Posted by special_k on March 23, 2006, at 15:08:06
In reply to Re: Subject close to my heart » special_k, posted by AuntieMel on March 23, 2006, at 14:13:31
> "(Because I think that is the flip side. Around half come up... Below average)"
> Well, actually half come below the median.
> <grin>ROFL!!! Yeah, I was thinking there might have been something wrong with that as I typed it...
;-)(though... hasn't this one been contested too... regarding 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5. or somesuch... if i remember how to do medians - which i probably don't - 2 would be the median and yet more people score above two than below in this instance)
> I think the tests can be a tool. One of many tools. And I think they can identify a gift. But it's one of many gifts people can have.but then it is a gift people can learn to have... in which case... is it really a gift? when hard work can do the same. i mean... not everyone is gifted to be able to do it even via hard work... i guess i'm just thinking... that it isn't so important... and that when the tests are used at the top end (rather than for identifying problems at the bottom) i think they tend to do more harm than good. if you think the tests test innate abilities (which have future predictability) then they do more harm than good for the people who don't score very highly. the middle people don't get extra resources thrown at them... and the low people... might get some kind of judgement about their likely future performance (like the way the bell curve findings were used)
> Now, you are right that those with exposure to education and reading are going to do better than those who arent. But in a given population with a semblance of a homogeneous education system you would expect that the differences due to culture would diminish.er... if you could design a test that didn't have cultural bias... but then maybe 'cultural bias' just is a difference in the average test scores across cultures...
> But - on the other hand - a lot also has to do with the family experience. Are those grey cells challenged?and fed.
and so on.
and believed in etc.
poster:special_k
thread:622738
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20060322/msgs/623738.html