Fuzzy Thinking

Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of my education heroes. He is a master of using the power of his narrative to simplify the complex. This is true if he is teaching astrophysics or important life lessons. Check out the 5 minute clip from a graduation commencement at the link below:

Neil deGrasse Tyson on Fuzzy Thinking

The examples he gives in this speech are powerful in helping to illuminate the issue of an over-reliance on multiple choice or objective testing. As a teacher of science for 13 years, I enjoyed the ease of grading and disaggregation of  data that these objective assessments provided. Despite this convenience these assessments can create the problem Neil is discussing. What are some steps a teacher can take to reduce the occurrence of “fuzzy thinking” in our classrooms as a function of our assessment?

1. Minimize the number of questions that are only at the knowledge level. If the answer can simply be given by memorizing, we are only reinforcing the problem. A good filter for this is to ask ourselves, “Can the answer be found by googling it?” If the answer is an affirmative, then it is back to the drawing board to craft a deeper question.

2. Provide a variety of assessments and checks for understanding about concepts that matter deeply. Let's face it, not all learning targets are of the same significance. For those enduring understandings that are priority concepts for your content area, allow for students to demonstrate mastery in a deeper fashion. When students respond in an essay or short answer format, we can get a much clearer picture of where students are in their understanding.

3. Demonstrate that your focus is THAT students learn rather than WHEN they learn. Your behavior after formal assessments will show students what you value. Simply returning the assessment and moving on sends a devastating message for those who were unsuccessful. This practice communicates, "Learning is optional... as your teacher, I am OK with you failing." Purposeful opportunities for students to revisit the thinking behind the answers that they missed, communicates a positive message. Leveraging retest and redo practices that allow for student to fully recover show that our focus is on learning, not just a grade.

Do you celebrate the correct answer or learning in your classroom?