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GitHub repository for Sedgewick's Algorithms is taken down

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Re: GitHub repository for Sedgewick's Algorithms is taken down

#121

Post by truth_ »

nitrogen wrote: post #113
temp8964 wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They lobby for standardized tests in states and get them mandated. Students are put through them. This is totally false. State standardized test is the natural consequence of state public education accountability system. There must be a comparable measure across all the public schools in the state as the foundation for accountability measurements. And all (>95%) the students must be tested for equity reasons. No ma…

I read their comment not as saying that standardized tests are Pearson's fault, but that Pearson gets states to mandate that they are Pearson tests.

Is that not clear from my comment? Whether standardized tests are good or bad is a whole other debate.

The point here is- they lobby to get standardized tests mandated where they were not, then they lobby snd push their tests for statewide use very hard. All school districts have to buy test questions and other infrastructure from them only. And only Pearson certified teachers can evaluate those copies. And every step of the process involves Pearson getting paid.

This is like the Mafia.

Thanks for pointing it out.

Re: GitHub repository for Sedgewick's Algorithms is taken down

#122

Post by truth_ »

temp8964 wrote: post #117
nitrogen wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I read their comment not as saying that standardized tests are Pearson's fault, but that Pearson gets states to mandate that they are Pearson tests.

Every state has a selection process. Several testing companies will bet on the contract.

There's a lot of shady practices involved there, that is one of my points.

Re: GitHub repository for Sedgewick's Algorithms is taken down

#124

Post by temp8964 »

madhadron wrote: post #120
temp8964 wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am not sure what you are talking about. There are several testing companies, Pearson is not the only one. And states have a selection process and technical review process done by outside psychometricians. Yes. There are places where tests were developed by the government agencies, which are not professionals. Mostly their tests lack psychometric regorious, not comparable across years. I'm not sure what you meant "p…

The question, then, is why not have the state university build the tests and write the textbooks? Then you fund the actual creation once and can straightforwardly fund updates and alterations as needed.

State universities are not good at doing either. There are not enough psychometricians or test writers or textbook writers in psychology or curriculum and instruction departments.

State government is not better at doing things than big companies. Hope your solution is not to ask the government to do everything.

Re: GitHub repository for Sedgewick's Algorithms is taken down

#125

Post by manquer »

temp8964 wrote: post #118
manquer wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is nuanced, they don't directly drive the need for standardization, but drive to privatize the standardization. Doing that, they can influence a lot on the scoring, quality, content and certifications around the standardization and fund the psychometric research establishing validity/equity of the tests. Like any other big org biz, specing the RFP is one easy way to win the contract. A decision marker (corporate o…

I am not sure what you are talking about. There are several testing companies, Pearson is not the only one. And states have a selection process and technical review process done by outside psychometricians. Yes. There are places where tests were developed by the government agencies, which are not professionals. Mostly their tests lack psychometric regorious, not comparable across years. I'm not sure what you meant "p…

I very clearly said pearson and others in the space.

If reviews can be done by psychometricians, why test building cannot ?

There are many many qualified professionals affiliated with major universities- several of them owned by the state. Is it difficult to imagine them developing the tests?

Many of these same professionals consult with testing companies for building the tests, so it is not like these companies have some magic expertise no one else has.

Using an vendor test gives that companies allied products basically an Monopoly for that test/skill.

This is a fact of this industry, and testing companies will use it to their advantage because that's their business. It is in public interest not to privatize the test itself, so there is competition amongst providers of allied products and free market can prevail.

Current setup is like government tax code is set by intuit and you can only file tax via turbo tax and nothing else

Re: GitHub repository for Sedgewick's Algorithms is taken down

#126

Post by mistrial9 »

patmorgan23 wrote: post #28
shakaijin wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also, they release new versions of books all the time and force their use in classes, making it impossible to use 2nd hand textbooks in a lot of cases. *I mean, come on. How of ten do fundamental physics change... Pearson is a company that should not exist.

Plugging open source text books. There are many high quality option out there that are openly licensed. Openstax is a project by Rice University that has textbooks for most gen ed courses. openstax.org/

textbook and education material, in an open way? OK let's look.. but.. Ghostery[0] in Chrome shows:

Google AdWords Conversion ; Twitter Advertising ; DoubleClik; Facebook Custom Audience; LinkedIn Ads; Twitter Conversion Tracking; Google Dynamic Marketing; Drawbridge

Analytics: Google Analytics; CrazyEgg; PulseAnalytics; Facebook Connect; Pardot; LinkedIn Analytics ; PulseInsight

Can someone give some insight into how much "Surveillance Capitalism" is being done here? Facebook is a giant red-flag to me, personally..

[0] https://www.ghostery.com/

Re: GitHub repository for Sedgewick's Algorithms is taken down

#127

Post by temp8964 »

truth_ wrote: post #121
nitrogen wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I read their comment not as saying that standardized tests are Pearson's fault, but that Pearson gets states to mandate that they are Pearson tests.

Is that not clear from my comment? Whether standardized tests are good or bad is a whole other debate. The point here is- they lobby to get standardized tests mandated where they were not, then they lobby snd push their tests for statewide use very hard. All school districts have to buy test questions and other infrastructure from them only. And only Pearson certified teachers can evaluate those copies. And every ste…

You apparently don't know what you are talking about. No. Testing companies do not lobby to get standardized tests mandated where they were not. The federal government mandates this as a requirement for federal money.

Districts do not pay for the state test or buy test questions from Pearson...

Re: GitHub repository for Sedgewick's Algorithms is taken down

#128

Post by gravypod »

olliej wrote: post #108
acdha wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes — see page 12 here: https://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf “Penalties are provided for knowing material misrepresentations in either a notice or a counter notice. Any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material is infringing, or that it was removed or blocked through mistake or misidentification, is liable for any resulting damages (including costs and attorneys’ fees) incurred by the alle…

Knowingly is the problem - it implies intent so erroneous claims don’t fall afoul of it. Obviously attacks on critics do and should be penalized but that doesn’t happen either - it requires a lawyer that will cost much more than you’ll ever get. Until the law is amended to require the victims be compensated for time and legal expenses there’s still no real cost to fraud

Another important part of the law: "or that it was removed or blocked through mistake or misidentification"

Re: GitHub repository for Sedgewick's Algorithms is taken down

#130

Post by hintymad »

Speaking of Robert Sedgewick, I deeply enjoyed his course Analysis of Algorithms, as Sedgewick beautifully showed the power of generating functions. Generating functions, or analytical combinatorics in general, make it order-of-magnitude easier to analyze algorithm complexities compared to what we learn in an introductory course. It's mind boggling to experience how higher-level constructs of math reveal simplicity and deep insights.
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