The issue of education reform has been a pressing issue in the United States in recent years, with some people putting forward the argument that the country is in dire need of changes to its current system. A country cannot remain stagnant in terms of its education; it is arguable that it needs to constantly adapt to the changing state of global knowledge and learning systems. The U.S. would benefit from education reforms, and will lag behind other nations if such reforms are not implemented.
One type of reform that the U.S. could benefit from is free tuition and higher education. Academics have linked free higher education to reductions in the economic problems that are faced by low-income students (Mazilu 15). This means that reforms of this nature could help to narrow the gap between the academic attainment of the middle and working classes. It could improve the pool of people who have attended university, resulting in an increase in the educated workforce. Free tuition at other levels could ensure that more people are equipped to take advantage of the free university education that is on offer.
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It is notable that educational reforms in other nations have led to substantial improvements in educational outcomes. In 2001, the Chinese city of Shanghai implemented a number of reforms to its education system. Educators changed the contents of examinations, put measures in place that were aimed at increasing student engagement, and made alterations to the curriculum. Experts have indicated that students in the city now take in a broader variety of knowledge as a result of these measures. Canada is yet another success story with regards to educational reforms. In 2003, there was a radical overhaul of the education system within the province of Ontario. It resulted in enhanced graduation rates, increased elementary numeracy and literacy, and fewer low-performing schools. Overall, it was an overwhelming success. Other examples of countries in which education reforms have been effective at boosting attainment levels include Japan, Singapore and Germany (OECD 98-214).
It is arguable that what works for other nations might not necessarily work in the United States. Some might argue that just because other nations have had successful reforms, it does not mean that the U.S. would benefit from them. However, it is notable that with the exception of China, the nations that have been listed as examples of countries that have enhanced their education systems via reforms are all affluent, developed nations, meaning that they have a great deal in common with America. Whilst it is true that they are culturally distinct, each one implemented reforms that were tailored towards their individual cultures and requirements (OECD 98-214). If the United States did the same then there is no reason why it would not witness similar improvements to the state of its residents’ education. The same positive effect that was brought about in Japan, Singapore, Germany, and Canada would be likely to be realized in the United States.
It is also notable that research by Harvard University indicates that the current U.S. education system is outdated. According to Tony Wagner, who was one of the researchers, schools in America educate in order to impart knowledge to children, whereas educators should be concentrating on teaching students how to use knowledge (Swallow). ‘Today knowledge is ubiquitous, constantly changing, growing exponentially… Today knowledge is free. It’s like air, it’s like water. It’s become a commodity… There’s no competitive advantage today in knowing more than the person next to you’ (Wagner, qtd. in Swallow), he says. It is clear that he believes that the purpose of teaching is different to what it once was. With this in mind, it could be argued that it is pointless to carry on teaching in the same way as before. All this does is fill pupils up with useless knowledge rather than equipping them with the necessary skills that are required in order to effectively utilize the knowledge that they already possess. Critics might argue that Wagner is wrong and that there will never come a point when knowledge is disposable. However, the very fact that Wagner believes this to be true suggests that knowledge is worth less than it once was, indicating that a change in educational methods is required.
In conclusion, it is essential for the United States to implement educational reforms in order to prevent it from lagging behind other nations. Not only is its education system poor compared to that of many other first world nations, but it has also fallen behind Russia in this respect. Education reforms have been successful in numerous other countries, indicating their effectiveness. The U.S. would clearly benefit from following the examples of these nations. It is also notable that the nature of education has changed and evolved. It is no longer aimed solely at endowing students with knowledge; nowadays, it is more important for them to learn how to utilize their knowledge. The teaching methods that are used in the United States are in need of a radical overhaul in order to accommodate this change.
