Between the nineteen seventies and eighties
School life was totally different from real life. What was taught in school remained in school and could not be applied anywhere in real life. It was hard to use what was taught in school beyond the school compound. In this century however, things are changing. It is necessary for students to be taught in school information that can be applied in day to day life. The world is a dynamic environment with issues that need sharp minds to deal with them. The current century is a made up of a social network where information spread very fast. Absorbing this information is vital for human survival and it important for students to be taught how to analyze information. The current school system is in such a way that gives students the know-hows of life (Heather).
What is common in most schools
Is setting standardized tests to assess students. Unfortunately, this method of assessment only tests for knowledge, and not how to apply this knowledge. It is not strange to find a student who excelled in school but is living a bad life after school. This shows the importance of testing application of knowledge in the real world. Students should be taught how to communicate information through various means, solve problems, and cooperate with other individuals, persuasion, critical thinking and analyzing data. These skills are essential in day to day life if the student is to excel in life generally. However, it does not mean that bubble tests are bad, on the contrary, they are essential to assess students. What should be done is incorporate these bubble test with more practical tests that will help students develop application skills (Heather).
Work Cited
Wolpert-Gawron, Heather. “Classroom Assessments for a New Century:One teacher's quest to move beyond the bubble test.” Edweek 4(2010) (1): 16.
