuals began their impacts shortly into the Renaissance period around the 1500’s, and the religious and cultural biases that created the framework of early education system began to undergo critical changes. “Today’s concern for universal education is a continuation of a trend that became pronounced during the Reformation. Many church leaders believed that the Bible was the repository of all wisdom; hence, it was desirable for all to learn to read so they might have access to its truths. Later, during the Renaissance, a growing emphasis on the worth and the importance of the individual evolved. Our schools’ concern for meeting individual differences developed from this perspective,” (Armstrong, Page 209). For the early education system being originally developed by the Puritanical European, it was limited to knowledge laid out by the churches and leaders, and this created a barrier for mankind. The barrier was that the limitation of information compiled would have kept us from evolving as humans, it would have kept us in a box and not allowed for the growth and adaptation of information and knowledge.
Francis Bacon was one of these great minds who challenged the notion of knowledge and truth, and his oppositions to the limits of the education system of those days, very crucially impacted our modern system of education by removing the limitations. “In the early 17th century, the work of Francis Bacon (1561-1626) helped to establish the idea that truth could be challenged and modified through observation and careful weighing of evidence. This provided the foundations for the modern scientific method, something that continues to be enormously important in today’s schools,” (Armstrong, Page 209). Francis Bacon expressed that our history is only an account of what historians have written, and since they were written out of perspectives, he challenged that knowledge, like history, should be up for scrutiny and required testing and evaluation of what defined as knowledge. The very science method of Bacon’s philosophy is mirrored in our current education system, where knowledge is challenged with technologies and new scientific discoveries. Bacon made clear that it was necessary to acquire skepticism of facts in order for them evolve and develop with all the new discoveries. Just like the solar system was once thought to be center of the universe, telescopes have turned old theories on their heads. For example, we can clearly see with various images NASA has provided recently, that the universe is far vaster than we could have contemplated before, but without the doubts, and without the testing, like sending satellites into space, we as a group of humans would have never advanced our understanding of the immensity of the universe, and the complexities of planet Earth. Francis Bacon was one of the great minds brave enough to challenge old standards. His theories continue to influence modern science and the new information unfolding with continuous research and analysis. Scott Smith makes a strong argument in an article titled Francis Bacon’s Vast Vista Inspire: He stood strong for scientific research and liberty: "He deployed his great literary style, and a depth of thought at once original and powerful, to argue for a Great Instauration, or new beginning of knowledge," said Daniel Robinson, professor of philosophy at the University of Oxford in England and author of the Teaching Co.'s "Great Ideas in Philosophy." "In his groundbreaking 'Novum Organum' or New Method, Bacon established the authority of observation in discovering the nature of the external world and the authority of experimental method as the way to select the correct from competing theories of causation. Experiments like this don't succeed or fail, they simply expand our knowledge, he said. He argued that nothing should be off limits -- 'whatever deserves to exist, deserves to be known.'"
Everyday scientific research is revealing more and more data that challenge old notions of the world. Our education system continues to adjust to these changes, and the change is vital for us as a civilization. Students of today will become workers, educators, developers, contributors, and leaders for the future of our society. New scientific research has contributed so much to changes as a Nation, and has directly effected our education system. The importance of opening up to new knowledge has created new dynamics for education, and the more we learn, the more we can realize how little we know, and how much more we have to learn.
Megan Smith
Armstrong, D. H. (2009). Teaching today: An Introduction to Education (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River , NJ: Pearson. (Armstrong, D., Henson, K., & Savage, T., 2009).
Francis Bacon's Vast Vista Inspire: He stood strong for scientific research and liberty.
SCOTT S SMITH. Investor's Business Daily. Los Angeles: 2/22/2012. pg. A03
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=3&did=2591299761&SrchMode=2&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1332457815&clientId=74379
Diversity Edited
The United States of America has truly evolved into a melting pot of cultures, and the diversity is expanding at a rapid pace and will continue to evolve for future generations. This has created quite the impact on our education system, and has influenced our teaching methods in many manners.
