Uneducated guesses [[electronic resource] ] : using evidence to uncover misguided education policies / / Howard Wainer

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910781456503321
• Autore: Wainer Howard
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: Princeton, : Princeton University Press, c2011
• ISBN: 1-283-16900-2; 9786613169006; 1-4008-3957-2
• Edizione: [Course Book]
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (194 p.)
• Disciplina: 378.1/662
• Soggetti: Universities and colleges - United States - Entrance examinations; Education - Standards - United States; Educational evaluation - United States
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Note generali: Description based upon print version of record.
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• Nota di contenuto: Frontmatter -- Contents -- Preface -- Introduction -- 1. On the Value of Entrance Exams -- 2. On Substituting Achievement Tests for Aptitude Tests in College Admissions -- 3. On Rigid Decision Rules for Scholarships -- 4. The Aptitude-Achievement Connection -- 5. Comparing the Incomparable -- 6. On Examinee Choice in Educational Testing -- 7. What If Choice Is Part of the Test? -- 8. A Little Ignorance Is a Dangerous Thing -- 9. Assessing Teachers from Student Scores -- 10. Shopping for Colleges When What We Know Ain't -- 11. Of CAT s and Claims -- Epilogue -- References -- Index
• Sommario/riassunto: Uneducated Guesses challenges everything our policymakers thought they knew about education and education reform, from how to close the achievement gap in public schools to admission standards for top universities. In this explosive book, Howard Wainer uses statistical evidence to show why some of the most widely held beliefs in education today--and the policies that have resulted--are wrong. He shows why colleges that make the SAT optional for applicants end up with underperforming students and inflated national rankings, and why the push to substitute achievement tests for aptitude tests makes no sense. Wainer challenges the thinking behind the enormous rise of ; advanced placement courses in high schools, and demonstrates why assessing teachers based on how well their students perform on tests--a central pillar of recent education reforms--is woefully misguided. He explains why college rankings are often lacking in hard evidence, why essay questions on tests disadvantage women, why the most grievous errors in education testing are not made by testing organizations--and much more. No one concerned about seeing our children achieve their full potential can afford to ignore this book. With forceful storytelling, wry insight, and a wealth of real-world examples, Uneducated Guesses exposes today's educational policies to the light of empirical evidence, and offers solutions for fairer and more viable future policies.