Copyright 2003Edwin EllisGraphicorganizers.comInteraction

Effects

Enormous pressure to “cover the curriculum” = spray & pray” approach to teaching

Content is watered-down so that students with disabilities feel successful & get better grades

Information-providing substituted for meaning-making instruction

“Facts” curriculum driven by test items on high-stakes content tests = intellectual bulimia

Teachers are put between a“rock and a hard place”

“Accessing Gen. Ed. Curriculum” interpreted as “Reg. Ed. Courses”

Students with disabilities must take same tests

Wide range of student ability, experience, and knowledge in GE classes

High-stakes tests = enormous pressures on teachers to cover the curriculum

What happens when a facts curriculum drives high-stakes testing …

Coverage = Teaching Learning = MemorizingLOGICAL ASSUMPTION:

The tests we give students reflect what we expect them to learn

So what do content tests commonly reflect?

FACTSFACTS

FACTS

FACTS

FACTS

Lot of specialized knowledge that most people with MA degrees & PhDs don’t know unless it’s in their specialty area!

Buchou TRIVIA!

Teachers think Students think

FACTS

day after day…

FACTS

A single fact-packed lesson doesn’t seem too bad

FACTS

day after day…

FACTS

day after day…

The long range effect doesn’t look too good!

FACTS

day after day…

FACTS

day after day…

FACTS

day after day…

FACTS

day after day…

FACTS

day after day…

FACTS

day after day…

FACTS

day after day…

FACTS

day after day…

FACTS

day after day…

FACTS

day after day…

FACTS

day after day…

What happens when a facts curriculum drives high-stakes testing …

FACTSFACTS FACTSFACTS FACTS FACTS FACTS FACTS FACTS FACTS FACTS FACTS FACTS FACTS FACTS

End up with a curriculum that’s a mile wide…

Superficial, temporary knowledge

…and an inch deep

What happens when a facts curriculum drives high-stakes testing …

FACTS FACTSFACTS FACTS FACTSFACTS FACTS FACTS FACTS FACTS FACTSFACTS FACTS FACTS FACTS

End up with a curriculum that’s a mile wide…

Superficial, temporary knowledge

…and an inch deep

Doesn’t get it!

Gets it!

Ability to elaborate

one’s relational

understanding

Superficial, Erroneous, Incomplete

Sophisticated, Accurate, Complete

One’s understanding of an idea will fall

somewhere on a continuum

Doesn’t get it!

Gets it!

Ability to elaborate

one’s relational

understanding

Superficial, Erroneous, Incomplete

Sophisticated, Accurate, Complete

Can recognize inappropriate applications or iterations of idea

Can’t recognize inappropriate applications of idea

Makes many connections to other ideas

Can’t explain connections between this idea and others

Has sufficient knowledge of relevant facts

Knowledge of important facts is incomplete or erroneous

Can identify different manifestations of idea

Can’t identify different manifestations of idea

Can explain how idea is affected by various

phenomena

Can’t explain how different phenomena affect idea

Can explain impact of idea on the world

Can’t explain impact of idea on world

Makes effective comparisons with other ideas

Can’t contrast idea with others

Can’t summarize or explain idea in own words

Can summarize or explain gist of idea in own words

Doesn’t get it!

Ability to elaborate

one’s relational

understanding

Superficial, Erroneous, Incomplete

Sophisticated, Accurate, Complete

Can recognize inappropriate applications or iterations of idea

Can’t recognize inappropriate applications of idea

Makes many connections to other ideas

Can’t explain connections between this idea and others

Has sufficient knowledge of relevant facts

Knowledge of important facts is incomplete or erroneous

Can identify different manifestations of idea

Can’t identify different manifestations of idea

Can explain how idea is affected by various phenomena

Can’t explain how different phenomena affect idea

Can explain impact of idea on the world

Can’t explain impact of idea on world

Makes effective comparisons with other ideas

Can’t contrast idea with others

Can’t summarize or explain idea in own words

Can summarize or explain gist of idea in own words

Gets it!

Notice the limited role that facts have relative to the spectrum of important knowledge one should have about an ideaNote that facts are the only dimension of knowledge that have “right” or “wrong” answers

ALL other knowledge is “relational”No right or wrong, but rather degree of sophistication & elaboration

Yet most content tests almost always exclusively

measure knowledge of facts

If the tests address facts …

If the tests address facts …

Guess what students learn?

