Thoughts
On examination by outsiders ...
Again, let us carefully consider what our aim is. If our aim is to enable [students] to pass examinations by outside examiners, even if this is only part of our aim, if the matter is carefully considered it will be found that however subtle the examination system may be, there can be no true teaching of mechanics. With a due sense of responsibility I say that an outside examination system and true education are antagonistic to one another.
Professor John Perry, D.Sc., LL.D., F.R.S., Royal College of Science, London, S.W.
(Taken from: Discussion at Johannesburg on the teaching of elementary mechanics. August 19th, 1905 British Association for the Advancement of Science. MacMillan and Co., Limited. London. 1906 Reprint from the University of California libraries.)
On curriculum pacing imposed by outsiders ...
… The real message here is about defining just what your role is as a teacher. Do you feel the need (real or imagined) to cover some sort of standard course of study or do you want your students to actually learn physics? The research is unequivocal regarding the first approach - only about 12% of U.S. high school students score proficient in physics on tests such as TIMSS, PISA, and NAEP.
Thus the warning that "coverage is the death of understanding."
But the second approach, i.e. taking the necessary TIME so that students can learn and integrate the content as well as the concomitant critical thinking skills into their "conceptual ecologies" is a tough, tough sell for many teachers. I've NEVER understood why we're in such a hurry to cram so much stuff into kids' heads that they have no chance of remembering, much less understanding, but I do understand why many otherwise knowledgeable teachers cave-in to such misguided practices - to keep their jobs. …
Nick Cabot, Ph.D., Clinical Associate Professor of Science Education
School of Education, UNC Chapel Hill
(Taken from a message posted to AMTALIST on 2 January, 2013)
Again, let us carefully consider what our aim is. If our aim is to enable [students] to pass examinations by outside examiners, even if this is only part of our aim, if the matter is carefully considered it will be found that however subtle the examination system may be, there can be no true teaching of mechanics. With a due sense of responsibility I say that an outside examination system and true education are antagonistic to one another.
Professor John Perry, D.Sc., LL.D., F.R.S., Royal College of Science, London, S.W.
(Taken from: Discussion at Johannesburg on the teaching of elementary mechanics. August 19th, 1905 British Association for the Advancement of Science. MacMillan and Co., Limited. London. 1906 Reprint from the University of California libraries.)
On curriculum pacing imposed by outsiders ...
… The real message here is about defining just what your role is as a teacher. Do you feel the need (real or imagined) to cover some sort of standard course of study or do you want your students to actually learn physics? The research is unequivocal regarding the first approach - only about 12% of U.S. high school students score proficient in physics on tests such as TIMSS, PISA, and NAEP.
Thus the warning that "coverage is the death of understanding."
But the second approach, i.e. taking the necessary TIME so that students can learn and integrate the content as well as the concomitant critical thinking skills into their "conceptual ecologies" is a tough, tough sell for many teachers. I've NEVER understood why we're in such a hurry to cram so much stuff into kids' heads that they have no chance of remembering, much less understanding, but I do understand why many otherwise knowledgeable teachers cave-in to such misguided practices - to keep their jobs. …
Nick Cabot, Ph.D., Clinical Associate Professor of Science Education
School of Education, UNC Chapel Hill
(Taken from a message posted to AMTALIST on 2 January, 2013)