The document discusses global competitiveness in education. It notes that while U.S. schools focus on math, science and technology, students need more exposure to current global trends. International test rankings show other countries outperforming the U.S. Top-ranked countries like Singapore and China utilize different education systems focused on bilingualism, critical thinking, and competition. To increase global competitiveness, the U.S. should implement curriculum changes emphasizing current events, foreign languages, and different cultures. Assessment and teaching methods could also incorporate more essays and real-world assignments to develop skills like problem-solving and communication.

1. Sarah Gioconda
EDU 274
28 September 2012
GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS

2. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE GLOBALLY
COMPETITIVE?
 Currently, schools in the
United States are educating
our students in
math, science, and technology
 To keep up with the rest of the
world, our students need to be
engaged in courses that will
teach them about the ever so
fast changing global trends in
science and technology

3. INTERNATIONAL RANKINGS
This is just an example of
other countries being
ahead of the United
States in international
rankings in the education
system

4. TRENDS IN TOP RANKED COUNTRIES
 The United States education system has been
pushed to the back of recent international rankings
 Our preceding countries are educating their
students under completely different circumstances
and have better test scores to prove it.
 The United States are the only country that uses
multiple choice tests on a regular basis. Other
countries use essay style question tests because it
allows the students to think critically and creatively

5. SINGAPORE
 Singapore is a relatively new nation with a surprisingly high ranking in
global competitiveness
 Because Singapore is so new, they felt they had to produce an
education system that would give the people in their community the
ability to get involved with the fast changing economy
 English is the primary language for education
 They are so successful and competitive today that parents are signing
their children up as early as age six for 2nd language classes
 Students are required to be bilingual; English, and either Malay, Indian,
and Mandarin Chinese must be taken in school
 “Streaming” is a process which divides the students up into types of
schools, each designed for a different college pathway

6. CHINA
 With over 240 million students,  The current senior secondary
China has the largest education school curriculum requires
system in the world students to take the majority of
 Within recent years, China has their courses in
adapted two new curriculums: language, mathematics, ideology
 The first, gives students the
and political thought, and history
skills to adapt to the  In the Two million minutes
changing global economy video, the boy from China was so
and lifelong learning skills focused on schoolwork that he
 The second, involves
didn’t have time for a job or to go
practical learning skills such out with friends. He didn’t even
as, problem solving, make it into his first college
collaboration, and choice program despite all the
communication work he put into getting there
because China’s education
system is so competitive

7. LEARNING FROM OUR COMPETITORS
 In order to become more globally competitive, our
education systems need to implement changes on
our current curriculum, teaching staff, medium of
assessments, and assignments

8. CIRRICULUM
What we need:
 Current Events- to keep students aware of the changing
world around them
 Science and Technology- to allow students to dig deeper in
understanding and discovery
 Foreign Language- learning (an) additional language is
helpful to students for perusing careers that communicate in
other countries
 Different Cultures- students need to be able to respect other
countries and understand their way of life

9. CIRRICULUM (CON’T)
 Redesign high school curriculum's to challenge
students further and motivate academic
competitiveness
 Have a curriculum that is more focused on the
deeper/detailed meaning of fewer subjects
rather than broad covering of many subjects
 Promote individual development in research
assignments that allow students to address the
global economy

10. TEACHERS/EDUCATORS
 In the United States, it is very easy to get a teaching degree
 We need to be sure that the teachers going into our schools
have the correct skills to teach our youth
 The teaching program in Singapore was much more in
depth and the teachers are regularly evaluated to make sure
they are performing up to potential
 Students need to be given the skills and attitudes that will
help them be successful and active in the global economy
 Students should be encouraged to actively participate,
which teaches them analytical thinking, problem solving,
and enhances their creativity

11. TESTING
 Instead of multiple choice style questions
where students are memorizing facts,
students should be given essay style
questions that analyze details and promote
writing skills

12. ASSIGNMENTS
 To enhance communication skills, critical thinking, and
problem solving ability, students need to be challenged on a
regular basis with assignments such as:
 Open-ended essays
 Science projects that relate to current global situations
 Presenting research related inquiry

13. REFRENCES
Readings:
Darling-Hammond, Linda, and Laura McCloskey. “What Would It Mean to be
Internationally Competitive?” Assessment for Learning Around the World.
90.04 (2008): 263-272. Print
Learning From Singapore: The Findings of a Delegation of North Carolinians That Examined
Education and the Economy. 2008. 1-32. Print.
Mazurek, Kas, and Margret Winzer. Schooling Around the World. Boston: Pearson
Education, 2006. 72-83. Print
Stewart, Vivien. “Becoming Citizens of the World.” Prepared Graduate. 64.7 (2007): 8-14.
Print
Pictures:
http://media.oregonlive.com/education_impact/photo/10983803-large.jpg
httpwww.usatoday.com/news/education/story/2012-02-16/us-schools-global-
ranking/53110494/1://
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17585201
http://www.mapsofworld.com/images/world-countries-flags/singapore-flag.gif