Deliberate Dumbing Down of America Public Education

GLOSSARY

Accountable/Accountability. See Behaviorist Terminology section at end of Glossary. Affective Domain. The area of learning that deals with feelings, beliefs, values, attitudes, and motives—all those inner factors that determine behavior and responses to stimuli. By changing or modifying the affective domain, educators can control behavior, or so they believe. (See Direct Instruction , Mastery Learning , Taxonomy of Educational Objec tives , and Appendix XIX) Assessment. Has come to be accepted as a means of measuring student progress toward inter national, national, and state goals. It should be noted that there is no dictionary definition which defines “assessment” in this way. The education establishment has co-opted this word over time. (See Authentic Assessment and Appendix IV and XI) At-Risk Student. Any “student who is at risk of not meeting the goals of the educational program... or not becoming a productive worker” (Iowa State Standards which match the National Goals). Programs such as Parents as Teachers (PAT), 21st Century Schools, Healthy People 2000, and others define at-risk categories. (See 1992 Parents as Teachers articles by Laura Rogers) Authentic Assessment. Measures a student’s behavior; alternative performance measure of a student’s ability to solve problems and perform tasks under simulated “real life” situ ations. It measures student responses which demonstrate what students think, do, and have become. These outcomes are recorded during normal classroom involvement such as recess, lunch, field trips, and at other unexpected times. Teachers may use hand-held computer scanners that scan the students’ bar-coded names and responses, then transfer the information into a computer at a later time. (See Appendix XVI) Behavior Theory, Behavior Modification, Behaviorist, Behaviorism. (Refer to Behaviorist Terminology section of the Glossary and Appendix II, III, V and XIX). Benchmark. The following definition is taken from “A Report from the Committee on Labor and Human Resources, Summary of S. 14” and is also included in Appendix XV:

This act will require States to measure and report annually on bench marks—measurable indicators of the progress the State has set out to achieve in meeting broad work force development goals related to employment, education, and earning gains. Benchmarks related to employment and earning gains include, at a minimum, placement and retention in unsubsidized employment for one year, and increased earnings for participants. Benchmarks related to education include, at a minimum, student mastery of certain skills, including: academic knowledge and work readiness skills; occupa

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