Globalization and Education

"Paying attention to the problems at the bottom is as important, if not more so, than focusing on the top.  The most innovative technology has limited use if the more than 70 million workers without college degrees do not have the skills to use it effectively.  The nation's low performers and schools should be a headline concern and the remedies are often to be found in schools only a neighbourhood or town away."

Making The Grade by Hal Salzman and Lindsay Lowell

Both the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) tests are great ideas and knowing the results is certainly attractive in the minds of many world leaders however, I have many doubts concerning the tests.  An obvious concern I have is that there are a number of cultural and societal differences from nation to nation that having an "even playing field" is almost impossible.  Children and youth are brought up differently and we know how much one studies is not the only reasoning behind how well a child or youth does on a test.  Their lifestyles and daily routines all have an impact on how well they do in school.

Furthermore, a concern that is not addressed or possibly is but is drowned by the sea of pride is that these tests results not only show how exceedingly well countries are doing, but it also shows the percentage of students who are not proficient in areas many acquire them to be at.  As Salzman and Lowell have stated we should be paying attention to those at the bottom of the list and finding ways to help improve their education because that is as important or even more so than only looking at the top performers.  The PISA and TIMSS tests was a great idea in order to compare the minds of students among other nations but the system is flawed by leaders whose only wish is to be on top and overlook students who have the potential but are nearly always forgotten or misunderstood because of their low ranking.