Testing for the soap level or measuring it?
-----Original Message-----
From: olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Jan Steinman
Sent: Friday, August 22, 2008 7:53 PM
To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [OM] Re: [OT] Seriously who can afford one of these?
> From: Andrew Fildes <afildes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Nothing was ever improved by measuring it.
I have to strongly disagree, Andrew.
The key is understanding what you're measuring, and how it relates to
what you're trying to improve.
I do know, for example, that had I been testing my home-brew biodiesel
for soap content, I could have improved the process enough to have
saved a few hundred dollars on repairs!
> On 22/08/2008, at 7:00 PM, Moose wrote:
>
>> And don't get me started on the testing craze in the US. Teaching to
>> tests does little to teach anything that will be retained or useful
>> later.
I do agree that testing, as it exists in the US school system,
measures little that is relevant to learning. (Disclaimer: although I
have no direct experience as a public school teacher, my mother
retired from the profession and I currently have two sisters who teach
high school science and biology, respectively, and who constantly
bitch about the time wasted prepping for the NCLB tests.)
I also agree that, had I given my biodiesel a multiple-answer written
test, the results would not have improved anything, except my
mechanic's ability to make boat payments. :-)
:::: If there ever is a time of plenty, this very fact will
automatically lead to an increase in the population until the natural
state of starvation and misery is restored. -- Richard Dawkins ::::
:::: Jan Steinman <http://www.VeggieVanGogh.com/Van> ::::
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