In addition to adjusting to different cultures, it is also pertinent to adjust to different learning disabilities, and to accept these differences with grace and compassion. These assorted personality traits and diversity elements call for an extreme amount of patience and perseverance from the teachers. Most importantly educators must be aware of the range of different students needs, from young children entering kindergarten, all the way to the young adults working towards college educations. Most importantly, different students share the same needs all over the globe, all youngsters can grow when need compassion from teachers to grow, and ask for understanding in order to develop.
Because of the different elements of upbringing and all the different cultural backgrounds, today‘s teachers face more changes and challenges than ever before. Teachers must remain open-minded and empathetic to all personalities, and also thoughtful to different types of characters including those with learning disabilities. Educators of all kinds have had to adjust traditional lessons and methodologies in order to meet the different needs of the new generations of multicultural and multifaceted students. This has required educators to abandon pre-conceived notions, and to set aside there personal belief systems, all in order to accommodate the variance of new learners. The changes in our education programs involve expanding elements of teaching, which may alter original old fashioned techniques, and demands an extension of knowledge and methods to meet the needs of all learners as equals. It is the educators responsibility to adapt to various changes, and to consider all ethnicities in lessons and processes. Teachers must remain open-minded and flexible and consider every child as an individual.
Each age group of students require different attentions. The younger the group of students, the more vulnerable they become, and more patients is important for teachers. Children this young are very susceptible to influence, and have only had their family as an example for the most part. As children get older they reach different stages development mentally and physically. For instance, children near 4th grade and older are facing many changes biologically, and age there is also a struggle with gender separation that may create a lot of anxiety in youngsters. As the mind compounds and grows through adolescence, the students may become more disassociated and distraught. Teenagers are medaling with so many factors in the current world; socially, economically, physically, and emotionally. Due to all these factors usually teenager need inspiration and guidance the most, they need guidance through their complicated journeys. It is necessary, particularly with teens, to consider all these changes, and to acknowledge the students struggles and insecurities, and to take into account all the various distractions that may keep a student from lessons at hand. Young adults are put up against so much stress as to who they are to become, and therefore require different paces, which teachers must learn to adjust with. Students in their teens may be distracted or preoccupied, but with the help of good teachers their focus can be demanded, and as teens are still being shaped and adapting to social environments can still learn to their full abilities with the extra attention of the educators.
Ultimately modern day teacher are endeavoring a huge but essential challenge. Lessons and techniques must be adaptable, and will continue to change as diversity expands. It is up to teachers to carve a path for generations to come and to hold the grace and compassions to allow different types of students to develop to full potentials.
Megan Smith
(Armstrong, D., Henson, K., & Savage, T., 2009).
Armstrong, D. H. (2009). Teaching today: An introduction to education (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River , NJ: Pearson.
(Armstrong, D., Henson, K., & Savage, T., 2009).
Three-Stage Model of Classroom Measurement
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Three-Stage Model of Classroom Measurement
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What do the authors mean in saying “any good classroom test begins with your objectives” (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010)? Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why or why not?
In a classroom, the teacher holds the reigns to the horses that guide the students through the course of the cirriculum, and in order for the classroom to be a nourishing positive learning environment, the teacher must use the reigns to navigate the students towards the intended destination with confidences and assurances for testing assessments that lie ahead. The teacher must portray a clear objective for the students riding along, and in order for them to follow along with the ride fluently and effectively, they must be clear with what they are being guided towards. With clear objectives ahead and a good navigator, students can simultaneously grasp and comprehend materials being navigated through the journey. In our textbook, Educational Testing & Measurement: Classroom Application and Practice, the authors state, “any good classroom test begins with your objectives”, and as a future educator and future navigator I would have to completely agree with this statement. I agree with this mostly because the elements of the final tests rely entirely on the objectives addressed by teachers initially. Without the initial objectives being precise and clear, then there can only be apprehension and confusion for when test time is to come. The rely on other for success, objectives and tests, and the must work together in a harmonic balance to impact students positively and effectively.
