mike, nate,
Engestrom (1988) evaluated the finnish doctor's activity system (the clinic)
in terms of the historical forces to treat patients as commodities
(quantity). When we transpose this analysis to education, the test-mania
makes perfect sense given the absolute dominance of capitalism with its
necessity to convert everything into a commodity; ie, assign it an economic
value so as to be able to optimize the production of surplus value. What
else are these tests?
Do you think this can be effectively struggled against at the level of
school boards, legislative action, or in some other way? What happens when
the scores become required on college and employment application forms ?
It brings up interesting issues.
Paul H. Dillon
----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Cole <mcole@weber.ucsd.edu>
To: <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000 9:19 AM
Subject: 4th grade
>
> Great story about the "4th grade testing frenzy," Nate.
>
> The 3-4th grade shift in pedagogical strategy that goes from "basics"
> to something "higher order" has long been the target of our interest
> in creating differential failure. A co-analysis of the pedagogy
> and the tests would be fascinatingl
> mike
>
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