A. Focal
B. Salient
C. Ambient
D. Trident
E. Zzzzzz...
2. In writing a reflective post about reflective learning, Ryan has felt:
A. Introspective
B. Introverted
C. Entropic
D. Like he's trapped in a hall of mirrors
E. All of the above
3. Ryan believes that, besides when done while speaking in the third person, reflective learning is best utilized when one:
A. Meditates to allow new inspiration to attend
B. Sleeps to allow REM cycles to bring vivid dreams
C. Has a structure within which to work
D. Never
E. I can't think of a 5th option
Okay, enough of that. I'll let you choose your own answers.
As for me, I've reflected on this a great deal, not this particular paper, but on how one learns through reflection. Introspection is actually not recommended by many a psychiatrist mostly because they don't believe people know how to correctly so (and because that would put them out of a job, most likely). In looking back, I believe this to be true, but that one can learn to better reflect on the outcome of events and analyze how they reached certain thoughts, outcomes, etc. This has proved extremely useful for correcting my poor patterns of sticking my foot in my mouth, being overly aggressive, and giving out more information than I should.
Beyond that, in the context of the LSAT, I believe they really look for Focal learning, as they want you to get what they're trying to point you towards. I tend to think of tests as reflective learning experiences, but these aptitude tests t
hat determine certain positioning don't appeal to me. They're more about gaming the test than what you know. Also, the Logical Reasoning sections require hyper-sensitive reading abilities, and I've thought about the non-conscious (non-salient) processes that we learn while doing anything. Reading closely is an attribute that can be consciously learned, but that is also developed and brings with it non-salient skills. In reading The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge, I realized that we create certain brain maps simply by doing things, no thinking required. That's kind of scary.If you are wondering about the random gun, that's the second hit for LSAT on a google image search. Apparently LSAT is also an acronym for Lightweight Small Arms Technology. I love Google. That's also my design element for this WAC and quite appropriate for what I'd like to do to the LSAT.
Ryan, I really liked the format of your post. I laughed out loud while reading through your mock LSAT questions. I thought it was interesting that you brought up what kind of attention tests ask for, because I thought about that as well as I was reading through the article. I think a good test will incorporate salient attention while an average test will just be focus attention. Yet, I've been so trained to perform well on "focus" tests that I think I don't do very well on "salient" tests.
ReplyDeleteHaha! Oh the LSAT. I think I agree; the second type is much cooler. But hey, at least you are done with it right? And I agree with Erica as well. Salient knowledge in a test is ideal. Mainly because assessments are trying to obtain a measure of what was learned, and if salient knowledge is most potent...it only stands to reason. I'm in a Language Assessment class this semester and its pretty interesting just how few tests we take are actually worth anything. Standardized tests most definitely included.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that your design element was a big success. Salient learning + Mock test + Guns = Win.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I've also been frustrated with the focal-based test culture that's so prevalent today. A lot of fact-regurgitation and analysis is emphasized... but no matter how you look at it, testing someone's breadth of art knowledge does not measure their ability to paint.
I hear that the best lawyers don't necessarily know all the answers either. They just know which books to look up the answers in.
I think the reason tests are so focal-based is simply because this type of question necessarily has one right answer. The graders are trying to make it easier on themselves. Honestly, not many tests are salient because testers don't care to know the test takers interpretation. Tests seem to be designed to test one's ability to give the testers what they want, in other words, you are indeed playing some sort of mind game when you take a test. Its a shame, but at the same time I think it is a necessary evil.
ReplyDeleteAs the others have already said, i liked your WAK layout. It was a relief to look at something that didn't look like a college writing assignment. But at the same time, i felt stressed as I thought about the test formatting. I too believe as Billy said that these focal-based tests never are a true test to determine what you know, but are really only a game of how well you study and or memorize things. For example the GRE that many people in this council will probably have to take, has a section that tests your knowledge about infrequent words and their definitions. This is not at all a test to determine how well I was able to learn in my specific linguistic related classes, but something so broad that it's is virtually useless. But how else is the state supposed to test everyone college wide with so many different majors and focuses of study and interest.
ReplyDeleteGreat job
ReplyDelete