The textbooks backs their statement “any good classroom test begins with your objectives”, by composing a model of classroom measurement that is layered into three stages. All three-stages of the classroom measurement rely entirely on what the text calls ‘content validity’, and the content validity is the base for the testing measurements; and the validity of the contents comes from the materials and curriculum provided by the educators and the manner by which they engage the contents and objectives with the students. Clear objectives comes with clarity of materials, and the clarity of materials rely on the truths and facts of the matters being taught. Therefore, a good classroom does begin with objectives, but in addition to this, the function of the three stage measurements rely on the validity of the content objectives laid forth. This is where the educator must become their own master of the materials, in order to lead the reigns of the objectives for the students. With the valid content foundations, the first stage, instructional objectives, can be outlined for students. The entire process of learning and testing begins with the educators objectives of the contents. This sets the stage for phase two, instructional activities of the contents, which then leads to stage three, testing. In our textbook, the authors connects stage three back to stage one, by stating, “Test items validity measure the instructional objectives,”(p.99). Therefore, successful effective classroom tests starts from the slate of the educators objectives, and the more clear and precise the original objectives, the more likely the successes of good quality tests, with comprehensive students are to follow.
Kubiszyn, Tom & Borich, Gary (2010). Educational Testing & Measurement: Classroom Application and Practice (9th ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ. (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010).
Various Variables
According to the authors of the textbook, “one of the most frequent misinterpretations in statistics (and in education) is to infer that because two variables are correlated with one another, one variable causes the other” (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010).
This is basically stating that you can not use statistics or variables and blame them and assume they have responsibility over other various scores, and that they other score would not exist in such as way if it was not for the first variable. This seems to be a dumbing of terms so to speak, because if we assume one variable depends on the other, they where do we begin to measure these variables? Where is the starting point, and which ones do we judge initially in our scoring and interpretation as the base counts. It is not bad to consider all numbers calculations, but it is a fallacy to think that they exist dependant of one another. In a lot of ways that is why more variables come into calculation and compliment each other through totaling scores, but in no other ways do variances of one part of the test depend on the other variables to be successful.
In addition to this, there are already several methods for calculating validity for variables as they stand individually. These methods are already concrete researched methods that exist for measuring the variables, anywhere from range, to the semi-interquartile range (SIQR), to the standard deviation, and to just deduce the variables relationship through shallow comparison defies the depths of calculations created to reach a more accurate means of the variables. Basically it is not plausible or valid to suppose that a variable for a statistic creates or paves the pattern for the other variable to correlate along with or be compared with statistically. Rather, all variables should be considered independent in the scoring process, and not dependant on one another. If a problem exists for one variable, then that particular variable needs to be evaluated and analyzed for changes and improvements in order to pinpoint the problem. It is sort of as if you have a child and when they hang out with a friend they both get in trouble. You can blame the friendship, and determine the friendship is the problem, but this does not take into account each individual children and how they are being disruptive on their own and in their own way, regardless of the other child. It is in our nature to be critical, but we need to also be analytical of problems and their underlining causes, instead of tending towards excuses or escapisms. But is very much an escapism to assume the score of variable are dependant upon one another
What are the potential dangers to assessment and learning when one mistakenly implies causality where only a correlation between two variables exists?
One of the biggest dangers of this type of mistaken analysis of variables, and assuming that one variable is failing or dependant upon another variable failing, or in other words failing on behalf of the other variable. If we constantly blame other things on the flaws of one thing, then we may not ever be able to properly fix issues and problems with variables. If there is an excuse for error, based on another assessment, then we are not taking into account the original individual assessments as they can be changed. We would be wasting time, and putting faults on the wrong thing and never be able to access the differences, since certain excuses cover up the failures of some assessments. In the textbook it states, “Just as you can expect to make scoring errors, you can expect to make errors in test construction No test you construct will be perfect-it will include inappropriate, invalid or otherwise deficient items. In the remainder of this chapter we will introduce you to a technique called item analysis. Item analysis can be used to identify items that are deficient in some way, thus paving the way to improve or eliminate them, with the result being a better overall test,(p.227). Which here it addresses real problems. The problem that if teachers cant learn to evaluate their own assessments, they how do assessment improve or become more in-line with the students needs. That is why it is dangerous to assume that one variable causes another variable problems, when really we need to assess the individual differences. By individual differences, I mean that all issues should be treated with equal objectiveness, and go though the same types of quantitative and qualitative item analysis, that all other assessments must adhere with. It is in the best interest of the students and their professors, to consider each test question assessment with or as it’s own variable. Again, as I said before, each student is original, and their improvements depends on themselves and teachers willing to go the extra mile. Otherwise, if all students are grouped together, or assumed to cause each other failure, them how is there a projection towards advancement and improvement with skills. Just as I said before, variables should be treated on individual bases and not lump together to make a whole, and to blame as a whole entirely. Instead each part of an assessemnt, even down to the individual scales, like short essay assessments, needs to be analyzed on its own, judged on its own term and statistical\outcomes, and not blamed on others, in order for effective improvements overall to come.
