Ep 18. Education myth-busting with Daisy Christodoulou
Oct 13, 2023
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Join Anna Stokke in a conversation with Daisy Christodoulou as they debunk education myths including the importance of content knowledge and the role of exams. They discuss the practice of ungrading and the acquisition of knowledge. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in education!
Facts and basic knowledge are essential for building conceptual understanding in education.
Standardized exams can provide equal conditions and anonymity for students, but grades should be accompanied by underlying scores or scaled scores.
Testing, when designed properly, enhances learning and long-term memory formation.
Deep dives
Debunking Education Myths
In this podcast episode, Daisy Kristodulu, a teacher and author, joins the host to debunk education myths. They discuss the myth that facts prevent understanding and emphasize the importance of content knowledge. They also talk about common myths regarding exams, the practice of ungrading, and the idea that 21st century changes everything. Daisy shares her insights on why education myths persist and highlights the value of critical thinking.
The Importance of Content Knowledge
Daisy Kristodulu explains why content knowledge is important in education. She challenges the misconception that facts hinder understanding, pointing out that facts are essential for building conceptual understanding. Daisy gives examples from math and literature to demonstrate how facts and basic knowledge provide a foundation for deeper comprehension and engagement with complex topics.
The Role of Assessment and Grades
The podcast explores the topic of assessment and grading in education. Daisy Kristodulu shares her thoughts on the benefits of standardized exams, such as providing equal conditions for all students and allowing for anonymous marking. She also discusses the limitations of grades, advocating for the reporting of underlying scores or scaled scores. Daisy addresses the trend of ungrading in some schools and emphasizes the importance of reinforcement and spaced repetition in the learning process.
The Flawed Grading System
The podcast episode discusses the flaws in grading systems used in education. The speaker highlights the problems with replacing letter grades with emerging, expected, and exceeding categories, arguing that it only makes the system more confusing and misleading. They suggest that if grades are necessary, a neutral letter grading system with eight to ten parts would be the better option. The speaker also argues that grading students with words like emerging or exceeding is worse than using letters or numbers as it lacks clarity and misleads parents and the public.
The Importance of Tests and Exam Preparation
The podcast episode also addresses the misconception that exams and tests hinder learning. The speaker emphasizes the testing effect, which shows that retrieving information from memory through testing actually enhances learning and memory retention. However, they acknowledge the importance of well-designed tests and caution against ineffective test preparation strategies. The speaker believes that testing can improve learning when designed properly, and encourages the use of testing strategies like self-quizzing to aid in long-term memory formation. They describe themselves as a 'pro exam romantic,' advocating for exams as a valuable tool for learning and understanding.
Join math professor, Anna Stokke, in conversation with Daisy Christodoulou. Daisy is a teacher, an author and the Director of Education at No More Marking. They begin by discussing the myth that facts prevent understanding and the importance of content knowledge, with a side discussion on why it is important to memorize math facts. They discuss why basic knowledge cannot just be outsourced to computers. They talk about some common myths about exams and whether exams help students learn. Anna asks Daisy for her thoughts on a practice called ungrading. They talk about how to acquire knowledge and myths surrounding so-called 21st century skills. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who is interested in education!
