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ERIC Number: ED446116
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 2000
Pages: 9
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
State Mandated versus a Locally Determined Curriculum.
Ediger, Marlow
The advantages and disadvantages of state mandated and locally developed curricula are discussed. State mandates emphasize a measurement philosophy of education in which testing is the name of the game to determine how well students are achieving. One of the advantages of a state mandated curriculum is that the curriculum is aligned with the objectives of instruction for teaching. Students are asked to achieve at a higher level, and exit objectives are more likely to be stressed. However, the setting of objectives may be arbitrary in terms of students levels to be achieved. There are flaws in large-scale state testing, such as inadequate pilot testing or scoring errors. Test writers are at a distance from local classrooms, and standardized tests may not provide enough information about what the individual student needs. The portfolio approach is a local effort at assessment that emphasizes the accomplishments of individual students. Using a portfolio allows the application of constructivist principles and the development of the curriculum internally within the school or classroom to reflect student needs and abilities. (SLD)
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A