Why Testing is Inefficient

You take a test. You get a score. Someone tells you (often a week later if your lucky) if you passed or failed. Simple. Sweet. Efficient.

Um... I think not. At least not the most efficient.

I've been a student now for almost 2 decades now. I can honestly say that I don't believe the system in place is the most efficient for learning.

Before I go into this I'd like to poin out that very successful people such as Bill Gates and Michael Dell never finished college. They pursued "alternative" learning experiences that allowed them to build incredible companies and support not only themselves but all the thousands of people who now work for them.

First of all let us discuss the reasons why this is a true statement. Students learn differently. Some students learn by reading a book and retaining the information. Other students learn from visual stimulus. Still other students learn through audio means. I'm sure there are others. And in general some students are better test takers than others.

I learn through audio/visual methods. Give me a book and I'll be studying a given subject for a day. Give me someone who knows the subject and I'll probably get it within an hour. Some people are good at multiple choice questions while other excel at essay type questions. Is one way superior to another? And what of the mulitple guess questions where you need to choose the "best answer" even though there are two very good ones out of say four to five possilble answers.

Second there's the issue of people who generally retain information better than others.

An example of this is a person who will go unnamed in college who could unnamed. This guy could read the book the night before the test and get a really good score. Other normal people like myself would have to study for hours. In general this is inneficient as neither of us really retained the information. If asked a year later neither of us could recall the details of what we learned.

Third there is the issue of mood. A person's mood affects their performance in any given situation. Test taking is no different. If said person had a fight with his or her significant other the night before and does poorly on a test then it could be argued the mood of said person affected his or her performance.

I've found that I do poorly on tests when I know the material and am distracted by some event in my life. I've heard and helped people through similar situations. I mean when I just had a fight with my roomate I'm less likely to focus on my test. Even if only on the sub-consious level. Or if I got into some kind of accident. Or if perhaps the bank made a mistake that was not in my favor... The list goes on.

Fourth there is the issue of lack of sleep. Certain people can calm themselves down before the night of a big test. Others cannot. Does this mean performance for either individual will be different if sleep time or quality of sleep were equal? Intersting thought.

I was in a class today where we discussed SAT scores. It reminded me that I took the SAT two times before entering my collegiate experience. The first time I took a SAT prep course. I memorized many words and their meanings every day. I read books. But most importantly in my opinion I got an great nights rest before the test. I went to bed at 9:30pm and got up around 7am refreshed. The second time I took the test I didn't take the SAT prep course. But more importantly I didn't get but about 6 hours of sleep the night before. My score was significantly lower the second time around. If the test were valid all this considered my score should have been similar.

This of course brings up issues of economic social status where those who can afford a SAT prep class have a better chance of recieving better scores than those who are not able to afford said courses. Discrimination? Hum... My HR (human resources) professor says that many schools are now looking at a variety of things other than the SAT and that perhaps in the not so distant future a change will be made in standardized testing.


So what is conclusion? Well I would like to look into alternative methods of teaching. Research shows that homeschoolers are generally better educated than those who attend a public school. Unfair? Maybe. However, the reason I believe homeschoolers are better educated is that the environment allows for the student to pursue his or her intersts in a matter that structured schooling does not. I realize the need for a well-rounded education. But the methodology perhaps needs to be a bit more flexible.

Second Discussion - Word of Mouth and the Power of Influence

It doesn't matter what you think or have heard. Influence is all around you. You are influenced by who you hang out with. You are influenced by what you see, smell, hear, touch, and taste. You are influenced by the data you take in. You also influence those around you.


The Law of Influence – The True Measure of Leadership Is Influence, Nothing More, Nothing Less.

This is the second law in John Maxwell's 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Before I go further, I would like encourage everyone to head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of this wonderful book.


On a more personal note today I conducted several interviews with managers in the Arlington area. It was for a small business class I am taking this semester. All of my class was assigned the task due to the projected increase in business due to the opening of the new Dallas Cowboys stadium here in Arlington. Well, I went to the first place I thought most obvious - the bookstore for the campus. The objective of this project was to interview small businesses in the area. What occurred not only shocked me but made me think of the power of word of mouth.

What happened was I entered the store and was promptly told the manager was not on the floor but in the back. Red flag emmediately. In all management classes I've taken the indication is the general manager should be on the floor of the store. Delegation. Make sure your business is being run right when your there be involved with the customers. Well there were a few customers in the store. The manager was found a few minutes later. I introduced myself as a student at the university seeking a 15 minute interview. He promptly denied my request and said he had too much going on. I asked if I could reschedule for another day and he promptly said he was too busy.


A quick tip about PR - don't tick off your clientel. What could have cost him 15 minutes will cost him now the word of mouth reputation.

I will no longer recomend that store.

I'll admit I was upset. But the value isn't in the act itself but the experience thereafter. The value is in the lesson learned. When I own or run my own business (again) I will evaluate decisions a lot more carefully than I have in the past. I mean easy math.

Let's say I have 3 classes this semester with 40-50 people. I inform my classmates who inform their classmates who inform their friends... and so forth and so on. All of a sudden half the campus realizes that the management at this particular store doesn't really care about its customers but instead is just in business for money. The other store accross the street is looking really good at this juncture.

Now I'm actually not going to campaign for this stores demise. Instead I'll just dust my feet off and take my business elsewhere.

