9486 in the collection
Why Do Schools Insist On Solo Learning and Assessment When Research Shows A Better Method?
In a recent article The Christian Science Monitor quoted these experts:
"In a series of classroom studies, students who
took exams with a partner of their choice said
the experience resulted in reduced test anxiety,
more confidence, and increased enjoyment of the
course and and subject matter, report researchers Philip G. Zimbardo et al. in the Journal of Experimental Education (Vol. 71, No. 2)
"The results of this research, conducted over many years within multiple class settings, challenges a fundamental assumption of education, namely that student achievement must be assessed by testing individual performance," says Zimbardo, APA past-president. "We have found that when students work in pairs and take examinations cooperatively, they perform much better than when solo, learn more and enjoy the course and the exam more."
This caused Robert E. Kay, M. D., a psychiatrist, to reflect:
I've read somewhere that mathematical problem
solving is seven times as efficient when done by a group of three elementary-school students working together than when done alone -- just like it is in the real world where I would not spend 30 milli-seconds "thinking for myself" if someone else has the information I need!
I would say that one can never really
know what another person knows--except by observing from a distance--if only because
the process of trying to find out is an anxiety-
loaded, intrusive procedure which will almost
inevitably produce a distorted result.
Thus OPEN CONNECTIONS in Newtown Square,
PA has as her #1 rule that no adult can ever
ask a child a question if he/she, the grownup,
already knows the answer--an idea borrowed
from George Dennison's The Lives of Children.
In the meantime, the bottom line is whether or
not we believe that the human being is a social
and cooperative animal on the day of birth, a
creature who can be trusted to think and learn in the interests of safety, security, and survival.
Because, if one believes it, then one need never put a child on the spot; i.e. we, and many other competent parents, never really knew what our children knew except that we could see them reading books and eventually write a letter and play MONOPOLY. So one of mine eventually helped organize a $2 trillion housing program for Fannie Mae while his brother is trying to intercept incoming missles. Their slightly disabled sister, meanwhile, is working the computer at a local hospital.
We, of course, never read their report card
either, but we did stimulate, reveal, and INTEREST. But we did so carefully, however, since human beings do not like to be taught--that's also intrusive--not to mention the fact that active teaching cannot makelearning happen.
http://www.ishmael.org/Education/Writings/unschooling.shtml
http://www.creatinglearningcommunities.org
WHAT DO I DO MONDAY? -- John Holt
EVERY STUDENT CAN SUCCEED -- William Glasser
— Robert E. Kay, M.D., Psychiatrist
2003-10-24
INDEX OF OUTRAGES
Pages: 380
[1] 2 3 4 5 6 Next >> Last >>
