Twelve years ago, I started using the phrase "recursive remediation" to refer to the bizarre effect that hypertrophied assessment has on pedagogy.
It begins by saying "Our students will never [X]; they can't even [Y]!" where X is some mature intellectual task and Y is e.g., spelling their own name, writing a complete sentence, reading a news article.
"They'll never understand Moby-Dick; they can't even read the syllabus!"
"They'll never write a legal brief; they can't write an email!" 1/7