The Edvocate

Top Menu

Main Menu

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • Contact Us
    • Edupedia
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
    • Request a Product Review
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • The Edvocate Podcast

logo

The Edvocate

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
        • My Speaking Page
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • Contact Us
    • Edupedia
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
    • Request a Product Review
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • The Edvocate Podcast
  • How to Implement Whole Group Class Discussion in Your Classroom

  • All About Child Prodigies

  • Mythbusting: Alternatives to Learning Styles Theory

  • Twig Science Approved for Statewide Use in Oklahoma and Nevada

  • Project-Based Learning For Special Education And Inclusion

  • How to Implement the Think-Pair-Share Teaching Strategy in Your Classroom

  • Motivate Your Class Through Group Contingency

  • Putting a Racial Justice Pledge into Action

  • Why Building Confidence is Key for Struggling Readers

  • A Guide to Norm-Referenced Tests

Child DevelopmentOpEducationPersonalized LearningTesting
Home›Child Development›Intelligence in America: Time to Test Something New

Intelligence in America: Time to Test Something New

By E.T.Wilson
August 30, 2017
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Multiple-intelligence.jpg
Spread the love

Measuring the progress of any endeavor requires a definition of success.

Education, by its very nature, is difficult to ascribe a single definition of success; “making people smarter” is far too broad and subjective, while “increasing the IQs of students” is perhaps too esoteric and subject to debate over the role of genetics and other uncontrollable factors.

Measuring progress is similarly fraught in the academic sector. Grades have been a target of considerable suspicion for some time now, and rightly so: everything from grade inflation to instructor subjectivity makes grades an altogether blunt and misleading metric. There again, what do we suppose grades to be a reflection of? Intelligence? Learning? Student performance? Knowledge retention? The creation of new cognitive pathways and connections between existing knowledge and new subjects?

Testing for Cognition First

The foibles of old fashioned metrics for academic performance, combined with the new potential opened up by both modern pedagogy and technology, have combined to deliver a novel answer to the question of how to measure success in education. Suppose we were to quantify and then measure cognition, the functions of the brain and evidence of thought itself, as expressed by students?

Cognitive testing in the classroom doesn’t necessitate the acquisition of CAT scans or neural mapping technology. Rather, it begins with acknowledging that “intelligence” takes many forms, and that learning, by extension, will likely look and feel distinct based on the individual intelligence (or intelligences) of a given student. The purpose of cognitive testing, in a sense, is to begin measuring education by beginning with the “How” of learning, and then moving on to quantify “How Much” of that type, or those types, of learning are taking place.

When teachers, curricula, and schools place more emphasis on the discovery of student learning habits, they may be better positioned to monitor learning according to the skills, needs, and limitations of each individual student. This doesn’t mean abandoning standards wholesale; rather, it recognizes that standards, particularly standardized tests, need to reflect at least some of the variability that can’t simply be taught out of students. A narrow view of intelligence yields a narrow appreciation for different skills, perspectives, and contributions.

In politics, education is broadly acknowledged as critical, irreplaceable, and central to the American dream. It is one of the few subjects on which partisan interests align, at least in theory: education is a good thing, and civil society, as well as the economy, needs more and better education. If education strives to impart knowledge and skills, it ought to do so according to how students will be the most receptive to such instruction. That means tracking cognition first, and defining intelligence from that starting point. Problem-solving starts with thinking about a problem, then applying skills and knowledge to overcome it. Education, similarly, might start with thinking before jumping to assessment.

Controlling for Usefulness in Teaching Skills

Skill loss can be a sign of cognitive decline. Consider how Alzheimer’s patients lose track of their memories, and over time, their ability to safely and independently function. Or, how stroke victims must sometimes relearn basic skills, like speaking, reading, or writing. There is certainly a physical dimension to cognitive performance, and instances of skill loss make it painfully apparent.

However, skill loss can also be anthropological. As technology evolves, the value of human skill changes in response — or, put differently, “we shape our tools; thereafter, our tools shape us.”

