This past Friday, I had the good fortune of attending the annual Maryland Society for Educational Technology conference in Baltimore. At this conference, I got to hear Dr. Zhao speak about the importance of celebrating what is working well with American education and he provided a warning to those who are leading reform efforts here in our state and beyond. We need to make sure in our effort to nationalize education goals and programs, that we don't eliminate opportunities for our students to engage in meaningful problem solving and opportunities for them to practice critical thinking skills. Here is an excerpt from the MSET program about Dr. Zhao's presentation:
At a time when globalization and technology are dramatically altering the world we live in, is education reform in the United States headed down the right path? Are schools emphasizing the knowledge and skills that students need in a global society—or are they actually undermining their strengths by overemphasizing high-stakes testing and standardization? Are education systems in China and other countries really as superior as some people claim?
Dr. Yong Zhao addresses these and other questions in his new book of the same title. Born and raised in China and now a professor at Michigan State University, Zhao bases many of his observations on extensive research and firsthand experience as a student in China and as a parent of children attending school in the United States. His unique perspective leads him to conclude that “American education is at a crossroads” and “we need to change course” to maintain leadership in a rapidly changing world. To make his case, Zhao explains:
- What’s right with American education;
- Why much of the criticism of schools in the United States has been misleading and misinformed;
- Why China and other nations in Asia are actually reforming their systems to be more like their American counterparts;
- How globalization and the “death of distance” are affecting jobs and everyday life; and
- How the virtual world is transforming the economic and social landscape in ways far more profound than many people realize.
Information from http://zhao.educ.msu.edu/
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