Submitted by Vanessa Svihla (not verified) on April 18, 2008 - 09:35.
As one of the researchers involved in the initiative, I was dismayed by the title. We are in NO WAY saying that factual knowledge is unimportant. Historically, factual knowledge has been privileged above other knowledge and skills because it is the easiest thing to measure. However, we are now at a point in time that we may realize the affordances of technology; namely, we may measure more complex uses of factual and conceptual knowledge and skills, and we may begin integrating learning and assessment. This allows us to critique the “inventory model” of assessment. Stores used to close for one or two days to complete inventory, losing valuable time, but technology has largely made such practices a thing of the past. Currently, assessment follows this old model: students lose valuable learning time so that they may be measured.
It is critical to point out that we do not think that facts are unimportant! However, we do think that getting information about what students can do with facts is more informative to their educators and future employers.
Misleading title--Forget the Facts
Submitted by Vanessa Svihla (not verified) on April 18, 2008 - 09:35.
As one of the researchers involved in the initiative, I was dismayed by the title. We are in NO WAY saying that factual knowledge is unimportant. Historically, factual knowledge has been privileged above other knowledge and skills because it is the easiest thing to measure. However, we are now at a point in time that we may realize the affordances of technology; namely, we may measure more complex uses of factual and conceptual knowledge and skills, and we may begin integrating learning and assessment. This allows us to critique the “inventory model” of assessment. Stores used to close for one or two days to complete inventory, losing valuable time, but technology has largely made such practices a thing of the past. Currently, assessment follows this old model: students lose valuable learning time so that they may be measured.
It is critical to point out that we do not think that facts are unimportant! However, we do think that getting information about what students can do with facts is more informative to their educators and future employers.