Improving the test of provincial exams!

The Alberta Government is about to do something that is going to improve learning in schools.

It is about time the Frasier institute can no longer compare schools, or allow the results of schools to be public.  Finally, Lukaszuk is about to show that there is more to learning than statistics, numbers, test scores, and rankings.  Peter Cowley, from the Frasier institute, says “Teaching teams can directly use the PAT results to the benefit of their students”, and then follows with “It is hard to see how improving teaching effectiveness can be considered a misuse of the PAT data”.  These two statements are begging the question that PATS improve learning, which they do not.

I ask you, have you ever written a test or an exam and became smarter because of it?  In Alberta, I have yet to see a farmer weigh his/her animals more to increase their weight.  Just as weighing an animal won’t increase its weight, testing students won’t increase learning.  Our education has always been test score driven but I wonder if this belief is actually justified?  Has this norm been created out of research and studies?  Is this actually authenticated by pedagogical practice?  Does testing create lifelong learners?  Lastly, does it improve education?  I believe the answer to all of these questions is NO!

I understand that many people outside education, such as Peter Cowley, believe that only a standardized provincial exam can reveal that truth about what is actually occurring in Albertan schools, and is fighting for the idea that three years of education can be reduced to a single number on a multiple choice exam.  However, this idea is completely absurd.  If you find yourself disagreeing, then I strongly urge you to learn more about a standardized exam.    

 Just for starters, before a standardized test is given there are psychometricians who know how many students will pass and how many students will fail, and this occurs before the students ever write the exam.  Why would we support the sharing of grades on an exam that has a pre-determined failure rate?  Next, Peter will have us believe that these tests are an effective way of measuring education in our province, but he fails to realize these tests have a pre-selected material which is unknown to the teacher.  In terms of reliability, most educators resent the idea of a confined focus of testing as it measures only a portion of the domain and ultimately distorts the depth, complexity and dedication of a student’s ability.

 Lastly, Peter will try to convince people that it is these tests scores that will improve education. He fails to understand that it is not the test scores which need to increase to enhance education, but instead the trust that a teacher is a professional, dedicated to providing the best education possible, and the idea that learning cannot be reduced to a mark on a single exam.   

Inspiring Education in Alberta

Our government has released a new vision for education in our province.  I wanted to share some quotes, which I believe show great improvement in the education system, which Alberta has called Inspiring Education.

Why is a Transformation of the Education System Needed?

Evidence is mounting that many problems experienced by students in middle and secondary schools – such as disengagement, dissatisfaction with their schooling experience, and dropping out – are significantly linked to the learning environment.

A changing workforce, rapid advancements in technology, and increased global competition mean that learning is more critical than ever.

There will never be a better time than now to begin the transformation of our education system so that our students are ready for the future. Every school year that we let pass is another year for which we have limited the learning opportunities of more than half a million students in Alberta. Our world has moved in a new direction, and education must keep step.

Key areas of change for new legislation will be based on the following.... students should be able to access instruction in a variety of settings, times and at a pace that reflects their individual needs;

Principles:

Learner-centred. Decision makers should consider the needs of children and youth first and foremost when making decisions.

A responsive, flexible approach. Children and youth should have meaningful learning opportunities appropriate to each learner’s developmental stage, including learning that is experiential, multi-disciplinary, community-based, and self-paced. To ensure the learning opportunities are relevant, the education system must be nimble in responding to the changing needs of communities and the world.

Personalized Learning with Flexible Timing and Pacing Through a Range of Learning Environments

Personalized learning means that:

• students progress in programs at a pace that suits their needs and enhances their success.
• students build on individual strengths and achievements, pursue their passions and interests and learn in ways that are consistent with their individual learning styles.
• barriers to learning are reduced to allow more flexible hours of instruction and schedules.
• students to apply their learning in real-life contexts.
• there is a greater emphasis on assessment for learning (i.e., an ongoing exchange of information between students and teachers about student progress toward clearly specified learner outcomes).
• students are lifelong learners who thrive in, and adapt to, a complex and rapidly changing world.

Education that is student-centred means that:

• there is less focus on schooling and more focus on education.
• there is an increased focus on ensuring that the needs of students are central to all decisions relating to their education.
• students are responsible for being actively involved in their learning.
• students collaborate and have a voice in how, where, when and the rate at which they learn, and are responsible for their choices.
• all students are empowered to participate in self-reflection and evaluation throughout their education.

There is much more in the document, but I wanted to provide a "snip" of the 30 page document.  One good read!! GOOD JOB ALBERTA EDUCATION!