editorially /peaking
The Milieu for Educational Reform The spirit of educational reform is upon the land, and the country appears to he responding to the numerous commission reports and studies published in the last few years. Increased high school graduation requirements and revised college admission requirements are some of the more obvious and common manifestations of this reform-mindedness. Equally popular in the high school environment is the search for ways increase the time allocated to academic instruction, enhance the quality of instruction through incentives for teachers, and imorove the curriculum. he recent report of the National Assesment for Educational Proeress and the steadv decline of Scholastic Aotitude Test (SAT) scores for more than a decade have elicited widesoread concern amone academic scientists and ~rohablv have spurred collegiate refirm. However, the recentl;released preliminary results of the United States' part of an international study on science education seem to be a t odds with the basis of the thrust of current reforms. The 1983 International Science Study (ISS) involved fifth- and ninth-grade children in public and private schools. Using the same questions for the 1983 study as were employed in a 1970 study, overall science achievement increased 6.5%for fifth grade students and 5.2% for ninth graders. In addition to the test items, the children involved were asked to give their opinions on statements concerning science, school, and the study of science. The initial analysis of the data indicates that ninth-graders find science less &joyable and less interesting thanfifth-graders; their enjoyment of school is about the same although their educational aspirations decrease in the ninth grade. Some commentators believe that these preliminary analyses suggest that science education in the 1970's has had a positive effect which is contrary to the impressions given by the National Assessment for Educational Progress' report. The preliminary interpretations of the ISS data (at least as it relates to American precollege science instruction) indicates to some that "US. science teachers are doing something right." The eeneral conclusions that derive from the NationalAssessment for Kduration I'rogress, on the uther hand, seem to eain some suooort from a Universitv of Michiran intr:rnath)nd k u d y which'hvolved testing and observacon of first- and fifth-grade school children in the United States, Japan, and Taiwan. The Michigan study concludes that the academic achievement of American school children in reading and mathematics not only lags hehind that of their peers in japan and Taiwan, but does so from virtually the first day they enter
school. The Michigan researchers suggested that the lower achievement of American students could be exolained in oart by data which show that they spend less time id school, d;less homework. and are more likelv to be eneaeed .. in "academicallv irrelevant" activities during class time such as whispering to classmates or wandering about the classroom. Indeed, many school districts-which in the American scene reflect local values-spend less time on tasks than any industrial nation in the world. For example, in Japan, public schools operate for eight hours a day, six days a week, and eleven months a year. The Michican study also presents interesting observations regarding home influenres on gra(lc srhool children. Despite the lower levels ut'achievement ut' American children, their mothers werr found to hr more sntisfird with th(.ir children's srhooli than werr mothrrs in Japan and Taiwan. American parents also place less value on hbmework and are less eager to push children to achieve. H. W. Stevenson, Director of the Michigan project, suggests that the much publicized problems of American education extend well beyond "in-school issues" such a s low teacher salaries and curriculum content. According to Stevenson, "The average American family does not take the responsibility to provide the informal introduction to reading and mathematics that you find in other countries." The spirit of educational reform is alive, but it lives in what superficially appears to be contradictory crosscurrents. I t could easily flounder for lack of firm direction. However, all the studies and the available interpretations could be correct and at the same time argue for reform. For example, the preliminary results of the ISS study address only the American component so that international comparisons have not been made yet. I t could be possible that the American fifth- and ninth-graders have improved their overall science achievement scores over the past 13 years, but they may still be lagging behind their counterparts in other countries. Thus, in a relative sense, which is probably the most important from a competitive point of view, we may not have made much progress. We should continue to encourage well thought-out reform initiatives because we cannot afford to let any opportunity to improve our educational system pass, even if data are available indicating that "American science teachers are doing something right." Nor can we afford to lose momentum. The opportunity to improve even a "successful" venture does not come often. JJL
Volume 61
Number 9
September 1984
745