If the tests address facts …Guess what students learn?

Guess what teachers tend to teach?

Name Columbus’ 3 ships

Test questions from a real 6th grade test

Nina Pinta Santa MariaWhich of the 3 ships sank? Santa MariaCaptain of the Pinta? Martin Pizon

Ponce Deleon

Explorer seeking the Fountain of Youth?

Test questions from a real 6th grade test

Name Columbus’ 3 ships

Nina Pinta Santa MariaWhich of the 3 ships sank? Santa MariaCaptain of the Pinta? Martin PizonExplorer seeking the Fountain of Youth?

Ponce DeleonDesotoExplorer who discovered the

Mississippi River?

Test questions from a real 6th grade test

Name Columbus’ 3 ships

Nina Pinta Santa MariaWhich of the 3 ships sank? Santa MariaCaptain of the Pinta? Martin PizonExplorer seeking the Fountain of Youth?

Ponce DeleonDesotoExplorer who discovered the

Mississippi River?

CortezConquered the Aztecs?

Test questions from a real 6th grade test

Name Columbus’ 3 ships

Nina Pinta Santa MariaWhich of the 3 ships sank? Santa MariaCaptain of the Pinta? Martin PizonExplorer seeking the Fountain of Youth?

Ponce DeleonDesotoExplorer who discovered the

Mississippi River?

CortezConquered the Aztecs? Montezuma IILeader of the Aztecs?

Test questions from a real 6th grade test

Name Columbus’ 3 ships

Nina Pinta Santa MariaWhich of the 3 ships sank? Santa MariaCaptain of the Pinta? Martin PizonExplorer seeking the Fountain of Youth?

Ponce DeleonDesotoExplorer who discovered the

Mississippi River?

CortezConquered the Aztecs? Montezuma IILeader of the Aztecs ?

BalboaDiscovered the Pacific Ocean ?

Test questions from a real 6th grade test

Name Columbus’ 3 ships

Nina Pinta Santa MariaWhich of the 3 ships sank? Santa MariaCaptain of the Pinta? Martin PizonExplorer seeking the Fountain of Youth?

Ponce DeleonDesotoExplorer who discovered the

Mississippi River?

CortezConquered the Aztecs? Montezuma IILeader of the Aztecs BalboaDiscovered the Pacific Ocean

WHO CARES?Why do we spend so much time &

energy teaching stuff that well-educated people don’t know the

answer to?

By the way, did you know that the natives Columbus brought back to Spain were taken to demonstrate their potential as SLAVES?

Did you know Columbus was the first to ship slaves to the new world?

Did you know Columbus ordered the natives’ hands, noses, & other body parts CUT OFF if they did not produce a weight in gold each month!

SO WHY DO WE CELEBRATE THIS GUY?

Did you know Columbus was such a murderous leader that someone was sent from Spain to arrest him and that he was shipped home in chains?

If a “lost continent” was suddenly discovered today, would the people and resources there be treated the same way as in the Age of Exploration? Why or why not?

Do you think religion was intentionally used by countries as a way to build wealth during the Age of Exploration? Why or why not?

Competition for resources often causes powerful countries to manipulate and exploit weaker countries. Explain how this idea showed up during this age.

BONUS QUESTIONS (bigger picture)

If a “lost continent” was suddenly discovered today, would the people and resources there be treated the same way as in the Age of Exploration? Why or why not?

Do you think religion was intentionally used on by countries way a way to build wealth during the Age of Exploration? Why or why not?

Competition for resources often causes powerful countries to manipulate and exploit weaker countries. Explain how this idea showed up during this age.

Problem … “Big Ideas” or “generative ideas” are typically treated as incidental, BONUS learning rather than as essential-for-ALL-to-understand

..or only the really “bright” students are expected to understand the big idea

… everybody else is expected to memorize the trivia

BONUS QUESTIONS (bigger picture)

Learn some of the trivia

C

Learn most of the trivia BA

Learn all of the trivia and understand big ideas

What’s wrong with this picture?

Only the brightest are expected to learn anything worth knowing

students areLess capable

expected to playthe “school

game”memorize & regurgitate

Learning expectations typically reflected by test grades

Learn a little of the trivia

C

Learn some of the trivia BA

Learn LOTS of the trivia

What’s wrong with this picture?

