Intelligent Design

The version of intelligent design referred to here isn't about evolution, but it is all about pseudoscience. In effect, the same kind of pseudoscience debated in Kansas and elsewhere. This version of intelligent design makes the argument (assumption?) that because tests measure skills and attributes that are extremely complicated, those tests must be created by a highly intelligent designer and therefore scientific. [See the Flying Spaghetti Monster, left, the satirical version of intelligent design pseudoscience.]

Let's take the Colorado Math CSAP exam as an example. If you read the questions and take a step back from the exam, you will notice that the questions do not measure pure math skills, but also reading level, and following directions. Why following directions? Because a student can answer absolutely correctly, but outside the box given, and it is counted as incorrect. This is but one illustrative example.

The core difficulty in education is that measurement of anything is still highly problematic. Statistical correlations are just that, correlations. They do not measure cause and effect, although the politicians talk cause and effect constantly. (Hum, maybe they need better math understanding?) The math test does measure something. And fairly consistently at that, if we look at the aggregate data. But aggregate validity doesn't translate into validity for any one student.

Furthermore, the intelligent design pseudoscience that educational tests are scientific is supported by a testing industry that leeches off of tax education dollars to the tune of untold billions annually. There certainly is a veneer of science. The statistics are most certainly valid. And the scientific jargon and data that can be thrown at the public could float the Ark. But just because we can measure temperature accurately doesn't help inform us if it is raining. And just because we can statistically validate a test accurately, doesn't really tell us about learning. Test scores often obscure as much, if not more, than they reveal.

Do we need reform? You bet. But the reforms we need aren't even on the horizon. Until we (and the public) lose the fascination with precise numbers that tell us little to nothing at all, we will not move forward.

[Some sample resources: 1, 2, 3, 4]