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Re: [Phys-l] Thesis Topic



thank you fr your suggestions ;)

 



________________________________
From: John Denker <jsd@av8n.com>
To: Forum for Physics Educators <phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu>
Sent: Sunday, June 21, 2009 5:07:38
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Thesis Topic

On 06/20/2009 01:24 PM, I wrote in part:

Another large category of survey/comparison projects concerns state
education standards and exams.  You could collect standards from all
50 states and compare them.  What topics are the same everywhere?
Which ones are different?  In how many cases do the standards insist
on archaic and/or just plain wrong notions?

Actually it would be much better to compare the *exams* as opposed
to the standards.  The exams are where the rubber really meets the
road.

I should have added:  To what degree to the standards or (better) the
exam questions correlate with outcomes, e.g. the National Assessment
of Educational Progress???
  https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/archives/2009/2_2009/msg00261.html
  http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/statecomp/

In particular, given the horrifyingly large state-to-state variation in
NAEP scores, one has to wonder to what extent states have dumbed down
their state tests, to make their students look good on the state test,
even when they do poorly on more objective, uniform tests.

Note that there is not (so far as I know) much to be gained from
state-to-state comparisons of SAT scores:
  http://professionals.collegeboard.com/data-reports-research/sat/cb-seniors-2008
because of the strong and non-uniform self-selection as to who takes the
SAT.  If you take the scores at face value, the average test-taker in
Louisiana is significantly ahead of the average test-taker in Massachusetts,
which is misleading to say the least.

I mention this because NAEP tests 4th grade and 8th grade but not 12th
grade, and I don't know of any test that allows useful state-to-state
comparisons at the 12th grade level.  If anybody knows where to get
usable 12th grade data, please speak up!
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