Standardized Testing and Working Memory

Janet Zadina made a post just this week on her Facebook page. She linked to the following and made this comment: 'Many of the questions are actually testing working memory, rather than rote or long term memory-knowledge. This is a problem. Deficits in working memory are associated with poverty achievement gap, as well as other situations. So the tests are not measuring what they purport to measure." http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/ar-buds-computers-needed-new-standardized-tests/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=pbsofficial&utm_campaign=newshour

What are your thoughts, based on what you have learned so far? 

The Adaptable Brain

Greetings everyone! I have been waiting to start this discussion for a few weeks now, so I am eager to get things started! I am Shelli, your discussion leader for this week, and we are going to talk about the adolescent brain and its adaptability! The adolescent brain's adaptability is important to teaching because you, as the teacher, have so much power in shaping your students' brains and social development. Please watch the TED talk posted on Moodle for this week and take a look at the Powerpoint review of the talk. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this topic. I'll start by posing a few questions and we will progress from there.

Now knowing that development is still taking place in the adolescent brain as late as 30 years old, does this change how you view your teaching? Do you feel like you can really make an impact on your high school or above aged students?

One thing that I found interesting was that during adolescence risk taking is high, but I find that students are so reluctant to take risks in school. What are your thoughts on this?

Have a great week!