What counts as basic intelligence, as measured by skills and performance potential, is highly dependent on context. A century and a half ago, the ability to drive a car bordered on irrelevant for the masses, as cars were a rare and expensive novelty. By the middle of the 20th century, learning to drive was a rite of passage as well as a necessity; to drive was to attain freedom and independence, to be a true American. Cars were a subject of great importance, and knowledge of their operation and construction a point of pride and social belonging.

By the beginning of the 21st century, any understanding of how a manual transmission works is well on its way to extinction, as automatic transmission has largely displaced the technology. In fact, automation threatens driving as an altogether superfluous skill, along with all the training, socialization, and individual status it used to impart.

All this to say that when we seek to measure intelligence, at least in the classroom, we ought to have some notion of usefulness. In an age of nearly universal internet access, is memorization a good proxy for intelligence, or is it just another skill in decline thanks to technology? American schools are historically deficient in teaching living essentials, yet simultaneously preoccupied with indoctrinating skills and trivia of questionable value.

Intelligence and Knowing How to Survive

Politicians and social critics like to point out that America is increasingly lagging behind other nations in areas like science, math, and technical education. But we need not look outside our borders to see significant gaps in our educational system.

Financial literacy among Americans is staggeringly low: some two-thirds of the population can’t demonstrate a basic understanding of financial topics. Small wonder, then, that so many families and individuals are taking on too many loans, over-leveraging credit, and generally living beyond their means. The American dream may put great stock in education, but in practice it is built on borrowing and juggling debt.

First things first: if we want American students to be competitive around the world, they need to know how to survive in modern America. It is fine to suggest we need more STEM graduates coming out of our universities, but we might also want to reconsider whether the student loan system is preying on the financial illiteracy of these very same students. What competitive advantage do we gain from all the STEM graduates in the country being underwater with student loans?

Tests in schools — most especially standardized tests seeking to measure some nebulous metric as “intelligence” — often bear little resemblance to any real-world scenario. Tests are just tests, despite the stakes they often carry; practical applications may take an entirely different set of skills and knowledge that schools don’t always adequately prepare students to demonstrate. Not only do we use the wrong system to benchmark education, we have the wrong benchmarks in place compared to what students will actually need when they go from the classroom to the workplace, the bank, or even to university.

Intelligence has individual elements, as well as social elements, that both need better representation in our schools. We need to be more realistic, and more receptive, to analyzing how students think, so we can better help them learn. In doing so, we can gain better insight into how much progress they make and better equip them with the skills and knowledge they lack, but require to succeed.


Spread the love
Tagsautomationcognitive testingEducationintelligenceIQmultiple intelligencesskill lossstandardized testingSTEM
Previous Article

10 Ways That Neuroscience Can Change Education

Next Article

Pass or Fail: Does our Education System ...

E.T.Wilson

Related articles More from author

  • Teachers

    Bridging the gap between school and community

    November 27, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Black Boys in CrisisEquityTrending Topics

    Black Boys in Crisis: How Schools Can Help

    November 2, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Teachers

    Determining Your Educational Philosophy Part I: Philosophy of the Learning Process

    November 29, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Higher Education

    Why Is Financial Aid So Complicated?

    March 19, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech

    How Teachers Can Gamify Science

    February 14, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Digital & Mobile TechnologyEdTech Policy & ReformOnline Learning & eLearning

    Sexism in video gaming is just another form of bullying

    June 7, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch

Leave a reply Cancel reply

  • Artificial Intelligence

    26 Ways That Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Transforming Education for the Better

  • Artificial IntelligenceEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTech

    The Effects of Artificial Intelligence on Education

  • Artificial Intelligence

    Schools Are Using AI to Track What Students Write On Their Computers

Search

Registration and Login

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Subscribe to The Edvocate Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAndroidby EmailRSS
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • How to Implement Whole Group Class Discussion in Your Classroom

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 1, 2021
  • All About Child Prodigies

