OPINION — For more than two decades, education has become increasingly focused on standardized testing. Schools are measured by test scores, teachers are evaluated using student performance data and policymakers often rely on those results to judge the success or failure of our education system.
While assessments provide useful information, an important question remains: Are we teaching students to learn, or simply teaching them to take tests?
Research shows that students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process. Children develop deeper understanding when they solve problems, ask questions, experiment and even make mistakes. Educational researchers call this "productive struggle."
