Standardized World Is Flat

Not a day goes by without hearing about failing schools, the need for tougher standards, accountability and school improvement. For many, this means an increase in our focus on state-mandated standardized tests, often seen as the primary criteria for judging school success.

With administrators in the hot seat, teachers are being told to teach to the test. Kids are sharpening their number-2 pencils and preparing to take still another standardized test, hoping a good score will be their ticket to the future.

I am not alone in questioning what a standardized test really measures — the ability to analyze or the ability to memorize. Quite a few years ago, I had the opportunity to speak at the U.S. – China Conference on Education.

I will never forget the conversation I had with one of the participants from China about standardized testing. I was told, “We invented standardized testing. It does one thing, it kills all creativity.” His statements rang so true with me. How did I pass a test? Memorize.

There was very little investigation or synthesizing of information going on. Granted, it got me through school with good grades, but memorizing facts (that are soon forgotten) is not how to get ahead in today’s world.

I recently had an opportunity to attend a presentation by Thomas Friedman, journalist and Pulitzer Prize winning author of “The World is Flat” and “Hot, Flat and Crowded.” In his presentation, he talked about the convergence of technology, how the “dot.com” boom wired the world and the international competition that is now unfolding before our eyes. He talked about how globalization has progressed from countries to companies to individuals. He also talked about education, our need to nurture the right brain, how the arts help to develop creativity and the mental agility to synthesize. He talked about the need to teach our students how to connect, collaborate and compete in a flat world.

It is not a focus on standardization that will make our students succeed. It is cultivating their individuality, their creativity and their ability to look at things differently. Just knowing what everybody else knows will not cut it in today’s world.

Featured

  • Three U.S. Universities Install Acre Security Access Control Platform

    Cloud-native physical and digital security solutions company Acre Security recently announced that it has deployed its access control platform at three major universities in the U.S., according to a news release. Acre partnered with Atrium Campus to provide coverage for more than 69,000 students at the University of Virginia (UVA), George Mason University, and Rockhurst University.

  • Lawrence Group Announces Expansion of Student Housing Studio

    Integrated planning and design firm Lawrence Group recently announced that it has hired Nick Naeger, AIA, as the new Associate Principal / Senior Project Manager at its headquarters in St. Louis, Mo., according to a news release.

  • Armstrong World Industries Acquires Geometrik

    Armstrong World Industries, designer and manufacturer of interior and exterior architectural applications like ceilings, walls, and metal solutions, recently announced its acquisition of Canada-based Geometrik, according to a news release. The British Columbian Geometrik specializes in designing and manufacturing wood acoustical and wall systems.

  • California School District Starts Construction on Public Safety Center

    The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) recently announced that construction has begun on a new public safety center that will house the district’s safety and security programs. According to a news release, the James Ramos Center for Public Safety will measure in at 17,140 square feet and contain the district’s Police Department, Office of Emergency Management, and cadet program.

Digital Edition