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Sunday, November 30, 2008
The (Mis)education of America (Lauryn Hill not included)
I hope that the Prawfs community, bloggers and readers alike, are enjoying a lovely holiday weekend.
I’ve been offline for a while, but I have been collecting a few topics of interest, about which I’ll post in the next few days. The first is a report by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) chronicling the seeming incompetence of Americans, college educated and not, in relating basic facts in American history. (Chronicle.com subscribers can see a summary here.) The report’s findings are based upon user-provided data from this quiz, which uses a multiple-choice format to inquire as to knowledge of the content of important documents, speeches, and eras in U.S. history. According to the ISI, over 1,700 of the 2,500 randomly selected test-takers failed; the average score was a dismal 49% (overall; the average for college graduates was also a failing 57%). Elected officials scored even lower, averaging 44%; the statistics about elected officials taking the quiz included such gems as the fact that nearly 1/3 were unaware that the inalienable rights referenced in the Declaration of Independence are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. To be sure, it’s a small sample, if a telling one (in a country in which 1/3 of high-school kids couldn’t find Louisiana on a map after Katrina, we perhaps should not be surprised that the branches of government are still a mystery to some). But are Americans really as woefully ignorant as these results indicate (and as an aside, would most fail the new citizenship test)?
Maybe, although I’m not sure this quiz is the best barometer. In reviewing it, I was struck by a couple of things. First, the last several questions are searching for ‘knowledge’ that is unrelated to civics lessons as one might define that concept—the study of U.S. history, government, and the rights and duties of citizens, for example. Second, those questions are also arguably geared toward a particular mindset or ideology: One question asks about the effect of international trade and specialization; another inquires as to what ‘fiscal policy combination’ is most likely to be used to stimulate the economy in a recession. I’m guessing that at least a few reasonable minds would disagree as to the proper responses to those questions.
That said, I do think that one thing the quiz results indicate is the need for consistent, thorough lessons in political history and basic constitutional enumerations at the high school level and, in my opinion, a broader commitment to liberal arts education in the university setting. (I’d also add a global component, but that’s a topic for another post.) Is it a pipe dream to want a bevy of citizens who are well versed in basic facts like the topic of the Scopes Trial? Or is it a professional/personal bias to think such a fact is basic—or that it is something that most Americans should know?
Posted by Nadine Farid on November 30, 2008 at 01:54 AM in Culture | Permalink
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Comments
Aaron
I agree, however, its about teaching people how to think. Social studies is about learning how to think as much as it is about being paid to explain The Crito.
Accenture consulting is a perfect example of an employer who will take people with all majors from History to Food Science. They do this because they just want people who know how to think and they will train them on the vocation.
The problem is, corporations no longer want to train the vocation (b/c it's too expensive) so they look to undergraduate institutions to train. This is fine except that it breeds a generation of college grads who dont know what the Federalist Papers are or any idea what is said in Plato's Republic.
Posted by: Anon | Dec 1, 2008 8:07:33 AM
I would like to note for the record that, though not a US citizen or resident, I scored 33 out of 33. (One guess.)
And yes, at least 7 or 8 of these questions, particularly towards the end, are not strictly civics questions.
As for the level of US education, as far as I can see people are complaining about the level of education everywhere. Over here in the Netherlands, the government just got a big slap on the wrist in a parliamentary inquiry into the education system, and in many other European countries they're also grumbling. As it turns out, the vast majority of people everywhere are dumb*sses.
(Don't even get me started on how many Dutch people would not be able to point out their country on a map of Europe... A travel programme many years ago always used to ask people who were on vacation to point out where they were, with tragic results. Apparently, not even everyone realises that blue represents sea.)
Posted by: martinned | Dec 1, 2008 7:04:03 AM
Anon, to be frank, I've never heard of anyone asking around for a recommendation for a good philosophy major, or looking in the phone book for someone who could explain The Crito.
Posted by: Aaron | Dec 1, 2008 12:18:52 AM
I completely agree and have been complaining about this since I was in high school and the curriculum was devoid of social studies electives. We (meaning the US) decided, sometime in the 90's, that engineering was the future and that math and science were our answer to Japan's tech dominance. That policy is reflected in NCLB as well.
College has become vocational and therefore the liberal arts education of years past is no longer. Think about it, how many universities (outside of the ivy league) are teaching the classics, and how many have programs in Business Construction Management (i.e. "How to be a General Contractor")?
Of course, supply equals demand...
Posted by: Anon | Nov 30, 2008 7:02:10 PM
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