21stcenturyed.com

A recent CNN report chronicles the “widespread” use of iPods by students to cheat on tests.  The report indicates that students use the voice recording function of the audio devices to record notes and test answers.  It also indicates that students enter “crib notes” in the Lyrics files of the saved songs.

Personally?  I think the real problem is that we are still assessing student learning in a manner that permits cheaters to pass.  Reporting that students are hiding definitions in their MP3 players is not the issue – the issue is that we are still assessing such low-level thinking skills as straight definitions.  If assessments purely focuesd on the upper levels of Bloom’s taxonomy – analysis, synthesis, evaluation – the point would be moot.  Sure the students could still have easy access to rote memorization-types of information on a test.  But do we really want to test student’s memorization skills?  Or is it more important to teach them – and test them – on their ability to apply what they have learned as a true measure of their comprehension and growth?

By the way – I had to Google the names of the top three Bloom’s Taxonomy levels, and consult an online dictionary for the spelling of the word “chronicles”.  Better take my iPod away.