Testing and the Aim of Education

[sbyers@wirb.com]

I found the article provided by Steve Brandt interesting, 
but disappointing rather than excellent. If this study is
truly "the largest study ever on the issue", it is not a
very bold step forward. 

Running through the article is a very faint but un-
acknowledged thread of systems thinking. The group conduct-
ing the study seems to want to see the big picture, but 
fails to do so. Same for those commenting on the study. One
fellow offers, "There's always a lot of things going on
concurrently...". Bingo, but that's as far as it goes. The
reporter didn't pick up on it.

Until we leave "accountability" behind and focus instead
on the Aim of a given educational system (classroom, school,
district, state, country), enlightenment will elude us. Surely no one would agree that the "aim" is to pass these 
tests. Yet....look at our actions.

How is David Langford doing these days? I would like to hear
more about him and others like him. 


Steven Byers
Olympia, WA