Suzanne M. Wilson
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- October 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780300094329
- eISBN:
- 9780300127539
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300094329.003.0006
- Subject:
- Sociology, Education
This chapter further explores the efforts made by Bill Honig and his staff up to 1990—their goals to change testing, teacher preparation, and available curricular materials. During this time, there ...
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This chapter further explores the efforts made by Bill Honig and his staff up to 1990—their goals to change testing, teacher preparation, and available curricular materials. During this time, there was a growing concern about a rigorous, well-aligned assessment system wherein the focus might turn to testing methods. This was a problem in that such a focus on testing also shapes curricular content and pedagogy. Teachers and schools tend to mimic how the content is tested. Thus, under pressure to improve test scores and prepare students, schools might provide exercises that look just like the tests. Tests were thus very important in making reforms, especially because they were one of the factors that needed to be aligned with the 1985 Framework. This chapter looks at the means through which educators searched for new curricular materials. These educators were Walter Denham, Joan Akers, and others—CDE staff members that were frustrated with their experiences with textbook companies.Less
This chapter further explores the efforts made by Bill Honig and his staff up to 1990—their goals to change testing, teacher preparation, and available curricular materials. During this time, there was a growing concern about a rigorous, well-aligned assessment system wherein the focus might turn to testing methods. This was a problem in that such a focus on testing also shapes curricular content and pedagogy. Teachers and schools tend to mimic how the content is tested. Thus, under pressure to improve test scores and prepare students, schools might provide exercises that look just like the tests. Tests were thus very important in making reforms, especially because they were one of the factors that needed to be aligned with the 1985 Framework. This chapter looks at the means through which educators searched for new curricular materials. These educators were Walter Denham, Joan Akers, and others—CDE staff members that were frustrated with their experiences with textbook companies.
