The Politics of Pedagogy: Retaining faculty authority for curriculum
despite state /national impositions
Janet Fulks, ASCCC North Representative Jane Patton, ASCCC Vice President Chuck Wiseley, Chancellor’s Office
Federal Issues in Higher Education
Action: Attacks on accreditation Effect: Discrediting accreditation
Action: Intrusive U.S. Dept. of Education Effect:3rd party Testing Effect: Implementation of Perkins
Higher Education Act
Intention of the law to strengthen the educational
resources to provide financial assistance
for students
Includes recognition standards for accreditation
Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006
‘‘(a) LOCAL CONTROL.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize an officer or employee of the Federal Government to mandate, direct, or control a State, local educational agency, or school’s curriculum, program of instruction, or allocation of State or local resources…”
U.S. Dept. of Ed.
• “GPA will probably not be accepted by the department for technical skill attainment”
• “Congress no longer trusts faculty
assessment of student learning as an indicator of student achievement” (USDE administrator)
• USDE doesn’t trust educators to control curriculum and assess learning
U.S. Dept. of Ed: “adequate assessment” includes:
o Technical skill assessments external, third-party agencies to assess national
or state-identified standards State developed
o National, state, or industry-developed
credentialing or licensing exams to control entry into a profession
o Standardized statewide assessments of technical skills• created by state administrators for local agency
use
U.S. Dept. of Ed: “adequate assessment” includes:
National/international credentialing or certification exams
e.g., ASE certification
State credentialing or licensing exam e.g., cosmetology
Industry developed exam for occupations/specialties
e.g., Certified Executive Chef
Third party exam measuring technical skills
e.g., NOCTI
Implications and Concerns
3rd party testing will become accountability
for everything
Perkins is a vulnerable place to start
The effect of 3rd party testing on the institution:
Limited summative information, therefore:• No improvement to the classroom • No contribution to student
development• Added expense, time and
administration
The effect of 3rd party testing on curriculum:
Curriculum must change to the testing criteria• Loss of locally identified criteria• Loss of skills training as a measure• Homogenization • Loss of currency• Lack of local considerations• See ETS plans to drive alignment
The effect of 3rd party testing on the individual:
Single type of measure• Unfair to students• WYMIWYG
Testing decreases class time and costsInaccurate scoringRacial and test bias (see NY Times articles)
Effects of federal intrusion
Diminished Academic Freedom
Loss of faculty control of curriculum;
disenfranchised faculty
Driving curriculum to meet external standards
“Corporatization” of higher education
Others?
Forging Alliances for Action
What can we do? Local level State level National level
What alliances should we build?
We are not alone - H.R.4305Improving Student Testing Act of 2007 (Introduced in House)
Elementary & Secondary Education (6) Multiple measures
(7) Frequency of using high-quality assessments
(8) design innovative State assessment systems valid and reliable high-quality assessments teacher-designed formative assessments performance-based assessments portfolio assessments
(9) providing additional resources for States to encourage the use of more than high stakes standardized testing in making key decisions about students and schools
including accountability determinations, student promotion and retention decisions school funding decisions.