This is pretty good stuff but

Recently I've been working with teachers on PBL and blended learning.  One comment I keep hearing from some teachers: "This is pretty good stuff.  I can use this in my (insert class title here), but not my (insert class title here) because of the End of Course exam!"

What does this mean?  Is PBL and Blended just fluff teaching used for courses not perceived as "critical" since there is no EOC test?  Does this mean the method of teaching used in courses with an EOC test is superior?  If it is a superior method of teaching then why not just use that model of teaching for all of our courses? Think of all the time, energy and money we will save by not learning about all of these other "crazy" methods of teaching.

If schools are going to explore strategies for teaching they feel are beneficial for learning then these should be strategies that are worthy enough to be used in every class.  If the strategy is not good enough for a class with an EOC then maybe we shouldn't use that method.

It's like we can't see the forest for the trees.  We need to start looking at the big picture.  It shouldn't be about the test.  It should be about the learning.