Rethinking College Admission Tests | Rebecca Kantar | Talks at Google

TL;DR

Imbellus is striving to move beyond traditional standardized tests by developing new age assessments that measure how individuals think, rather than what they know.

Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING] DAVID BARRY: Today at Google we're delighted to welcome Rebecca Kantar. Rebecca is the founder of Imbellus, which is a company that is reinventing the way we think about human potential. Rebecca attended Harvard College, but dropped out at 19 to pursue her career, and has been especially passionate about thinking about education in ... Read More

Key Insights

• 💨 Imbellus is seeking to change the way we assess human potential by moving away from traditional standardized tests.
• 🧑‍🎓 The current education system perpetuates inequality by relying on tests that favor privileged students and limit opportunities for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• 🤔 Imbellus is developing simulation-based assessments that measure skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does Imbellus address the issue of cheating in online assessments?

Imbellus uses AI to generate unique versions of assessments for each individual, making it difficult for cheating or hacking to occur. The assessments are designed to be game-like, but different enough to prevent sharing of answers or strategies.

Q: How does Imbellus plan to measure collaborative problem-solving skills?

Imbellus is still in the early stages of developing assessments for collaborative problem-solving. The goal is to create a variety of assessment formats, including video call simulations and group tasks, to observe how individuals collaborate and solve problems together.

Q: Will Imbellus assessments have a greater weight in college admissions?

Imbellus aims to provide a more holistic and predictive assessment of individuals' skills and potential. While it may not completely replace traditional tests, the hope is that colleges will recognize the value of Imbellus assessments in identifying individuals with the right cognitive abilities for success in college and beyond.

Q: What about elementary and middle school assessments? Will Imbellus address those levels too?

Currently, Imbellus is focused on assessments for high school and beyond. The goal is to prepare students for college and employment by developing skills needed for the future of work. However, they may consider expanding to lower grade levels in the future.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Imbellus aims to go beyond traditional multiple-choice tests by creating assessments that measure critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and other important skills.

• The current education system, influenced by standardized tests, perpetuates inequality by limiting opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

• Imbellus works with organizations like McKinsey to develop simulation-based assessments that reflect real-world scenarios and cognitive processes.

• The goal is to make assessments less gameable, more generalizable, and relevant to the skills needed for the future of work.