eduwonkette
Through the lens of social science, eduwonkette took a serious, if sometimes irreverent, look at some of the most contentious education policy debates in this opinion blog. Find eduwonkette’s complete archives prior to Jan. 6, 2008 here. This blog is no longer being updated.
Standards & Accountability
Opinion
The Vision Vacuum
"You're too young to be this cynical, " he said, staring across his desk at me with a perplexed half smile.
School & District Management
Opinion
Lessons for Education Policy Research from the Market for Lemons
Does the market for research in education policymaking work pretty well? For once, eduwonk, Dean Millot, and I all agree - it doesn't. The “market for lemons,” which Jay Greene makes reference to in his most recent post, gives us insight into why.
Education
Opinion
Cerf-ing the Web
Over at eduwonk, the New York City Department of Education is putting its best foot forward by displaying its two strongest (and most becoming!) skills: a remarkable willingness to spin the naked facts and to personally attack anyone who questions their miracle. But Chris Cerf can't manage to slip past Sol Stern's first-rate BS detector, which is on full display in his original post and his drop-kick comment on Cerf's post, which are both must-reads.
School & District Management
Opinion
The Influence Spectrum: From Blogging to Academic Research
Let me use the occasion of Jay Greene's response to my earlier post to explain the differences between blogging and research, as I see it. Greene makes no distinction between the two activities, and is, as a result, skeptical about my anonymity. As he explained to me off-blog, "The same basic principles apply. They are both part of the spectrum of how people communicate ideas that may be related to policy decisions."
Education
Opinion
Cool People You Should Know: Stefanie DeLuca
Stefanie DeLuca is a sociologist who teaches at Johns Hopkins. Self-described as "Ann Coulter's anti-matter, but not as tall," DeLuca has recently been named a W.T. Grant Foundation Scholar - a prestigious five-year award - to study residential mobility in the lives of poor adolescents. Deluca is a rare find in educational research as she is equally skilled in quantitative and qualitative methods, and has used both approaches to study the effects of residential mobility on poor children and their families.
Education
Opinion
Gimme Some Truth
If you think "Education Department Employs Squadron in Search for Truth" is a spoof article from The Onion, guess again. You'd think that PR flaks would know better than to name an otherwise mundane 21st century version of letters to the editor the "Truth Squad," and in doing so, make it worth reporting on. Said New York City Deputy Chancellor Chris Cerf, who came up with the Truth Squad concept:
Education
Opinion
New Blogs To Check Out
Here are four blogs - 3 of them are relatively new - that you should definitely check out:
Education
Opinion
The Rhetoric of Reform: Does Research Count?
“Better schools. Higher scores. And satisfied parents. That's the record of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program.”
Equity & Diversity
Opinion
Guest Blogger Mica Pollock on: Everyday Antiracism: Getting Real About Race in School
Mica Pollock is an anthropologist who teaches at Harvard's Graduate School of Education. She has two new books coming out this summer: Everyday Antiracism: Getting Real about Race in School (on which she has written the FAQ below) and Because of Race: How Americans Debate Harm and Opportunity in Our Schools. Her first book, Colormute: Race Talk Dilemmas in an American School, won AERA's 2005 book award. And she has just launched a new blog, schoolracetalk.org. Head on over to her site for what promises to be a provocative discussion.
School & District Management
Opinion
The Trouble with the Education Policy Advocacy Industry: "Building on the Basics"
Today, Marcus Winters, Jay Greene, and Julie Trivitt are releasing a study called, "Building on the Basics: The Impact of High-Stakes Testing on Student Proficiency in Low-Stakes Subjects."
Equity & Diversity
Opinion
Gender and Stereotype Threat in Math and Science
Can asking women to simply bubble in their gender before a test hurt their performance on math tests? Conversely, does mentioning that a math test is gender-neutral boost women’s achievement? More than a decade of research on “stereotype threat” suggests that the answer to these questions is yes.
Education
Opinion
Three Cheers for skoolboy
Let's be honest. skoolboy is - and this is my highest compliment - a total rockstar. His posts last week were remarkable for their range, their humor, and the quality of the discussions they set off.
Education
Opinion
Happy Independence Day!
Happy Independence Day! Today is an opportunity to reflect on the ideals and principles that founded this great country, and to renew our commitment to uphold and support them when we see signs of erosion and compromise.
Education
Opinion
Cool People You Should Know: Mike Rose
We’ve spent a lot of time here lately talking about tests and test scores. You can’t ignore ‘em – they’re a ubiquitous part of the educational landscape in the U.S., and their salience has only increased in the NCLB era. To the extent that they are able to tell us about students’ mastery of core academic skills, they can be a useful tool to guide education policy and practice.