77% of Oklahoma High School Students dont know who the 1st President was (1 Viewer)

[cdogg]

Besides, I bet that 99% of the people on this forum can't name the first actual president of this country without using a search engine. (Hint: It's not who you think it is.)

Samuel Huntington under the Articles of Confederation, but since that was a different government and Constitution, it doesn't count.

 

[mikaloyd]

You really can't equate carrying an encyclopedia set around with a device smaller than the size of your palm, that you have with you anyway at all times.

For better or worse, the past is the past. Education is becoming more specialized and moving further and further away from general knowledge. Apparently you don't realize it...but I absolutely guarantee you that there are several things that you do not know that your grand-parents thought was vital information.

Besides, I bet that 99% of the people on this forum can't name the first actual president of this country without using a search engine. (Hint: It's not who you think it is.)

Trick question. Canada has prime miniininininisters not pesidents.

 

[Jared1979]

but 99% of them know that Jesus played with dinosaurs.

 

[Casterfield]

You really can't equate carrying an encyclopedia set around with a device smaller than the size of your palm, that you have with you anyway at all times.

For better or worse, the past is the past. Education is becoming more specialized and moving further and further away from general knowledge. Apparently you don't realize it...but I absolutely guarantee you that there are several things that you do not know that your grand-parents thought was vital information.

Besides, I bet that 99% of the people on this forum can't name the first actual president of this country without using a search engine. (Hint: It's not who you think it is.)

John Hancock?

edit: guess not.
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[The Mongoose]

Let's come up with a complicated plan to talk Oklahoma out of all their money. It probably doesn't even have to be that complicated a plan. Let's bet them all their money that we know where they got their shoes or something stupid like that.

Then we could all split up the loot. Get a fish tank for SR or something. Really, they're pretty defenseless. We could totally get away with it.

 

[Anteros77]

Samuel Huntington under the Articles of Confederation, but since that was a different government and Constitution, it doesn't count.

I would actually argue John Hancock, since he was the President when we first declared our independance, effectively becoming our own country. It's not like the constitution hasn't been changed numerous times since Washington's day. We certainly didn't start over each time.

However, regardless of personal interpretation, the answer itself is debatable (and ultimately pointless). My point was simply that people (myself included) aren't as educated as they think they are. Just because some kids missed an unimportant question on a test, doesn't mean that the sky is falling.

Admittedly, I haven't done any research into this topic, but I would assume that these same students would do much better on a test about math or science, or any other subjects that are actually relevant to succeeding in the modern era, rather than irrelevant (and not even universally accepted) historical facts.

 

[Saintman2884]

Some of the people I've come into contact at USA are not so much uneducated as is the problem with applying themselves more into the classes they take. I can't throw too much mud on that wall though because I've had the same problem too in the past. Many on Sr.com can certainly vouch that I'm very good at describing certain events or giving a fairly consistent backdrop to quite a few things in more then a few historical settings, places, contexts, range, far more then just man on the street knowledge.

I suppose I'm good at describing the aesthetics of a situation and relatively consistent with more in-depth details, I've just had a problem for a while applying myself. It's no real secret either, it's not something I'm going to hide behind and blame on ADHD or Asberger's Syndrome. Anyone who is aware of what Asberger's Syndrome is also knows that it can be hard to accurately diagnose and treat because behavioral therapists can mistake it as being just severe OCD or ADHD case. It being a very mild form of autism makes it harder.

And I wasn't officially diagnosed with Asberger until a few years ago, in my mid-to-late 20's.

But back to my original point, I sometimes wonder if we're looking at the real problem with education here. What I mean by that is to say maybe the ways many high school-age kids learn or receive information isn't on our complete wavelength or maybe we're missing it more or not catching what we should instead of relying on surveys, in-depth analysis, research studies. All of these things have there upsides, but IMO too many more are posturing for what they think matters instead of digging deeper.

