This topic seeks to identify the barriers to achieving the best of education for our sons and daughters and to discuss the reason why America has fallen behind some countries of the world in mathematics and science. The OECD, Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development in 2009 reported that the United States is ranked 25th and 24th among other developed nations in math and science assessment scores, respectively.
According to figures cited by the Secretary of Education Arne Duncan sometime in August of 2009, he noted that a report by the NCES, National Center for Education Statistics, American 15 year olds were compared with peers from other countries of the world in the Organization for Economic Development and was found that our students performed at below average in math and science. In mathematics our high school students were in the bottom 25% of the countries that took part and American students were behind countries like Finland, China, and Estonia. Unbelievable you might say, but that is our story.
In 2011, the OECD, Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development rankings placed American students at the 23rd position in science and 32nd in math ability levels. What is it going to take to make math and science a priority in our schools and colleges? OECD report has it that students from China came first in math, science, and reading in OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment this year.
What will it take for the ‘giant’ to wake up from its slumber?
I think that it may take an increased awareness of the benefits and importance of math and science in amongst the youth in America to improve scores. The correlation between technological advancement and high scores in math and science is worthy of note. Students who live in technologically advance countries have shown high scores in math and science due to the fact that the benefits of these subjects can be seen and felt in their daily lives and their parents as well as schools are more likely emphasize the importance of high grades in those subjects. American schools seem to lack this focus on the benefits. I might be wrong but this is my take on the possible cause of low scores in math and science amongst American students.
ReplyDeleteI think you are absolutely right because I also share that opinion. I feel that America is mostly focused on the social aspect of education as opposed to the technological aspect. I think that the earlier America realizes and begins to emphasize the importance of technology to its students, the earlier they will start being able to compete with other countries in math and science.
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ReplyDeleteI admire both comments and as an educator out to make an indelible impact in education of students in my environment, I would like to know specifically how these emphases are made in the countries Charles mentioned.
ReplyDeleteThe reason I ask this question is because in most of our low income neighborhood schools, student see mostly people who have no jobs yet they drive the flashiest of cars and these are the role models they see every day of their lives.
This false sense of wealth has permeated the fabric of the American society especially in the very low socio-economic neighborhoods. Will education in our schools be enough? At what level of our educational system should we start?