2. Copyright 2003 Edwin Ellis Graphicorganizers.com Interaction 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

3. What happens when a facts curriculum drives high-stakes testing … Coverage = TeachingLearning = Memorizing LOGICAL ASSUMPTION: The tests we give students reflect what we expect them to learn So what do content tests commonly reflect? 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 thinkStudents think

4. 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 …

5. 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 …

6. FACTS End up with a curriculum that’s a mile wide… Superficial, temporary knowledge …and an inch deep

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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 idea Note 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 … Guess what students learn? If the tests address facts … Guess what students learn? Guess what teachers tend to teach?

10. Name Columbus’ 3 ships Test questions from a real 6 th grade test NinaPintaSanta Maria Which of the 3 ships sank?Santa Maria Captain of the Pinta?Martin Pizon Ponce DeleonExplorer seeking the Fountain of Youth?

11. Test questions from a real 6 th grade test Name Columbus’ 3 shipsNinaPintaSanta Maria Which of the 3 ships sank?Santa Maria Captain of the Pinta?Martin Pizon Explorer seeking the Fountain of Youth? Ponce Deleon Desoto Explorer who discovered the Mississippi River?

12. Test questions from a real 6 th grade test Name Columbus’ 3 shipsNinaPintaSanta Maria Which of the 3 ships sank?Santa Maria Captain of the Pinta?Martin Pizon Explorer seeking the Fountain of Youth? Ponce Deleon DesotoExplorer who discovered the Mississippi River? Cortez Conquered the Aztecs?

13. Test questions from a real 6 th grade test Name Columbus’ 3 shipsNinaPintaSanta Maria Which of the 3 ships sank?Santa Maria Captain of the Pinta?Martin Pizon Explorer seeking the Fountain of Youth? Ponce Deleon DesotoExplorer who discovered the Mississippi River? CortezConquered the Aztecs? Montezuma II Leader of the Aztecs?

14. Test questions from a real 6 th grade test Name Columbus’ 3 shipsNinaPintaSanta Maria Which of the 3 ships sank?Santa Maria Captain of the Pinta?Martin Pizon Explorer seeking the Fountain of Youth? Ponce Deleon DesotoExplorer who discovered the Mississippi River? CortezConquered the Aztecs? Montezuma IILeader of the Aztecs ? Balboa Discovered the Pacific Ocean ?

15. Test questions from a real 6 th grade test Name Columbus’ 3 shipsNinaPintaSanta Maria Which of the 3 ships sank?Santa Maria Captain of the Pinta?Martin Pizon Explorer seeking the Fountain of Youth? Ponce Deleon DesotoExplorer 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?

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

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

18. 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!

19. 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?

20. 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)

21. 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)

22. Learn some of the trivia C Learn most of the trivia B A 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 are Less capable expected to play the “school game” memorize & regurgitate Learning expectations typically reflected by test grades

23. Learn a little of the trivia C Learn some of the trivia B A 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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 information as just isolated bits & pieces to memorize for the test

30. Sometimes the connections students make are pretty erroneous! POOR RELATIONAL UNDERSTANDING Non Intercourse 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

31. 8 Teachers often assume students will construct main ideas War Hawks desire to control Canada British burn Washington, DC

32. Teachers 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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?

36. 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?

37. 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?

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

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

40. Among consumers (teachers, students, parents), grades are among the most valued indicators of success. Yet grades are among the most unreliable, invalid measures used

41. 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

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