Online tests and online proctors

With online testing growing in use, the opportunities for cheating are similarly growing. So, why not use webcams & microphones on test-takers' computers to observe their behavior? I can see this feature becoming a standard in online tests. Read the full article here.

NYT: Asians and School Tests

This New York Times did a fascinating piece on how children of Asian immigrants study very hard in order to do well on school exams in the US. The article describes how the parents will spend money on test prep classes despite working meager jobs, and how such parents will resort to corporal punishment to ensure their children make the grade. These parents logically view such tests as the path to prosperity for their future generations. The article goes on to highlight the Asian children's success brings up uncomfortable debate on why other races can't do well on such tests.

Here's a bottle we designed as part of Agana Water's pursuit of better water for fish in fish tanks.

2012 Teacher of the Year puts standardized testing into perspective

Council of Chief State School Officers 2012 Teacher of the Year Rebecca Mieliwocki was interviewed on PBS Newshour. In the interview Ms. Mieliwocki said that standardized tests are like taking someone's temperature. They can provide a snapshot of one aspect of students, but do not provide a complete picture of a student's or teacher's progress anymore than taking someone's temperature provides a complete picture of one's health.

Wow! Great analogy!

Test prep of reasoning skills alters brain structure

A recently released study by UCLA demonstrates that intensive preparation for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) changes the structure of the brain. The study specifically addressed the ability to improve reasoning skills.  This is good news for future lawyers looking to improve their chances because LSAT scores are derived from three sections: Reading Comprehension, Analytical Reasoning, and Logical Reasoning.

Costa Rica Tourist Arrivals Increase 7.4% since last year

I came across this article discussing Costa Rica tourism. The majority of visitors came from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Costa Rica's Minister of Tourism said they've been working hard to attract new airlines and increase the frequency of flights, which has resulted in an increase in the number of seats available to our country. Nice work!

Texas State University System developing $10K degree

This caught my eye. A $10,000 university degree.

If such a degree teaches students adequately to get a job, this would be a major success story and a game changer.

I've seen several university luminaries such as Michael Crow at ASU address the cost of education in creative ways. However, the bottom line is that a university degree hasn't been making sense lately. If Texas State University and other institutions follow suit, the traditional university model in the US will be under increasing pressure to cut costs for all but the richest of students.

What's a question worth?

According to a Businessweek article on the next version of the GMAT which is scheduled to be official on June 5, the test's developers say they spend "about six months to develop each question, with as many as a dozen people taking part in the process."

This makes a lot of sense to me. In my work in assessing students in their preparedness for standardized exams, I've seen that a question can test dozens of metrics at once. While no single questions can be conclusive, a full test with many questions can use underlying metrics to highlight meaningful patterns about the test-taker.

Schools need to boost their bandwidth

Schools in the U.S. will need broadband speeds of 100 Mbps per 1,000 students and staff members by the 2014-15 school year in order to meet a growing demand for Web-based instruction and a skyrocketing number of student-owned Web devices, according to a new report by a trade group representing state education agencies.

Read more here.