Really?
So, assessment -
As educators, we should
review some facts and concepts derived from math, biology, and statistics.
We need a better understanding of human potential based on brain
science.
For much of the time, educators have
been approaching the dilemma of assessment from a set of wrong-headed
assumptions.
First, the human brain has approximately 100 trillion
neural connections. That’s a rather huge number.
Second,
that system is dynamic. The arrangement of synaptic connections
changes over time. We know this; however, we don’t give it a great
deal of credibility. We make the assumption that this trait and knowledge
itself is static; however, this dynamic nature of synaptic connection
really represents a core consideration.
The reality is that we
learn, unlearn, relearn, and put new learning to work in new
situations.
Yet, as educators we have thought that a single test
can measure learning across the spectrum of neural connection as if it
were a static condition.
The point is that no single test
can ever measure adequately this dynamic, growing, changing and adaptive
system.
At the very best, a test can only take a snapshot of skills
- limited information which unfortunately is often used to make binding
long term decisions.
Instead we need to be creating systems that
allow for assessments based on achievements, based on solving real world
problems, based on growth and development.
The system of assessment needs to as dynamic as the system of learning and knowing.