This is basically stating that you can not use statistics or variables and blame them and assume they have responsibility over other various scores, and that they other score would not exist in such as way if it was not for the first variable. This seems to be a dumbing of terms so to speak, because if we assume one variable depends on the other, they where do we begin to measure these variables? Where is the starting point, and which ones do we judge initially in our scoring and interpretation as the base counts. It is not bad to consider all numbers calculations, but it is a fallacy to think that they exist dependant of one another. In a lot of ways that is why more variables come into calculation and compliment each other through totaling scores, but in no other ways do variances of one part of the test depend on the other variables to be successful.
In addition to this, there are already several methods for calculating validity for variables as they stand individually. These methods are already concrete researched methods that exist for measuring the variables, anywhere from range, to the semi-interquartile range (SIQR), to the standard deviation, and to just deduce the variables relationship through shallow comparison defies the depths of calculations created to reach a more accurate means of the variables. Basically it is not plausible or valid to suppose that a variable for a statistic creates or paves the pattern for the other variable to correlate along with or be compared with statistically. Rather, all variables should be considered independent in the scoring process, and not dependant on one another. If a problem exists for one variable, then that particular variable needs to be evaluated and analyzed for changes and improvements in order to pinpoint the problem. It is sort of as if you have a child and when they hang out with a friend they both get in trouble. You can blame the friendship, and determine the friendship is the problem, but this does not take into account each individual children and how they are being disruptive on their own and in their own way, regardless of the other child. It is in our nature to be critical, but we need to also be analytical of problems and their underlining causes, instead of tending towards excuses or escapisms. But is very much an escapism to assume the score of variable are dependant upon one another
What are the potential dangers to assessment and learning when one mistakenly implies causality where only a correlation between two variables exists?
One of the biggest dangers of this type of mistaken analysis of variables, and assuming that one variable is failing or dependant upon another variable failing, or in other words failing on behalf of the other variable. If we constantly blame other things on the flaws of one thing, then we may not ever be able to properly fix issues and problems with variables. If there is an excuse for error, based on another assessment, then we are not taking into account the original individual assessments as they can be changed. We would be wasting time, and putting faults on the wrong thing and never be able to access the differences, since certain excuses cover up the failures of some assessments. In the textbook it states, “Just as you can expect to make scoring errors, you can expect to make errors in test construction No test you construct will be perfect-it will include inappropriate, invalid or otherwise deficient items. In the remainder of this chapter we will introduce you to a technique called item analysis. Item analysis can be used to identify items that are deficient in some way, thus paving the way to improve or eliminate them, with the result being a better overall test,(p.227). Which here it addresses real problems. The problem that if teachers cant learn to evaluate their own assessments, they how do assessment improve or become more in-line with the students needs. That is why it is dangerous to assume that one variable causes another variable problems, when really we need to assess the individual differences. By individual differences, I mean that all issues should be treated with equal objectiveness, and go though the same types of quantitative and qualitative item analysis, that all other assessments must adhere with. It is in the best interest of the students and their professors, to consider each test question assessment with or as it’s own variable. Again, as I said before, each student is original, and their improvements depends on themselves and teachers willing to go the extra mile. Otherwise, if all students are grouped together, or assumed to cause each other failure, them how is there a projection towards advancement and improvement with skills. Just as I said before, variables should be treated on individual bases and not lump together to make a whole, and to blame as a whole entirely. Instead each part of an assessemnt, even down to the individual scales, like short essay assessments, needs to be analyzed on its own, judged on its own term and statistical\outcomes, and not blamed on others, in order for effective improvements overall to come.
