Cathy Davidsons Project Classroom Makeover

Name
Course: 101 Expository Writing
Instructor
Date
Cathy Davidson’s Project Classroom Makeover- standardization and relevance.
In Project Classroom Makeover, Cathy Davidson cautions against placing too much emphasis on standardized metrics at a time when people are in interconnected through technology and there is recognition that people rely on diverse learning styles. Standardization differs from high standards and is associated with a one size fits all model without arousing interest or facilitating creativity. This makes standardization less relevant to meet the students’ needs now and in the future. For instance, disinterested students are less motivated and are more likely to drop out as education is neither rigorous nor enjoyable. Standardization likely restricts the high school students learning potential, since the standardized tests are rigid even as learners have different skills and interests.
Students are expected to master knowledge, but if the information and knowledge is not useful they put little effort to learn “Relevance has been proved to be a crucial factor for keeping students in high school, especially middle-and lower-level students”. Davidson recognized that the low-income students with few resources do not think of standardized test scores as an opportunity to improve their life prospects because standardization is not relevant to their needs and interests. Low standardized scores would indicate that there is poor knowledge, but may also show that there was little effort and incentive to pass the tests. As such, standardization makes education less relevant to the less affluent students who are least likely to enroll in institutions o...