Rich Tapper - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Rich Tapper, MA, PhD is an educational psychologist and learning specialist with over 30 years of experience as a professional teacher and seminar leader.His vita includes work in a variety of urban and suburban public schools, private secondary schools, public and private universities, as well as with top business leaders and professionals.He is currently at work on a number of projects involving the application of mindfulness to contemporary education and educational psychology, including the forthcoming, "Inside the Mind, Inside the SAT: Lessons in MIndfulness for Teens, Parents, Teachers (And anyone interested in learning to de-stress, focus and excel on high-stakes tests and life)"
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Whether increasing reliance on policy-driven assessment for accountability and control of educati... more Whether increasing reliance on policy-driven assessment for accountability and control of educational institutions is actually sabotaging long-term goals and purposes of the schools is explored, questioning whether current practices of high-stakes testing are anathema to real education values. The distinction between policy-driven assessment and instructional evaluation is described. The assumptions and purposes underlying scientific and political evaluation as opposed to those of diagnostic assessment are probed, and the work of Jennie Oakes and others is used as the basis for deriving a recommendation for valid, reliable, and appropriate assessments on both individual and institutional levels to facilitate the development of effective schools. Despite the criticism of high-stakes testing, it is not recommended that policy-driven high-stakes tests be abolished. Instead, their rational, effective, and judicious use should be the objective. Formative diagnostic methods and approaches are needed as an integral part of effective instructional programs and program development. (Contains 18 references.) (SLD)
Whether increasing reliance on policy-driven assessment for accountability and control of educati... more Whether increasing reliance on policy-driven assessment for accountability and control of educational institutions is actually sabotaging long-term goals and purposes of the schools is explored, questioning whether current practices of high-stakes testing are anathema to real education values. The distinction between policy-driven assessment and instructional evaluation is described. The assumptions and purposes underlying scientific and political evaluation as opposed to those of diagnostic assessment are probed, and the work of Jennie Oakes and others is used as the basis for deriving a recommendation for valid, reliable, and appropriate assessments on both individual and institutional levels to facilitate the development of effective schools. Despite the criticism of high-stakes testing, it is not recommended that policy-driven high-stakes tests be abolished. Instead, their rational, effective, and judicious use should be the objective. Formative diagnostic methods and approaches are needed as an integral part of effective instructional programs and program development. (Contains 18 references.) (SLD)