“Not everything that matters can be measured”
The Math Problem is a very interesting post from author Jonah Lehrer on the dangers of being “data-driven.”
It’s focus is on sports statistics, which these days are called “sabermetrics,” but I think it can easily be applied to other areas, including education.
Here’s an excerpt:
Here’s my problem with sabermetrics — it’s a useful tool that feels like the answer. If we were smarter creatures, of course, we wouldn’t get seduced by the numbers. We’d remember that not everything that matters can be measured, and that success in sports (not to mention car shopping) is shaped by a long list of intangibles….