Assumes students with LD can’t learn important concepts

“Adapted” learning expectations students with learning disabilities

(as reflected by typical adapted tests)

Assumes learning lots of trivia is more

valuable than understanding a

major concept, even at less sophisticated levels

Kids are well prepared to play “millionaire”…… they can tell who Cortez was… who discovered the Mississippi River… who was searching for the Fountain of

Youth…

But totally “NOT GET” the bigger

picture or understand the relevancy of the information

Kids are well prepared to play “millionaire”…… they can tell who Cortez was… who discovered the Mississippi River… who was searching for the Fountain of

Youth…

But totally “NOT GET” the bigger

picture or understand the relevancy of the information

Road to War

War declared against Great

Britain

War hawks promote

nationalism Battle of Tippecanoe

Native Americanrelations worsen as settlers move

westward

War of 1812

War Hawk's desire to control Canada

Treaty of Ghent

British burn Washington,

D.C.

Andrew Jackson's

victory in New Orleans

Expansion of sea trade with other nations

Non intercourse

Act

Amer. ships attacked by France & Great Britain

Embargo Act

Protecting Amer.

Neutrality

America's Involvement in World

Affairs

As a result, they have poor “relational understanding”

War Hawks desire to control Canada

British burn Washington, DC

Many students accumulate knowledge

They tend to memorize what seems like a bunch of disconnected facts

… rather than integrate knowledge

IN OTHER WORDS… THEY OFTEN FAIL TO SEE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN IDEAS

Road to War

War declared against Great

Britain

War hawks promote

nationalism Battle of Tippecanoe

Native Americanrelations worsen as settlers move

westward

War of 1812

War Hawk's desire to control Canada

Treaty of Ghent

British burn Washington,

D.C.

Andrew Jackson's

victory in New Orleans

Expansion of sea trade with other nations

Non intercourse

Act

Amer. ships attacked by France & Great Britain

Embargo Act

Protecting Amer.

Neutrality

America's Involvement in World

Affairs

As a result, they have poor “relational understanding”

War Hawks desire to control Canada

British burn Washington, DC

Many students accumulate knowledge

Some teachers assume that by immersing students in the information ….

…students will figure out how to organize it

Road to War

War declared against Great

Britain

War hawks promote

nationalism Battle of Tippecanoe

Native Americanrelations worsen as settlers move

westward

War of 1812

War Hawk's desire to control Canada

Treaty of Ghent

British burn Washington,

D.C.

Andrew Jackson's

victory in New Orleans

Expansion of sea trade with other nations

Non intercourse

Act

Amer. ships attacked by France & Great Britain

Embargo Act

Protecting Amer.

Neutrality

America's Involvement in World

Affairs

8

War Hawks desire to control Canada

British burn Washington, DC

Some teachers assume that by immersing students in the information …

…students will figure out how to organize it

Road to War

War declared against Great

Britain

War hawks promote

nationalism Battle of Tippecanoe

Native Americanrelations worsen as settlers move

westward

War of 1812

War Hawk's desire to control Canada

Treaty of Ghent

British burn Washington,

D.C.

Andrew Jackson's

victory in New Orleans

Expansion of sea trade with other nations

Non intercourse

Act

Amer. ships attacked by France & Great Britain

Embargo Act

Protecting Amer.

Neutrality

America's Involvement in World

Affairs

As a result, they have poor “relational understanding”

War Hawks desire to control Canada

British burn Washington, DC

Many students accumulate knowledge

Some students make very few connections

Students views all this other

informationas just isolatedbits & pieces to

memorize for the test

Road to War

War declared against Great

Britain

War hawks promote

nationalism Battle of Tippecanoe

Native Americanrelations worsen as settlers move

westward

War of 1812

War Hawk's desire to control Canada

Treaty of Ghent

British burn Washington,

D.C.

Andrew Jackson's

victory in New Orleans

Expansion of sea trade with other nations

Non intercourse

Act

Amer. ships attacked by France & Great Britain

Embargo Act

Protecting Amer.

Neutrality

America's Involvement in World

Affairs

Sometimes the

connections students make

are pretty erroneous!