Times Change Assessment Measurments
Through this course, I have been exposed to several things I did not know about the education system. One thing I learned about was new assessments. That would be the different types of assessments that teachers have access to.
For instance, there are performance assessments where students and teachers participate together and test through different methods, like group projects or any research project. Another one is the portfolio assessment where instead of testing the student on a multiple choice bubble sheet, the student is required to compile a portfolio, throughout the course, in which they have the option to use their creativity and unique mind. These two types of test assessments give me reassurance when I envision myself as a teacher. Struggling with time assessments, either multiple choice or fill in the blanks, as an adolescent, I would get very devastated and frustrated since time tests were my weakness. In fact, the majority of my implanted memories of being educated were by teachers who had other activities besides memorizing text and taking timed, rigid test assessments. The real treasures in education came from teachers who allowed me to access my individuality and with the two assessments aforementioned, I can allow the same opportunity for the next generation of students.
Early in the course, we learned about No Child Left Behind and the new and evolving Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act. For my preferences of assessing points, the No Child Left Behind does not make sense when the expectation is that children of different origins, personalities and skill sets should all perform the same and are required to have close to identical scores. And when I learned about the IDEIA, I was fascinated to realize that changes are being proposed for the education system and the testing standards. Teachers, principals and school board members are working on revamping the programs so that students of all speeds have a slot to which they can fit into where they can score an average for the type of personality they are, but not expected to score the same as the smartest student in the class. Currently, they are working on integrating it into the education system, therefore, resolving No Child Left Behind to a test, not the answer, and giving categories to all the pieces of the pie chart of intelligence.
The next topic learned in this course was measurements on gauging learning outcomes that educators have produced for their students. With measurable learning outcomes, there are several different ways to weigh scores and give points for grades to individual students for diverse activities within groups, as opposed to just a bi-annual bubble sheet test. With learning outcomes, however, there are varieties of activities and multiple ways to create rubrics which can guide students through their courses clearly understanding what they need to do to earn the score. The expandable measures range from all sorts of different activities, indoors and outdoors, and they work on creating varieties of activities through these alternative assessments.
Some students have great strengths for situations like the No Child Left Behind and they excel at time tests, however, on the other side of the spectrum, there are many students that don’t necessarily feel as though they are in their element and can be very intimidated and frustrated by time assessments. The IDEIA is revolutionary for the education system, in that, it recognizes the issue of the diverse spectrum of students, with different backgrounds and different types of intelligences. We can only hope that, in the near future, the IDEIA is implemented into the school system even if No Child Left Behind must continue to exist.
The next concept I will take with me from this course is the idea of accuracy and error on assessments. For these cases, teachers are to test their own exams to make sure that they qualify for accuracy through a system of checking the errors. When the teacher examines their own exam, it can be a learning experience for them as well. Another thing teachers can do is look at average scores and realize if there was a certain question a majority of students missed, it could suggest the error is due to the test question, being either vague or too varied. When the teacher works with the student scores to better her test assessments to suit the frames of the students, both the teacher and the students can gain new understandings of more diversified methods. Educators must remember that tests are always subject to error, and the accuracy of the test is dependent upon the types of errors it contains. For this concept, there are several mathematical equations in which teachers can use to calculate error scores, true scores and obtained scores. There are standard deviation measurements they can use in weighing the quality of the scores and tests through the acknowledgement of the average score of the student body. Finally, the skeptical educator comes face-to-face with the paradox of testing and scores, and it can seem that no matter how creative or mathematical the equations, scores are still quite an elusive distinction of character and qualities and cannot necessarily capture all the different traits and strengths that students have.
