List Entry: 5 Reasons Why Students Need Global Studies
Many schools across the country are focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education...and rightfully so! A good school should make every effort to prepare its students so they are capable of leading a productive and prosperous life. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for skilled and knowledgeable candidates to fill positions in "STEM" fields will increase tremendously over (at least) the next five years.
Public schools throughout the United States are also facing pressure to have their students perform well on state standardized tests, particularly in Math and Science. Failure to meet "Adequate Yearly Progress" (AYP) under the "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) Act usually meant schools spending more time, energy, and money into passing a state exam. While NCLB has been replaced by the "Every Student Succeeds Act" (ESSA), individual states are now determining which standards, assessments, and accountability measures they will use. Regardless of which state you reside in, state standardized test scores often factor into home values. High performing schools make every effort to maintain their scores while lower performing schools are constantly playing "catch up".
Prioritizing "STEM" subjects makes a lot of sense as schools attempt to balance their responsibilities of; producing valuable members of the workforce, meeting government regulations, and maintaining property values in their respective communities
The list below is not meant to criticize or take away from the importance of "STEM" classes, but rather to promote Social Studies (and Global Studies in particular) to the same level of importance. So why should students learn about Global Studies? Is it really necessary in today's fast-paced, technologically advanced world? See below for 5 reasons why Global Studies should AT LEAST be considered "on par" with STEM subjects.
1. Teaching cultural awareness during the formative years results in more rounded individuals. Students are able to see things from different perspectives which helps them to make informed decisions.
2. The study of different styles of government and economic systems prepare students to be informed participants in a democracy/republic.
3. Political changes across the globe and increased interaction among governments require understanding of different traditions and cultures. This understanding is the basis of cooperative problem solving in today's "globalized" world.
4. Global Studies cultivates critical and inferential thinking that has been the hallmark of American education. These techniques are invaluable to employers and essential to maintaining American economic competitiveness in the global economy.
5. Global Studies compliments a well-rounded education. Other top-achieving nations such as Finland, South Korea, and Japan recognize the importance of Global Studies by giving it proper weight in their K-12 curriculum.
This list was developed with the help of ideas from following resources:
NCSS: 2016 Talking Points for your Hill Visits
NCSS: Global and International Education in Social Studies
The Guardian
ASCD Express
Public schools throughout the United States are also facing pressure to have their students perform well on state standardized tests, particularly in Math and Science. Failure to meet "Adequate Yearly Progress" (AYP) under the "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) Act usually meant schools spending more time, energy, and money into passing a state exam. While NCLB has been replaced by the "Every Student Succeeds Act" (ESSA), individual states are now determining which standards, assessments, and accountability measures they will use. Regardless of which state you reside in, state standardized test scores often factor into home values. High performing schools make every effort to maintain their scores while lower performing schools are constantly playing "catch up".
Prioritizing "STEM" subjects makes a lot of sense as schools attempt to balance their responsibilities of; producing valuable members of the workforce, meeting government regulations, and maintaining property values in their respective communities
The list below is not meant to criticize or take away from the importance of "STEM" classes, but rather to promote Social Studies (and Global Studies in particular) to the same level of importance. So why should students learn about Global Studies? Is it really necessary in today's fast-paced, technologically advanced world? See below for 5 reasons why Global Studies should AT LEAST be considered "on par" with STEM subjects.
1. Teaching cultural awareness during the formative years results in more rounded individuals. Students are able to see things from different perspectives which helps them to make informed decisions.
2. The study of different styles of government and economic systems prepare students to be informed participants in a democracy/republic.
3. Political changes across the globe and increased interaction among governments require understanding of different traditions and cultures. This understanding is the basis of cooperative problem solving in today's "globalized" world.
4. Global Studies cultivates critical and inferential thinking that has been the hallmark of American education. These techniques are invaluable to employers and essential to maintaining American economic competitiveness in the global economy.
5. Global Studies compliments a well-rounded education. Other top-achieving nations such as Finland, South Korea, and Japan recognize the importance of Global Studies by giving it proper weight in their K-12 curriculum.
This list was developed with the help of ideas from following resources:
NCSS: 2016 Talking Points for your Hill Visits
NCSS: Global and International Education in Social Studies
The Guardian
ASCD Express
Ryan, this is a good use of the list entry. Normally I would recommend each listed item be annotated, but the way in which you introduced your list negated that need.
ReplyDeleteThank you Dr. Barber. I obviously wanted to make sure I included my sources but I didn't know how readers would react to my introduction. It was not my intention to "ramble" in the beginning, instead I was attempting to set up the reasons why Global Studies classes should not be overlooked in the 21st century. Thank you for your comment!
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