Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!ASUACAD!AGBFM From: AGBFM@ASUACAD.BITNET (Barbara Martinez) Newsgroups: bit.listserv.edpolyan Subject: Re: Education Goals Message-ID: Date: 21 Feb 90 21:01:05 GMT Sender: Professionals and Students Discussing Education Policy Analysis Reply-To: Professionals and Students Discussing Education Policy Analysis Lines: 11 Approved: NETNEWS@PSUVM.BITNET Gateway In-Reply-To: Message of Thu, 15 Feb 90 00:40:00 MST from AGD2M, We are already beginning to see the trend which you suggest. Many schools require that students "pass" certain tests (standardized tests) before they are promoted to the next grade or school. (Promotion based on "outcome measures"). But what are these tests really measureing and what are our kids really learning? I believe that these tests measure things like teachers' ability to teach to a test and schools' ability to help (by a variety of means) students "pass to the next grade. I don't think this can really be counted as educatng students--such approaches don't tt teach students how to "think" or analyze. The term "measure outcomes" sounds good (like something that can prove to the public that schools are or are not doing a good job) but in practiace it is a pharse.