> I discovered a very strange phenomenon: I could ask a question, which the students would answer immediately. But the next time I would ask the question – the same subject, and the same question, as far as I could tell – they couldn’t answer it at all!
> Then I say, “The main purpose of my talk is to demonstrate to you that no science is being taught in Brazil!”
But each test had one or two questions where you had to put together the knowledge, not just regurgitate, and that student consistently failed those question on each and every test.
Yet the student got top scores on each and every test, because the accumulated number of points was enough to get them into the top bracket.
I was so annoyed with that, asking the teacher how they could get top scores while clearly demonstrating they didn't understand the subject matter. Of course, all in vain.
edit: Great read BTW
For example, do you think we should encourage students to study for tests, or should we encourage them to just show up? After all, if you understand it intuitively why would you need to study the night before?
Also, the act of testing changes the students being measured. As does the existence of a test in the future.