Point is: Be careful how you treat people. You never know they might just be your customers one day. Your reputation is a fragile thing. Guard it well. One bad customer tells at least ten other people of a bad experience.

I told 43 today alone. All simpathetic because they had similar experiences.

First Discussion - What I learned from Video Games

First let us begin at the beginning.

Part 1) Definition.

Video Game.
–noun
1. Any of various games played using a microcomputer with a keyboard and often joysticks to manipulate changes or respond to the action or questions on the screen.
2. Any of various games played using a microchip-controlled device, as an arcade machine or hand-held toy.

Also called "Electronic Game."

http://dictionary.reference.com/


Part 2) Background

But what is it really? First of all let me qualify what systems to play games are available today. Today there are computer games that can be accessed on desktops or laptops. These are often referred to as "PC games." Other games are accessed through "console games" such as Atari, Sega Genesis, Playstation, and more recently the ever popular Nintendo Wii. These typically involve a standalone station that can be plugged in through any television with the proper connections. A variety of games are accessible through these devices. Yet another type of game system is the popular "hand-held" devices such as the Gameboy, Psp, and Nintendo DS. These devices allow users to play a variety of games and have screens built in that can be used anywhere as long as the battery doesn't run out. Finally there are "Arcade" types of game systems which typically only play a single game and are generally retrofitted to a human size type box.

And secondly of course there are genres. There are first person shooter games where people generally control a single entity and blow things (or people) up to smithereens. Not commonly but on occasion referred to as “Shooters.” There are real time strategy games where people control vast armadas or armies. These are commonly referred as “Strategy Games.” There are role playing games where a person goes on an in-depth full emersion story line. These are often referred to “RPG’s.“ And finally there are massively multiplayer online games. These are often referred as “MMO’s.“

Ok Ok. I’m even boring myself here.

Now that you know a little background on them… Let me give you a first-hand look into what they have taught me. Now some of these may be good or bad. That is the case with most things in life. In any case here it is.

Part 3) The not-so-great or funny lessons I learned from video games:

a) If I don’t like the outcome of my game I just restart it or load it from a saved spot.
b) If someone dies they disappear.
c) If someone dies don’t worry they have a few more lives left.
d) It's OK to search random people's houses and take their stuff.
e) Save now. Save often!
f) If at first you don't succeed, level up for a while and then try again
g) Typing while clicking is a necessary skill.
h) Most of the laws of physics are just suggestions.
i) Shooting people is fun and no big deal.
j) People that are shot drop things often.
k) You will always be outnumbered... but it will never matter, because you're just that awesome!
l) Cheats make the game fun. They’re easily accessible through the internet on most games.
m) I can be any persona I wish online.

On a more positive note:

1) How you start exponentially affects your chances of success. It’s easier to start well and end well than to start bad and end well.
2) Don’t sit around waiting for a miracle. Be pro-active!
3) Try new things. If it doesn’t work one way try another.
4) Seize opportunities! Life comes at you fast. Be ready!
5) Evolve or die. Keep trying. Don’t give up. Try, try, try again.
6) Looks aren’t everything. Skill and technique are required to succeed.
7) From MMO’s: You must have a good, cohesive team behind you to succeed.
8) Networking makes your path at progress a lot easier.
9) Everybody wants to either rule the world or be the hero (in some cases the villain).
10) Don’t brag about what you do. Let your actions speak for themselves.

Further Subjects

I recovered the list of other topics I had decided to blog on... Here it is:

27) What I learned from video games
28) Astrology
29) "Freedom to worship" a blessing?
30) The God of the Bible - OT & NT the same?
31) Abortion and choosing
32) Post-Modernism
33) Compassion and Commandment scale 1-5
34) Why not to take yourself too seriously
35) Why marriage was established between one man and one woman
36) Mormonism - Who is the Church of Later Day Saints and are they Christ followers?
37) Jehovah's Witness - What they believe and such...
38) Word-of-mouth reputation building

Of course, the list goes on... And many more to a blog near you!

First Post

Well this is it. I've finally done it. This blog's purpose is to discuss various issues pertaining to life in the twenty first century. Welcome to the Parley.

This is not a limited list. I plan to add more topics as I go along. These are the topics I've decided to blog while at my various classes. Amongst the topics I'm going to blog are the following:

1) Texbooks in schools
2) The first week of classes graduate/undergraduate
3) Private Vs Stat universities
4) Homeschooling/private schools Vs Public Schools
5) Do Athiests have a belief system
6) The Walmart Factor
7) Texting - 21st Century Instant Communication
8) Credit Card Vs Debit Cards
9) Employee Evalutions - 360 Evaluations a must?
10) Team concepts & rewards
11) Punctuality
12) Debt in a Brave New World
13) Facebook, Myspace, Orkut, Blogging... How to keep up.
14) PowerPoint Presentations
15) Customer Expectations of companies and management - ridiculous or what?
16) Credit Scores
17) Abortion
18) Social Security
19) The effect of MP3's on the U.S. economy
20) The sanctity of marriage
21) Executive management teams
22) To buy or to rent a place - The American Dream?
23) Computers/laptops in the classroom
24) Sports - Modern day gladiators?
25) Self-Starters
26) Going Green? Does it really matter?

And more to come... To a blog near you!