The issues of why gender differences in academic performance exist and increase with age was reawakened with the recent controversy involving the Harvard University president (previous blog entry).
Education Week published a recent article addressing this issue. This is a nice summary and there are links to other related articles.
The May 16th Newsweek focuses on America’s Best High Schools. Included is a ranking of the best schools based on a simple metric – the number of AP tests taken divided by the number of graduating seniors. The rationale for using the AP is presented in one article. The on-line article lists the top 1000 schools, but there is no search feature so you will have to page through the list to determine if a particular school of interest has been included.
If this issue interests you, make sure to read the author Q&A. The authors discuss their methodology and issues related to AP exams. While interesting, I do not agree with all of the authors’ contentions. One issue I feel able to comment on relates to the position of some colleges in resisting AP course credit. Among the issues raised in addressing this issue is the contention that higher ed institutions may resist partly because of revenue issues. I think this leaves the wrong impression. Passing AP exams (a score of 3) is only equated to a C college grade. If a student is truly serious about a subject area, it would be a mistake to accept passing out of an intro course with what amounts to a C grade. I agree with the sentiment that college bound high school students need to experience some more rigorous high school courses.
I do wonder about the motivation associated with AP exams. The number of students taking AP exams has tripled since 1995. Both of my daughters passed the AP calculus exam. The daughter who received the 5 took no math courses in college. For a student with real talent in this area, I wonder if this would be an outcome those pushing AP courses would want. The university math faculty had no opportunity to sell their discipline to her. Because she regarded math as simply another of the prerequisite areas she had to check off the list, she never gave them a chance. So when critics challenge the value of pushing college experiences down into high schools I am at least willing to listen.
This same article contains some data from a recent large population survey reporting that high school students are studying less than 20 years ago (34% report studying 6 or more hours per week compared to 47% in 1987).
The Mother’s Day Race for the Cure has become a tradition in our family. We participate in Minneapolis. Cindy is an 11 year (and two-week) survivor.
I commented on security issues associated with student blogs in an earlier post.
Here is a link to an article by MSNBC technology correspondent Bob Sullivan on the same topic. For those looking for data. the article contains numbers from a thesis by David Huffaker indicating the likelihood different types of information appear in a student’ blog.
Full Name – 20%
Email address – 44%
Contact information – 61%
Education Week’s special issue “Technology Counts 2005” is now available. I have not spent enough time yet to offer many comments. However, each issue of Technology Counts has had a theme. The theme of this issue, “Electronic transfer: Moving technology dollars in new directions”, is telling. One section is entitled “NCLB focuses on data tools.”
Anyway, for a start, you might consider the section describing state support for technology. The “abstract” – As states struggle with budget deficits, they try a mix of funding approaches to pay for educational technology.
I have been listening to the audiobook version of Thomas Friedman’s “The World Is Flat.” It is a great read/listen and offers some very challenging observations. [By the way, the material, including video, at the Friedman site is great.]
I came across another blogger offering comment on the role that technology has played in flattening the world. The idea of a “flat world” is a little tough for me to explain as the author might, but to me it implies that barriers associated with country boundaries are becoming meaningless and everyone (as individuals or companies) are operating on the same level.
I am a little futher into the book than the individual I link to above. Among other things, Friedman proposes some challenges to our educational system (perhaps more accurately to the students in the system). Here is my way of describing the challenge. Have you ever seen a t-shirt with the message to young athletes something like – “somewhere in a gym your opponent is practicing.” Friedman’s book might prompt t-shirts that say “Somewhere in India or China, students who want to be the scientists, programmers (or whatever) of the future are studying, What are you doing?).
If the issues of 21st Century skills and new educational demands do not make sense to you, I strongly encourage you to read this book and think about possible implications. Developing students’ skills, no matter how these skills are assessed, for the world most of us think we know is likely very short sighted.
On The Cutting Edge-ucation is a blog focused on instructional strategies for educational podcasts. Up since April.