Standardized Testing

There is some debate as to the educational merits of standardized testing. Some of this is presented in the Januszewski & Molenda text. Specifically, the authors (and others) contend that most standardized tests do not address deep learning. Briefly describe a lesson that would include some technology as well as learning goals that would require deep learning. Describe how you know this addresses deep learning. Discuss what the appropriate learning outcomes for these goals should be. Finally, describe how your lesson uses concepts of either cognitive information processing or constructivist learning.

I have to agree with Januszewski and Molenda in their theory about how standardized testing does not provide or allow for deep learning to take place. Ultimately standardized testing is ruining our education system.
For example, I am a social studies teacher in NYC. Ultimately my students know that as long as they succeed on the Math State Test and the English Language Arts State Test, therefore their behavior is terrible. They seem to behave much better in classes where they know the consequences of failing that state examinmation. Overall deep learning does not take place in my classes because I am on a time constraint and unfortunately since teach history and every day is a new day in history books, my curriculum is shortened as a result. Technology can save my subject however. If I were to assign extra readings, work for extra credit, or even credit-bearing assignments my students would be more inclined if they are interested in learning more about say Pearl Harbor for example. Pearl Harbor was a major turning point in American History. It was one of the first direct attacks that caused the United States to enter a war where they did not belong. My lesson would involve constructivist and cognitive information processing ideas.
Constructivist Ideas:

1. Students will be given various documents that they must read and respond to.

• Document One- NY TIMES Front Page with Pearl Harbor "Date That Will Live in Infamy" Speech by President Roosevelt.
• Document Two- Reading on Cmdr. Fuchida's experience from the Japanese perspective about the attack.

--- SWBAT understand the different perspectives about Pearl Harbor and link it to the attacks on 9-11-2001.

Cognitive Information Processing Ideas:

• Students will be able to link the events of 9-11 to the events of Pearl Harbor. They will read various news articles about 9-11 and using CIP they will extract information they know, create a reaction paper, and ultimately learn what it was like as a child or a young soldier in Pearl Harbor December 1941. We will examine the causes of the attack on Pearl Harbor including the ban on oil, fuel, and steel exports from the United States and imports into Japan following Japan's annex of China in the 1940s. Students will be able to understand the reasons behind why a country goes to war (God, Gold, Glory)

This lesson would be assessed with the response paper, DBQ questions that accompany the articles and readings, as well as a multiple choice content quiz.