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 1, 2021
  • Mythbusting: Alternatives to Learning Styles Theory

    By Matt Strader
    February 26, 2021
  • Twig Science Approved for Statewide Use in Oklahoma and Nevada

    By Chris Piehler
    February 26, 2021
  • Project-Based Learning For Special Education And Inclusion

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 26, 2021
  • 18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 3, 2017
  • The Top 5 Unexpected Benefits of Early Childhood Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 29, 2016
  • 7 Benefits of STEM Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 12, 2019
  • The Dark Side of Educational Technology

    By Matthew Lynch
    October 15, 2016
  • Transformational vs. Contemporary Leadership Styles

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 28, 2016
  • Distance Learning during the Pandemic: Improvise. Adapt. Overcome. - The Tech Edvocate
    on
    February 25, 2021

    The Ten Characteristics of Teachers Who Successfully Use EdTech

    […] of all, teachers ...
  • on
    February 24, 2021

    Educators: Why You Need To Know About The 1990s And School Restructuring

    So much school reform ...
  • 3 Ways to Debug Tech’s Diversity Gap in 2021 – Live News 2 Go Business
    on
    February 24, 2021

    What Are the Benefits of Learning to Code as a Child?

    […] of the tech ...
  • Paying Homage to Black Institutions – Brenley Mag
    on
    February 21, 2021

    5 Reasons HBCUs are Still Relevant

    […] people believe that ...
  • 3 Ways to Debug Tech’s Diversity Gap in 2021 – Actual news
    on
    February 18, 2021

    What Are the Benefits of Learning to Code as a Child?

    […] of the tech ...

Ask an Expert

  • Ask An Expert

    How Dumbed Down Education Is Creating a National Security Crisis

    Spread the loveFor the past few decades, our country’s educational system has seen both struggle and tremendous change. With the various ailments plaguing our educational system, education reforms have attempted ...
  • Ask An Expert

    21 Inspirational Quotes That Nelson Mandela Made About Education

    Spread the loveWe all have our heroes. Those human beings that seem larger than life and almost achieve Godlike status. One of my heroes is the late-great Nelson Mandela, who ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyCareer ReadinessChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFirst Year TeachersFreshHigh SchoolK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingParent & Family TechParental InvolvementParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformPreK-12Special EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachers

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 7: How Digital Age Teachers Can Win Over Parents

    Spread the loveEducation is a collaborative process, as it takes many stakeholders working in unison to help students succeed academically. One of the most integral parts of this collaborative team ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...

International Education

  • International Education

    How Can We Improve Teacher Training in the World’s Poorest Countries?

    Spread the loveAccess to education is a basic human right and a subject of importance in every part of the world. The desire and dedication to go to school are ...
  • International Education

    How COVID-19 is Creating a Global Education Crisis

    Spread the loveWhile the novel coronavirus has brought the entire world to a standstill, it’s the education sector that will suffer the most consequences. Almost all across the globe, the ...
  • International Education

    Which Countries Provide Free Education At A University Level?

    Spread the loveAlmost two dozen countries provide free or nearly-free university-level education to their citizens. Some even allow students from other countries to participate in their free education programs; some ...
  • International Education

    Teachers’ Pay Must Be at the Heart of Global Education Reform

    Spread the loveWhile most in the education field believe they are underpaid for the work they do, there are many people who argue that teachers’ pay is fair. Some of ...
  • International Education

    Innovative Approaches to Global Education Challenges

    Spread the loveGlobal education is an ideology that deals with the enhancement of individual perception of the whole world. It is an approach that helps us to become global citizens. ...

