Evaluation presents two perspectives on learners. One sees learners within a process such that they do not even know the extent of the distance they must travel to achieve their outcomes. This perspective views learners like children who need external drivers to guide their journey. The other sees learners on a mission—they know how far they have travelled and how much distance still remains. This perspective views learners like responsible and aware adults who can formulate strategies responsive to their constantly evolving learning needs.
Consider elevator systems in large buildings. You press a button and wait. The car arrives, doors open, you travel. But dispatch algorithms continuously optimise across dozens of concurrent requests, predicting traffic patterns based on time of day, balancing wait times against energy costs, deciding which car serves which floor. You experience smooth vertical transport