"Jefferson told us where to look to see if a nation is a success. He did not
say to look at test scores. Instead, he said to look at ³life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness.² --Keith Baker (2007)
According to Zhou, if we look not at internatioanl math scores, but at more
important indicators of a country's success, such as national wealth,
quality of life, democracy and patents (innovation and creativity), the US
scores high. It' a myth that lower international standardized math scores
determine a country's future success. Math scores were not an indicator of
the country's future success. So, why are we making policy based on math
scores alone?
At a time when we are testing the art, music, physical education, and
creative process out of our educational system, Zhou forces us to ask
ourselves...
What knowledge is of most worth in the 21st Century?
If we focus on only memorization of rote, archaic facts and algorithms to
pass a standardized test, based on information that is easily retrieved from
known sources, then will we keep our edge? Will we continue to offer the
world unique and innovative, ideas, skills and talents and will the world
contiue to pay us what we "believe we are worth" or that we require to live
a very "abundant" lifestyle?
Take a look at
Baker, Keith (2007).Are International Tests Worth Anything? Kappan, October,
2007.
Zhao, Y. (in press). Catching Up or Keeping the Lead: American Education in
the Age of Globalization. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
What skills do you believe our students will need to ensure life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness in the 21st Century? What is the role of
assessment in the 21st century classroom? Will there be a need for a
classroom? Will there be a need for a live teacher? What knowledge is most
worth learning for the 21st Century?
Comment today.
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