On Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:03:38 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:
On Mon, 11 Feb 2008 09:06:02 -0500, John H.
wrote:
Yes, there are many 'tricks' to taking a multiple choice test, just as
there are many 'tricks' to the design of detractors and solutions to the
questions on the test. Students should have a general understanding of how
to take a multiple choice test, how to figure the odds, and when to guess
and not guess. Teaching that is *not* 'teaching THE test', but teaching
'test taking'.
You still aren't getting the idea.
It much more than teaching the mechanics.
For example, let's say I want to take the Private Pilot's Examination
without having to actually take a class.
All I have to do is go here.
http://www.faa.gov/education_researc.../media/pvt.pdf
That is the question pool for the examination.
Same concept applies to the CT Mastery Test - all the questions that
can be potentially asked are there. If you teach to the pool
questions, that is teaching the test.
There is no other way to describe it.
I just went to the CT State Department of Education website, found the
Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) - 4th Generation - Mathematics Handbook,
2006, went to the Grade 8 site and looked at what was there. There were
standards listed, and for each of the standards there were sample
questions. There was no complete listing, that I could find, of all the
possible questions for the 8th Grade Math exam. Perhaps you could show me.
I've not seen the standards for the airmen test you mention above. If the
standards state, "The testee will be able to answer 100% (or whatever) of a
random selection of questions from the bank of questions given," then the
process the FAA uses would be appropriate.
If I take a given standard, such as 'solving linear equations in one
variable' and generate a list of 200 problems from which the test will
select five, I've no problem with giving the kids all 200 and saying, "Have
at it."
This is basically the way math education has always been. Test problems are
variations of problems done for homework or in class.
I've never heard of a teacher that didn't 'teach to a test'. Many liberals,
and yourself, seem to think that's bad.
--
John H