This is a omniblog that will cover a wide variety of topics ranging from education, disabilities, finance, and alternative health to aesthetics and human potential. These topics encompass the range of activities covered by the Enabling Support Foundation (www.enabling.org)

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

The Anatomy of Consciousness

I taught neuropsychological research with an emphasis on special education for 25 years. I got started in this area when I told a friend that I did not have visual imagery. Her reaction was, "How do you think?"

I think by talking to myself but she thought via mental imagery. From there I developed a theory of the causes and remediation of reading disability.

To get started, try a simple experiment. Image an animal. Now rate it from 0-10 in terms of vividness and being lifelike. Did you image with your eyes open or closed? Now image with your eyes closed if they were open or open if they were closed. Now rate the image. Did it change?

I have tried this demonstration many times and about 50% of the people image with their eyes open and a majority of them, find the image decreases in vividness when they close them. But how often do we hear the instructions: Close your eyes and imagine.....


A closing question: When a song runs through your head, who is doing the singing?

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Teachers must be held accountable

Teachers must be held accountable

There is no question that teacher's must be accountable for their performance. Why should they be different than anyone else? Easy to say but more difficult accomplish.

How do we measure performance?
Performance is usually defined in terms of the students performance. So far so good.

How do we measure student performance?
By using multiple choice tests!

If you use a test score criterion to judge a teachers performance, the teacher will make sure her students pass the test.

Why have multiple choice tests replaced teacher evaluation? Has this emphasis come at the expense of a broader education?

When did we stop trusting our teachers? Why?

Are there active groups who think that teacher evaluation is more important than scores on a multiple choice test?

Followers

About Me

My photo
I am a retired research neuropsychologist who is now CEO of the Enabling Support Foundation, a non-profit with a mission aimed at Education and at Persons with Disabilities.