What’s worse – the dentist or math?
10 Feb 2006 · Posted in Learning, Mathematics
The Americans continue to worry about the state of their nation – especially what it means for the future with China and India experiencing rapid growth. Some gems from a USA Today article:
- a Raytheon Corporation survey of 1,000 11-to-13-year-olds released last month found that 84% said they would “rather clean their room, eat their vegetables, go to the dentist or take out the garbage than learn math or science.”
- China graduated 500,000 engineers; India, 200,000; and North America, 70,000.
- Many kids are taught by teachers lacking a background in science or math, Augustine says. For example, among eighth-graders in a 1999 survey, 59% had math teachers who didn’t specialize in the subject. The international average was 29%.
But we all know where the brains have come from:
Today in physics, engineering, mathematics and computer science, more than half of U.S. Ph.D. degrees are awarded to non-U.S. citizens, says the National Science Foundation.
The end of US domination is in sight…?
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