This video explores the idea of what school is and its purpose. The education system was designed after the boom of the Industrial Revolution in England and the United States. The fast paced system of the factories, mills, mines etc. proved efficient in the production of labor and goods. This was the model that would design the education system but scholars would not derive from this system. Scholars, artists, doctors, financiers, etc. still emerged from years of private tutoring and schools. This new education system was educating and training them to only know what they are told to know. Pupils of this new system were educated without free thoughts, critical thinking, and asking questions.
Standardized testing was discussed by Seth and he addressed the fact the designer of the standardized tests found flaws with it and was fired for viewing them as irrelevant. Standardized testing and multiple choice quizzes/tests do not measure creativity, critical thinking, ability to analyze and annotate a excerpt/document, etc. It just shows if the students are able to memorize dates, facts, names of battles, etc. but it does not test their understanding of the historical significance, impact on humanity, and other topics that cannot be measured on a standardized test. Standardized testing is still the primary assessment of learning and the students need to be tested on their reading, listening, writing and analyzing skills. As a history teacher, it would be a good idea to have students tested differently. I want to test them on their understanding of historical events, wars, etc. as well as having them write short answer responses (3-5 paragraphs) for 2 out 3 prompts. This was the testing format of some of my college history professors. We would bring one blue book to class and would be given a test with 5-6 IDs (battle, author, book, monarch, foreign policy, etc.) and we would have to write 4-6 sentences including its importance, impact, why it is relevant to history, etc. We would also be given 3 short essay prompts which we were expected to choose 2 and construct a thesis and response. This was our testing format for our two midterms and final exam. It taught me to look past the date of an event and understand how the date was important to the historical event and what impact it had in history. I feel a similar testing format would greatly benefit the students and prepare them for higher learning, not just for the standardized tests.
Standardized testing was discussed by Seth and he addressed the fact the designer of the standardized tests found flaws with it and was fired for viewing them as irrelevant. Standardized testing and multiple choice quizzes/tests do not measure creativity, critical thinking, ability to analyze and annotate a excerpt/document, etc. It just shows if the students are able to memorize dates, facts, names of battles, etc. but it does not test their understanding of the historical significance, impact on humanity, and other topics that cannot be measured on a standardized test. Standardized testing is still the primary assessment of learning and the students need to be tested on their reading, listening, writing and analyzing skills. As a history teacher, it would be a good idea to have students tested differently. I want to test them on their understanding of historical events, wars, etc. as well as having them write short answer responses (3-5 paragraphs) for 2 out 3 prompts. This was the testing format of some of my college history professors. We would bring one blue book to class and would be given a test with 5-6 IDs (battle, author, book, monarch, foreign policy, etc.) and we would have to write 4-6 sentences including its importance, impact, why it is relevant to history, etc. We would also be given 3 short essay prompts which we were expected to choose 2 and construct a thesis and response. This was our testing format for our two midterms and final exam. It taught me to look past the date of an event and understand how the date was important to the historical event and what impact it had in history. I feel a similar testing format would greatly benefit the students and prepare them for higher learning, not just for the standardized tests.