POOR RELATIONAL UNDERSTANDING

NonIntercourse

Act

War Hawks desire to control Canada

British burn Washington, DC

For example, a student might believe that all of these “Road to War of 1812” events were the

result of the Non-intercourse Act

Road to War

War declared against Great

Britain

War hawks promote

nationalism Battle of Tippecanoe

Native Americanrelations worsen as settlers move

westward

War of 1812

War Hawk's desire to control Canada

Treaty of Ghent

British burn Washington,

D.C.

Andrew Jackson's

victory in New Orleans

Expansion of sea trade with other nations

Non intercourse

Act

Amer. ships attacked by France & Great Britain

Embargo Act

Protecting Amer.

Neutrality

America's Involvement in World

Affairs

8

Teachers often assume students will construct main ideas

War Hawks desire to control Canada

British burn Washington, DC

Road to War

War declared against Great

Britain

War hawks promote

nationalism Battle of Tippecanoe

Native Americanrelations worsen as settlers move

westward

War of 1812

War Hawk's desire to control Canada

Treaty of Ghent

British burn Washington,

D.C.

Andrew Jackson's

victory in New Orleans

Expansion of sea trade with other nations

Non intercourse

Act

Amer. ships attacked by France & Great Britain

Embargo Act

Protecting Amer.

Neutrality

America's Involvement in World

AffairsTeachers often assume students will construct main ideas

… but many students “don’t get

it”

??

?

?

POOR RELATIONAL UNDERSTANDING

War Hawks desire to control Canada

British burn Washington, DC

So what’s the problem with high-stakes tests?HST that are designed to measure academic competence …

But accountability of what?

reading, writing, math reasoning & calculations

HST become curriculum-drivers, so little attention paid to the arts, talents, ethics, exploratory learning, meaningful / authentic learning experiences, etc.

DO provide a degree of accountability

So what’s the problem with high-stakes tests?HST that are designed to measure content knowledge… social studies,

geography, science, etc. …typically measure knowledge of

facts, Who led the slave rebellion in Haiti in 1837?

What kinds of character traits are needed by someone who leads a rebellion against tyranny?

NOT generative ideas

HST become content curriculum-drivers, so instruction tends to focus on facts that might appear on the high-stakes tests

So what’s the problem with grades?2 students take Algebra I.

Alice, a “bright” student, finds it easy, doesn’t have to work hard, and gets an A.

Allison, a “not so bright” student, finds it very hard, works hard, and gets an A.

Are both A’s the same?Were both students equally successful?

So what’s the problem with grades?2 students take Biology.

Fred, a really “bright” student, finds it challenging, doesn’t work hard, and gets a B.Ed, a “not so bright” student, finds it very hard, but he works hard, and gets an B.

Are both B’s the same?Were both students equally successful?

So what’s the problem with grades?2 students take World History.

Mary is very good at memorizing and gets an A, but cannot explain the relevancy of the information.

Juanita is a holistic thinker and can understand and explain the bigger picture, but is a poor memorizer. She gets a C

Was Mary more successful than Juanita?

So what’s the problem with grades?2 students take 7th grade

English. Joe has a really easy teacher who doesn’t demand much. He gets an A.

Sam has a very demanding teacher, and he gets a C.

What do these different grades represent?

So what’s the problem with grades?2 students take 8th grade

Science. Scott works really hard, and manages to squeak out an A-, but it was tough!.

Paul has a learning disability, so he gets “content reduction” accommodations (he only has to learn about half as much as Scott). He works really hard, and gets an A-.Are these grades equal?

Among consumers (teachers, students, parents), grades are among the most valued indicators of success.

Yet grades are among the most unreliable, invalid measures used

Successful instruction results in …Makes Sense Strategies - 10 Indices of “Success”

1 Sense of belonging, being needed, and contributing

2 A sense of competence and confidence in the learner

5 Purposeful, strategic approach to moving through the world

4 Desire to help others and for social justice

3 Desire to learn more, curiosity

Successful instruction results in …Makes Sense Strategies - 10 Indices of “Success”

10Relational understanding of problems in the world, how and why they became problems, how we have attempted to solve them, and possible other ways to solve them

8 Ability to process information effectively - find and make sense of it, and apply or communicate it to others

9 An understanding of generative ideas or life-patterns and ability to recognize them within the context of state learning standards

7 Willingness to take risks in how something is understood or accomplished

6 Cognitive flexibility in understanding & ways to accomplish things