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Reframing the Learning Loss Conversation
As we prepare for the 2022–2023 school year, many school administrators, parents, and teachers are still worked up about the reported learning loss that occurred because of the pandemic. These worries are based on test scores and student progress in a narrow, structured curriculum. I find it interesting that many educators are sounding alarm bells about learning loss based on standardized measures while also applauding themselves for being at the forefront of teaching 21st-century skills. The pandemic and the many challenges we faced as a global society demonstrated exactly how unprepared many people, even at the leadership level, are to model the key components of 21st-century learning, such as flexibility, technology literacy, creativity, communication, collaboration, and initiative.
To say that students didn’t learn anything while surviving a global pandemic is short-sighted. Instead of focusing on student progress within the narrow academic curriculum or on standardized tests, we can capture student growth in 21st Century Skills. These are the essential areas for students to succeed in their future careers and solve the critical issues of their lifetimes. Test scores do not capture a student’s breadth of knowledge.
Additionally, focusing heavily on metrics like test scores can create high anxiety levels for students and their families. According…
