Saturday, October 31, 2015

The Freedom to Teach or be Imprisoned by Data

Common Core’s Panopticon: The Freedom to Teach or be Imprisoned by Data

from Asia's Think Tank

The Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) has created a system to produce and sell standards, curriculum materials, textbooks, and assessments. Working with federal agencies and corporate sponsors, the CCSSI has foisted itself upon half the states. The last piece of the system is data collection. Bill Gates and government officials have long sought to track students’ beliefs and performance. Now they would like to micromanage educators, as well. This puts the CCSSI on a collision course with parents, teachers, and civil libertarians who do not trust the government to use such data wisely.

  … All states and districts should collect common data on teachers and students.

 One shudders to think where we are headed. Do children have any right to privacy, or does “affective computing” preempt it? Will teachers remain free to adjust lesson plans to better serve students, or will a new Taylorism be the wave of the future? Will the new mind-reading technologies obviate the need for the reflective practice of teaching? Are there any limits on government or on how intrusive technocrats can be?

Welcome to the Brave New World of Education brought to you by Mr. Gates and the Oligarchs using largely your tax dollars.

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