The next concept that inspired me in our textbook was the chapter on summarizing data and measures of central tendency. This system uses inferential statistics. In the textbook it states, “Thus far we have been talking about statistics in general. In reality, there are two types of statistics: descriptive and inferential. For our purposes we will deal entirely with the “easy” side of statistics, descriptive statistics. Inferential statistics are more complicated and are best taught in more advanced courses.” (p 265) With measures of central tendency when summarizing data, there are several methods that can be used for distribution of points. Each of these methods have a road of their own and the teacher has more options to consider when distributing assessment scores. And although we may never break through the paradox of the score system, for now it possesses several options for averaging scores and weighing grading systems.
The next new topic that was introduced to me were different methods of creating graphing data and blue printing the creative assessments. The more clear and advanced the blue prints for the exam are, the more readable a graph is in seeing how scores exist and compare with one another. Using mathematics and equations, graphs can be an interesting work of art to hand to your students as a separate interpretation of requirements for the course. Graphs and blue prints can range from lengthy and complex to small and simple. Therefore, the teacher has to utilize her creativity with the methods of calculation to produce a valid and accurate scoring system. Ultimately, for these cases, educators are searching for the mean or average of a group of scores for a class of students. The wide variety of examples in a textbook of graphs and blue prints prove how infinite graphs can be when they fit in certain equations accurately.
With all these new concepts introduced, there are still a few I have yet to master. For instance, this concept has been the most difficult concept for me to master ultimately since it has to do with mathematical equations that I have not studied since high school. When I went to Iowa and enrolled in the liberal arts program, I had already earned my necessary college credits for math and science, and due to this, the last math and science course I took was my senior year in high school. Fourteen years later, I realize that although math is strength for me, I am entering the new age of technology and having to re-familiarize myself with the mathematical and scientific calculations for scoring systems that the Internet and information technology has opened gateways to. The cyber-space gateways are more natural for our younger generation than they were for my generation which takes some adjustment on the educator’s part to stay with the technology and times in which their students are experiencing. Ultimately, this will require more practice on my part and will eventually start to make better sense through trial and error.
For the course learning and assessments for the 21st century, I have been introduced to these and all sorts of other complex theories and I realize that only time, practice and patience will eventually lead me to the mastery of cyber-space technology. There are so many concepts to learn and so many categories to divide different types of test assessments that it is really up to the teacher to discover the best method for their course. As a future educator, I will endeavor the new path with an open mind and a PowerPoint board instead of a chalkboard.
For instance, there are performance assessments where students and teachers participate together and test through different methods, like group projects or any research project. Another one is the portfolio assessment where instead of testing the student on a multiple choice bubble sheet, the student is required to compile a portfolio, throughout the course, in which they have the option to use their creativity and unique mind. These two types of test assessments give me reassurance when I envision myself as a teacher. Struggling with time assessments, either multiple choice or fill in the blanks, as an adolescent, I would get very devastated and frustrated since time tests were my weakness. In fact, the majority of my implanted memories of being educated were by teachers who had other activities besides memorizing text and taking timed, rigid test assessments. The real treasures in education came from teachers who allowed me to access my individuality and with the two assessments aforementioned, I can allow the same opportunity for the next generation of students.
Early in the course, we learned about No Child Left Behind and the new and evolving Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act. For my preferences of assessing points, the No Child Left Behind does not make sense when the expectation is that children of different origins, personalities and skill sets should all perform the same and are required to have close to identical scores. And when I learned about the IDEIA, I was fascinated to realize that changes are being proposed for the education system and the testing standards. Teachers, principals and school board members are working on revamping the programs so that students of all speeds have a slot to which they can fit into where they can score an average for the type of personality they are, but not expected to score the same as the smartest student in the class. Currently, they are working on integrating it into the education system, therefore, resolving No Child Left Behind to a test, not the answer, and giving categories to all the pieces of the pie chart of intelligence.
The next topic learned in this course was measurements on gauging learning outcomes that educators have produced for their students. With measurable learning outcomes, there are several different ways to weigh scores and give points for grades to individual students for diverse activities within groups, as opposed to just a bi-annual bubble sheet test. With learning outcomes, however, there are varieties of activities and multiple ways to create rubrics which can guide students through their courses clearly understanding what they need to do to earn the score. The expandable measures range from all sorts of different activities, indoors and outdoors, and they work on creating varieties of activities through these alternative assessments.
