Shifting topics...
Certification testing:
Quite frankly I've never liked the idea of stressful,
subjective, opinionated, "certification testing." I think it is
asinine. I much prefer the idea of "ability documenting" via a
process of real-time unlimited instant feedback based on
objective criteria. For example, suppose we state that we want
to know if someone is good enough to "interpret" numbers? We
can objectively state that "good enough" means being able to
"catch" 7 digit numbers accurately on the first try 9 out of 10
times when those numbers are presented at a speed of 3 digits
per second.
That is an objective measure there is no discrimination or bias
involved. You either can do it or you can't.
Plus using a computer program in the privacy of your own home
you could practice again and again until you reach a success
rate of well over 9 out of 10 times at a speed faster than 3
digits per second. This would then be documented by the program
itself and you would simply move on to the next skill that needs
to be documented. Some people would move through the "ability
documenting" process very quickly, others would take many times
longer.
Candidates would be free to "fail" the test a massive number
of times, privately, without embarrassment, or additional
expense.
Other people, including those leaders of the "certifying
organization" would not know of a candidate's progress until
that candidate has already mastered the skill being
documented. Additionally, such leaders would have no say in
whether individuals receive documentation. The
documentation is automatically achieved when the objective
criteria is met. If organizational leaders feel that the
quality of current candidates' performance should be higher,
then the target criteria for future candidates is raised.
For example, from 7 digit numbers to 8 digit numbers.
Critics will say, "Sure, that works for documenting simple
number recognition skills, but such an approach wouldn't
work for complex grammar structures."
To which I reply that just as some software programs are now
"better at English grammar" than most English speakers,
there will come a day when gesture recognition software
programs will be better at ASL grammar than most ASL
speakers. This will sound preposterous to contemporary
readers of this article, but will seem patently obvious to
future historians.
Dr. Bill