Education...who needs it?
This is troubling...
"A study released this week by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute--www.americancivicliteracy.org--demonstrates that the answers to both questions are no. The study concludes that "America's colleges and universities fail to increase knowledge about America's history and institutions." In a 60-question multiple-choice quiz ,"college seniors failed the civic literacy exam, with an average score of 53.2 percent, or F, on a traditional grading scale." And at many schools "seniors know less than freshmen about America's history, government, foreign affairs, and economy." (Disclosure: I am a member of the ISI's Civic Literacy Board, though I was not involved in preparing this survey.)"
That our schools and universities are not teaching American history and civics is unconscionable! However troubling this is, it is not surprising. In the 7 years between when I went through High School and college and my little sister went through the teaching process changed. When I graduated from High School, I could name and place every state in the union and name their capitals. My sister never had to learn that. I knew the location and capitals of the Western European countries. My sister never had to learn that.
If things changed that much in 7 years, imagine how bad things have gotten since then (early 1980's).
"A study released this week by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute--www.americancivicliteracy.org--demonstrates that the answers to both questions are no. The study concludes that "America's colleges and universities fail to increase knowledge about America's history and institutions." In a 60-question multiple-choice quiz ,"college seniors failed the civic literacy exam, with an average score of 53.2 percent, or F, on a traditional grading scale." And at many schools "seniors know less than freshmen about America's history, government, foreign affairs, and economy." (Disclosure: I am a member of the ISI's Civic Literacy Board, though I was not involved in preparing this survey.)"
That our schools and universities are not teaching American history and civics is unconscionable! However troubling this is, it is not surprising. In the 7 years between when I went through High School and college and my little sister went through the teaching process changed. When I graduated from High School, I could name and place every state in the union and name their capitals. My sister never had to learn that. I knew the location and capitals of the Western European countries. My sister never had to learn that.
If things changed that much in 7 years, imagine how bad things have gotten since then (early 1980's).
posted by The Lady Logician at
7:44 PM
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