Wasting US Research
by Miki Saxon
snow INSIDE classroom window
There is something wrong in the US.
We do the research, but the results are often implemented in other countries, with enviable outcomes, but ignored here.
It was adoption of the work of American Edwards Deming by Japanese industry, especially automobiles, that changed “made in Japan” from a symbol of shoddy work to one of world-class quality—decades before the US moved in that direction.
Despite being honored in Japan in 1951 with the establishment of the Deming Prize, he was only just beginning to win widespread recognition in the U.S. at the time of his death in 1993.
When it comes to education, it’s Finland.
Year after year, Finland is ranked as one of the world leaders in education while America lags far behind.
But it’s not that Finland knows more about how to build effective schools than the US does.
Almost all education research takes place in the US, and American schools can’t seem to learn from any of it — and yet Finnish people do.
Over time, the ideas have helped shape the Finnish education system as one that prizes autonomy, peer learning, collaboration, and varied forms of assessment. These were all ideas developed at one time or another by American theorists, yet modern American classrooms — noted for their heavy reliance on tests and teacher-guided lectures — bear little resemblance to those up north.
Bjarke Ingels, Danish architect of Two World Trade Center, Google North Bayshore and many others, made a telling comment that the US would do well to take to heart.
“The education of our youth is one of the best investments any society can make. In that sense, not investing in our future is simply the worst place to cut corners.”
It took the US 40 years to embrace quality and we’re still playing catch-up.
We don’t have 40 years when it comes to education.
Image credit: @ Detroitteach
