[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Clearly That is indeed what I meant by awkward - separating signal from noise is very difficult, to put it different terms.

I guess, then, my question is: should we even try? I'm not being glib, either - is there any way to tell who is a "good" teacher (particularly using outcome)?



I think implementation is as much the problem as anything - and I mean that from the top down (test design, use of the results, integration of test materials into curricula and vice versa, etc.).

While standardized testing has well-documented issues (mostly related to biasing factors from test designers), it's not something inherently wrong or evil - it is just used in an extremely stupid fashion in most secondary schools.

We don't have the same global fight against post-secondary standardized tests - in fact, they're often embraced when performed on a smaller scale (doctors, lawyers and whatnot).

But we aren't firing professors based on the number of professionals who pass these tests. The students are blamed for their own failures at this level. At least that is my experience in the medical field.