If It's okay with him, Let me use Razor as an example since he's teaches at a university level right now(or has taught FTM) how would he know what his students say about him at all times when there talking amongst themselves, does he know what they may tell others about his teaching methods, if they think he's a hard guy to get along with, does he know that that there might be some, if not a sizable amount of his students that won't take him again and advice others to not waste their not taking his class. Or how would he even know if any, if not most of them even liked or respect him. Razor couldn't, neither could I, because it's not Razor's job to make that judgment call. He is a teacher because he's telling his students what to think, no a professor's job is to teach his class on how to think in terms of learning English, Literature, History, Accounting and Business Management, and so on.

Take it from your own experiences guys, most students have opinions of there instructors, good, bad, ignorant, or totally off-base. But some can also tell which instructor is any good at all, or is one they going to take again. If you're good with the information, but not as good with running a classroom, most of your students will find out almost automatically.

 

[stunpals]

 

[daybreaker]

Editing my post: The test is fishy. I think Sooner Jim is right. Writing a more detailed post now.

 

[daybreaker]

The only criticism I could posit is that the OCPA is an arch-conservative thinktank in OKC which has criticized govt initiatives for years. The findings, true or not, could be placed in that context.

I think you are right about this. Read the actual report: http://www.ocpathink.org/publicatio...olume-16-number-9/?module=perspective&id=2321

Containing such gems as:

Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1789 that "Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government." Years later he wrote, "Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day."

The promotion of knowledge of American government and history represents a core mission of Oklahoma's public schools. They are failing miserably to fulfill that mission.

The results of this survey are deeply troubling. Despite billions of taxpayer dollars and a set of academic standards that cover all of the material, Oklahoma high-schools students display an overwhelming ignorance of the institutions that undergird political freedom.

A quote from Thomas Jefferson about how only the well-informed can elect a good government, followed immediately by bashing PUBLIC schools and how much of a tax money waste they are with supposed proof they arent informing our students well enough...


Sounds to me like their agenda is to somehow prove the only reason we elected Obama is because we're all mentally challenged, and the only way to throw off the shackles of our socialist oppressors us to make sure we're teaching students the "right" civics. (For example of the "right" text books, click here)

If Oklahoma schools fail to get their civics house in order, it would be conceivable to remove the civic education function entirely from the public schools, and to have it done better than is currently the case.

Gee... now why would a conservative think tank not want civics taught in public school? Is it because of a silly thing like standards requiring text books to be objective? Of course they are going to want you to leave this responsibility up to the parents... or hey, if youre too busy as a parent, I have no doubt the OCPA would be perfectly willing to provide your child with a totally free brainwashi...I mean...civics class.


But this is all conjecture (Probably right, but still conjecture)... Here is the answer breakdown:

This survey was done as a telephone survey of high school students. The fact that there are answers like "The Monroe Doctrine" at 2% means at least 20 people answered with that. If these kids are really this dumb, how would they even remember to say "The Monroe Doctrine"?


I'm wondering if they were given a list of choices, or if it was a robocall, and they just said "Press 4 for Monroe Doctrine"...


Because since 2% also answered Michael Jackson for "Who wrote the Declaration of Independence" makes me feel like there couldnt have been 20 students who thought that would be a good answer. Maybe in a sample size of 10,000 you owuld find 20 people to humorously answer Michael Jackson for that.


I'm thinking robo-call, and students were just hitting random numbers. Because whats more likely: That 98% of Oklahoma high school students are mentally challenged, or that 98% of Oklahoma high school students are lazy, and dont care about polls, and just wanted to get the call over with?

 

[SoonerJim]

In support of Daybreaker, here is the website homepage, chock-a-block with the kind of stuff which sends 60% of this board to the ramparts. As with the polls contrasting the physicians support for health reform, the context, questioning, and methodology all need to be taken into account.

http://www.ocpathink.org/homepage/

 

[saints2k8]

So who was the first president? Aberham Linkin?

 

[saints2k8]

He said Arizona had similar results, which left him concerned for the entire country.

Arizona also sucks.

 

[DangBeast]

Are we sure they didn't take this study in Mississippi and Alabama?

 

[Jared1979]

But everyone knows the only President is Chuck Norris. All others just play the part.
He has Harpers neck as VP