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U.S. Students Struggle With Reasoning Skills
sciencehabit writes "The first-ever use of interactive computer tasks on a national science assessment suggests that most U.S. students struggle with the reasoning skills needed to investigate multiple variables, make strategic decisions, and explain experimental results. The results (PDF) are part of the National Assessment of Educational Progress that was given in 2009 to a representative sample of students in grades four, eight, and 12. What the vast majority of students can do, the data show, is make straightforward analyses. More than three-quarters of fourth grade students, for example, could determine which plants were sun-loving and which preferred the shade when using a simulated greenhouse to determine the ideal amount of sunlight for the growth of mystery plants. When asked about the ideal fertilizer levels for plant growth, however, only one-third of the students were able to perform the required experiment, which featured nine possible fertilizer levels and only six trays. Fewer than half the students were able to use supporting evidence to write an accurate explanation of the results. Similar patterns emerged for students in grades 8 and 12."
Blatantly false. Since US kids have a problem with reasoning and I am not a kid I must not have reasoning problems.
See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
game developers are to blame for making games too easy and mentally unchallenging.
...teaching them how to actually think.
Fascist!
I rarely respond to comments. Also, don't ask for clarifications: a brain and Google are faster, believe me!
reasoning skills needed to investigate multiple variables, make strategic decisions, and explain experimental results
Those skills are all anti-american. You're supposed to follow the herd and believe whatever the preacher and TV say. Anything else isn't cool.
They need questions like:
1) Sally takes three plants and puts one in the dark, one in the shade, one in open sunlight. What is the most likely thing to happen next:
a) The DEA agents find the plant in the dark and bust her
b) The DEA agents find the plant in the shade and bust her
c) The DEA agents find the plant in open sunlight and bust her
d) Sally switches into the far more lucrative prostitution trade and dies of a half dozen STDs.
"Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
As a corollary, because these reasoning-challenged kids' brains are obviously made of wood, they are witches and must be burned.
My goodness, I think your logic has saved America!
You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
After watching the Republican primary debates, I certainly NEVER would have guessed that Americans had poor reasoning abilities.
There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
Rows and columns? Back in my day, we had to sit in hilbert curves, and we liked it!
I'll be 44 in a couple of weeks.
Another name for this is "job security".
Oh wow. You know, the people in Idiocracy are at least likeable.... what will actually happen might be so much worse. Also, it will not take 500 years, no siree bob.
Americans are dumb.
Really? From what I've seen Americans are great at talking. It's getting them to shut up that's the problem. Now, are Americans stupid? I can see that being argued successfully.
I drank what? -- Socrates
It's fascinating to see this poor reasoning played out on this very forum right now, right before our very eyes.
I don't get it.
DOH! 6*4 is 48. I suck...
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