However, digital educational technologies cannot in and of themselves create the necessary change but rather they merely create the conditions for this change. Rather, it is the educators, with the help of parents, who can transform schools into modern, dynamic learning environments. (pg. 123)
(Pletka, 2007)
Friday, while traveling home from a business trip, I read more of Educating the Net Generation by Bob Pletka. After reading the quote above I paused to think about my role in this transformation. I am still an educator at heart and am very much interested in the transformation Mr. Pletka is talking about. Here are a couple of quick thoughts about the responsibility of test developers.
I believe that test developers, as we work with our clients, have a responsibility to provide them with opportunities to be leaders. This means responding to client requests with well thought and well tested forward-thinking solutions. As I do that I should be listening to my clients, learned colleagues, and authors like Mr. Pletka. If there is an opportunity to be transformative then I think this is something that should be explored.
Perhaps I rely too much on the old adage, “they’ll teach what is tested.” However, I believe that well-designed assessments can have a transformative effect on education. I would find another way to have an impact on the profession if I thought otherwise.
This idea of forward-thinking assessment design as a method of transforming schools is very important to me. I join in others that believe now is the time to see what else we can do in educational assessment. How can we leverage technology? What questions should we be asking, but aren’t? How can we be leaders? I know I don’t have all of the answers. But, I can tell you that I’m excited to face the challenge and see how this works.
Reference
Pletka, B (2007). Educating the Net Generation: How to Engage Students in the 21st Century. Santa Monica, CA: Santa Monica Press.