Published by Brunsell on 22 Sep 2008 at 11:36 pm
Take the Test!
Quite often, U.S. students are compared to International students and found “lacking.” The Third World College Exam gives you the chance to see actual questions from India’s 11th grade entrance exam. Many of these questions would challenge the best U.S. students…and many U.S. adults. There is a lot of talk about reforming U.S. education so that we can remain competitive in a global economy. So, here is my question… Does this exam identify what you want U.S. high school kids to be able to do? If not, what questions would you suggest?
Ron Amundson on 25 Jan 2009 at 10:43 am #
I think its an entirely reasonable for an 11th grader to possess such a knowledge base. The concern I have, is whether scores on such a test would be based upon rote response, or a higher level of thinking… a cursory read of a assortment of questions seems to indicate its the later, but anything can be gamed and prepared for. It would be terrible to expand NCLB and its seemingly solitary emphasis on rote response across other subject areas. Its bad enough its used in reading and math.
That being said… what could be done to get us to such a point. I’m an older fellow, and during my time as a 17 year old I’m pretty sure I as well as many of my peers could likely pass such an exam. During the last 25 years or so, have things in education really deteriorated such that passing would be a rarity? If so, whats your thoughts on the root cause(s) and how to rememdy such?