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The Time Trap: Why It's Misguided to Report State Assessment Results as 'Years of Learning'

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Title: The Time Trap: Why It's Misguided to Report State Assessment Results as 'Years of Learning'
Language: English
Authors: Damian Betebenner, Charles A. DePascale, National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment, Inc. (NCIEA)
Source: National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment. 2024.
Availability: National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment. P.O. Box 351, Dover, NH 03821. Tel: 603-516-7900; Fax: 603-516-7910; e-mail: recep@nciea.org; Web site: http://www.nciea.org
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 27
Publication Date: 2024
Document Type: Reports - Research
Speeches/Meeting Papers
Descriptors: COVID-19, Pandemics, Progress Monitoring, Academic Achievement, Time Perspective, Achievement Gains, Achievement Gap, State Standards, Misinformation, Test Validity, Error of Measurement, Learning Trajectories, Learning Analytics
Abstract: In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, educators and policymakers have scrambled to assess the impact on student learning. Popular metrics that have gained traction are the notions of "years of learning lost" or "months behind," which attempt to quantify the educational setbacks caused by the pandemic. The allure of these time-based metrics is understandable; they provide a seemingly straightforward way to communicate the magnitude of learning loss to non-technical audiences. But beneath their simplicity lies a complex web of assumptions, statistical manipulations, and, ultimately, misleading conclusions that may do more harm than good. This paper delves into the flaws of time-based metrics and argues for a more meaningful approach to measuring student progress. It challenges the assumption that more time automatically equates to more learning and advocates for assessments that provide richer, content-based insights into student abilities and needs. By critically examining the current narrative, the paper seeks to inspire educators and policymakers to reconsider how we measure and respond to educational challenges in a post-pandemic world. [Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education (Philadelphia, PA, 2024).]
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: ED660534
Database: ERIC
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  Data: National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment. P.O. Box 351, Dover, NH 03821. Tel: 603-516-7900; Fax: 603-516-7910; e-mail: recep@nciea.org; Web site: http://www.nciea.org
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  Data: In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, educators and policymakers have scrambled to assess the impact on student learning. Popular metrics that have gained traction are the notions of "years of learning lost" or "months behind," which attempt to quantify the educational setbacks caused by the pandemic. The allure of these time-based metrics is understandable; they provide a seemingly straightforward way to communicate the magnitude of learning loss to non-technical audiences. But beneath their simplicity lies a complex web of assumptions, statistical manipulations, and, ultimately, misleading conclusions that may do more harm than good. This paper delves into the flaws of time-based metrics and argues for a more meaningful approach to measuring student progress. It challenges the assumption that more time automatically equates to more learning and advocates for assessments that provide richer, content-based insights into student abilities and needs. By critically examining the current narrative, the paper seeks to inspire educators and policymakers to reconsider how we measure and respond to educational challenges in a post-pandemic world. [Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education (Philadelphia, PA, 2024).]
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      – SubjectFull: Time Perspective
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      – SubjectFull: Achievement Gap
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