Some students have great strengths for situations like the No Child Left Behind and they excel at time tests, however, on the other side of the spectrum, there are many students that don’t necessarily feel as though they are in their element and can be very intimidated and frustrated by time assessments. The IDEIA is revolutionary for the education system, in that, it recognizes the issue of the diverse spectrum of students, with different backgrounds and different types of intelligences. We can only hope that, in the near future, the IDEIA is implemented into the school system even if No Child Left Behind must continue to exist.
The next concept I will take with me from this course is the idea of accuracy and error on assessments. For these cases, teachers are to test their own exams to make sure that they qualify for accuracy through a system of checking the errors. When the teacher examines their own exam, it can be a learning experience for them as well. Another thing teachers can do is look at average scores and realize if there was a certain question a majority of students missed, it could suggest the error is due to the test question, being either vague or too varied. When the teacher works with the student scores to better her test assessments to suit the frames of the students, both the teacher and the students can gain new understandings of more diversified methods. Educators must remember that tests are always subject to error, and the accuracy of the test is dependent upon the types of errors it contains. For this concept, there are several mathematical equations in which teachers can use to calculate error scores, true scores and obtained scores. There are standard deviation measurements they can use in weighing the quality of the scores and tests through the acknowledgement of the average score of the student body. Finally, the skeptical educator comes face-to-face with the paradox of testing and scores, and it can seem that no matter how creative or mathematical the equations, scores are still quite an elusive distinction of character and qualities and cannot necessarily capture all the different traits and strengths that students have.
The next concept that inspired me in our textbook was the chapter on summarizing data and measures of central tendency. This system uses inferential statistics. In the textbook it states, “Thus far we have been talking about statistics in general. In reality, there are two types of statistics: descriptive and inferential. For our purposes we will deal entirely with the “easy” side of statistics, descriptive statistics. Inferential statistics are more complicated and are best taught in more advanced courses.” (p 265) With measures of central tendency when summarizing data, there are several methods that can be used for distribution of points. Each of these methods have a road of their own and the teacher has more options to consider when distributing assessment scores. And although we may never break through the paradox of the score system, for now it possesses several options for averaging scores and weighing grading systems.
The next new topic that was introduced to me were different methods of creating graphing data and blue printing the creative assessments. The more clear and advanced the blue prints for the exam are, the more readable a graph is in seeing how scores exist and compare with one another. Using mathematics and equations, graphs can be an interesting work of art to hand to your students as a separate interpretation of requirements for the course. Graphs and blue prints can range from lengthy and complex to small and simple. Therefore, the teacher has to utilize her creativity with the methods of calculation to produce a valid and accurate scoring system. Ultimately, for these cases, educators are searching for the mean or average of a group of scores for a class of students. The wide variety of examples in a textbook of graphs and blue prints prove how infinite graphs can be when they fit in certain equations accurately.
With all these new concepts introduced, there are still a few I have yet to master. For instance, this concept has been the most difficult concept for me to master ultimately since it has to do with mathematical equations that I have not studied since high school. When I went to Iowa and enrolled in the liberal arts program, I had already earned my necessary college credits for math and science, and due to this, the last math and science course I took was my senior year in high school. Fourteen years later, I realize that although math is strength for me, I am entering the new age of technology and having to re-familiarize myself with the mathematical and scientific calculations for scoring systems that the Internet and information technology has opened gateways to. The cyber-space gateways are more natural for our younger generation than they were for my generation which takes some adjustment on the educator’s part to stay with the technology and times in which their students are experiencing. Ultimately, this will require more practice on my part and will eventually start to make better sense through trial and error.
For the course learning and assessments for the 21st century, I have been introduced to these and all sorts of other complex theories and I realize that only time, practice and patience will eventually lead me to the mastery of cyber-space technology. There are so many concepts to learn and so many categories to divide different types of test assessments that it is really up to the teacher to discover the best method for their course. As a future educator, I will endeavor the new path with an open mind and a PowerPoint board instead of a chalkboard.
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