Early Childhood Education

  • Early Childhood

    The Importance Of Language In Early Childhood

    Spread the loveIn the past couple of decades, emergent literacy has been largely discussed among experts as one of the most important for later development. Lasting from toddler to preschooler ...
  • Behavior ManagementChild DevelopmentEarly ChildhoodPsychology and Education

    Dealing with Problem Behaviors in a Positive Way

    Spread the loveHandling children that exhibit problem behaviors is a common concern for parents and teachers. There are different ways to correct these behaviors. Some factors to consider are severity, ...
  • Early Childhood

    Promoting Literacy In Early Education

    Spread the loveSince the beginning of time, humans have used vocals and sounds to communicate with each other. As centuries and millennia passed, different languages were developed, and today, being ...
  • Behavior ManagementChild DevelopmentEarly ChildhoodPsychology and Education

    Naturalistic Intervention: Changing Behaviors in the Learner’s Regular Setting

    Spread the loveNaturalistic intervention (NI) is a set of practices, techniques, and strategies designed to bring out a target behavior. This is done in the learner’s normal environment while following ...
  • Child DevelopmentEarly ChildhoodPsychology and Education

    A Guide to Writing Observation Reports

    Spread the loveAn observation report is a piece of document that contains comprehensive information about a child. This document can be used as the basis to assess a child’s overall ...

Gifted and Talented Education

  • Gifted and Talented Education

    All About Child Prodigies

    Spread the loveWhether you are reading this article as a student, parent, or educator, you have undoubtedly heard about the term child prodigy at least once in your lifetime. Although ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    The Edvocate’s Guide to Working With Twice-Exceptional Students

    Spread the loveTwice-exceptional is a term used to explain kids who have exceptional talents in some educational areas and challenges in others. In some instances, a twice-exceptional learner could theoretically ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Implementing Curriculum Compacting in Your Classroom

    Spread the loveAll educators agree that differentiating instruction for students is very important. Yet, many districts cannot put this policy into practice. An almost unlimited amount of remedial curricular content ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    What Does Academic Enrichment Involve?

    Spread the loveAcademic enrichment activities in the class can take numerous forms and do not always involve prescribed lessons from the curriculum. Enrichment encourages learners to take a more expansive ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    What is Academic Enrichment?

    Spread the loveSome learners struggle to keep up in class. Other learners have the opposite challenge. For some learners, their learning moves through content too slowly, causing a lack of ...

Black Boys in Crisis Series

  • Black Boys in Crisis

    The Importance of Mentoring Young African-American Males

    Spread the loveTeachers need to realize that at home, in their neighborhoods, and in school, many students face difficulties that can interfere with learning. Compared to their middle-class counterparts, it ...
  • Black Boys in CrisisDiversityEquity

    7 Ways That Black Students are Discriminated Against in U.S K-12 Schools

    Spread the loveAfrican Africans have a long history of being mistreated in the United States, starting with slavery. It should come as no surprise that their children face the same ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGifted and Talented EducationHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningParent & Family TechParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformSecondary EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 4: How to Create a Culturally Responsive Classroom

    Spread the loveBuilding a culturally responsive classroom is hard. To help you along your journey, here is your guide to exploring and respecting the cultural backgrounds of your students while ...

RSS Matthew on Education Week

  • Au Revoir from Education Futures November 20, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • 6 Steps to Data-Driven Literacy Instruction October 17, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Four Keys to a Modern IT Approach in K-12 Schools October 2, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • What's the Difference Between Burnout and Demoralization, and What Can Teachers Do About It? September 27, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Revisiting Using Edtech for Bullying and Suicide Prevention September 10, 2018 Matthew Lynch

About Us

The Edvocate was created in 2014 to argue for shifts in education policy and organization in order to enhance the quality of education and the opportunities for learning afforded to P-20 students in America. What we envisage may not be the most straightforward or the most conventional ideas. We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of American’s P-20 system.

That reorganization, though, and the underlying effort, will have much to do with reviving the American education system, and reviving a national love of learning.  The Edvocate plans to be one of key architects of this revival, as it continues to advocate for education reform, equity, and innovation.

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Contact

The Edvocate
5322 Markel Road, Suite 104
Richmond, VA 23230
(601) 630-5238
advocatefored@gmail.com

Follow us

Copyright (c) 2021 Matthew Lynch. All rights reserved.