Whatever the system, somebody will figure out an effective way to maximize it, and what they do will often not resemble what you thought the system was supposed to be doing (in this case, educating the public.)
I haven't made this connection before, but thanks to your comment I see how true this is now: Even gamers suffer from this.
I think this phenomenon is very related to Goodhart's Law:
If you start to measure how many papers are produced to measure education or how many points players made to measure fun, they cease to be good measures.
I think this phenomenon is also very related to Goodhart's Law.
Yes! Good connection. A lot of weird stuff bundled together.
Here's the most ridiculous example I've ever heard of for the sheer mad stupidity of how this works.
reply
Here's the most ridiculous example I've ever heard of for the sheer mad stupidity of how this works.
This reminded me of how I never understood what I read when it was my turn to read out loud in primary school.
I always had to read it again on my own.
reply