One problem with the mastery assessment argument is that all too often students who choose not to do homework, attend, etc., then fail traditional assessments but are granted “alternative” evaluations. It has been my experience that few of these alternative methods measure mastery but are simply social promotion poorly disguised as legitimate accomplishment.” Peter on “standards-based grading“
This may explain why parent education is such a powerful predictor of student success. It’s a lot easier for a kid whose parents are doctors, lawyers, or teachers to see the connection between education and jobs, than it is for the child of someone struggling in a low-wage job to understand that education could make a difference for them.” Rachel on What’s My Motivation?
Wallace is essentially mounting the “transferable skills” defense of the humanities. While she may not have used any “21st-century skills” language, her arguments bring her into the same terrain. Skills developed through intense engagement with specific academic content become useful in very different areas. Might some of those skills even outlive some of the content knowledge that helped incubate them?” Claus von Zastrow on In Defense of the Liberal Arts
I don’t mind schools promoting the idea of volunteerism, even expecting it as prerequisite for some honors, but requiring it? That seems the sort of thinking we would expect from people who have no logical problem with “mandatory volunteerism.” Brian Rude on Service Learning
