I like studies. but in fact the long running argument I'm in is about my resistance to the idea of quantifying good teaching, or possibly even identifying it. I don't know if we have any really good evidence that such a thing as good teaching exists, even though I think I am a good teacher and that I've been subjected to a lot of good teaching. maybe we need to be much more specific than "good teaching" to say anything meaningful?
but then I keep coming back to that study last year using data from air force academy math and physics classes. and that study flies in the face of the focus on standardized testing. well, more specifically, the focus on short term results.
sent from phone. please excuse tipos or bad autoconnect.
On Jan 11, 2012, at 7:03 PM, 123hop at comcast.net wrote:
> I'm of that generation who never studied statistics. I know the diff between average and mean, and that's it.
>
> If I wanted to become a journalist or statistician, I'd take a class.
>
> Also, I believe that the way you evaluate a teacher is that parents, students, and other teachers get together and evaluate. I don't see what numbers have to do with it.
>
> The reason why the bureaucrats want numbers is because they understand nothing about teaching; but if they get numbers then they get power cause they know how to spin numbers.
>
>
> Joanna
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
>
> On Jan 10, 2012, at 6:08 PM, David Green <davegreen84 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> There are enormous ideological and statistical problems in the NYT-referenced study,
>
> this is precisely what I want to hear about: the statistical problems. it's where I'm the weakest in training and experience. everything else you've talked about again seems more or less straightforwardly the case. but it doesn't help me see the statistical flaws. i just got served with it as part of a long running argument about the possibility of measuring good teaching. and I don't, I'm sorry, have the statistical chops to just look at the article and know what's wrong with the analysis in the study. that is where, I think, I need some concrete assistance. but I won't keep whining about it. I just thought joanna or alan or someone might have something to hand.
>
> j
> ___________________________________
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
> ___________________________________
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk