While your observations about many of the Asian schools are insightful, I would also counter that American students would unquestionably benefit from some of their discipline and educational rigor.
Teaching at the University level, it is all too apparent from my experience that a high percentage of the kids coming out of the public schools today are fairly lazy and expect to have the answers handed to them on a silver platter. Their experience has been if they don't or can't perform, the teacher assigns "helpers" (i.e., people who can do it) in some sort of perverse attempt to "group learn" the concepts. What this actually does is breed lazy, unmotivated and less capable citizens.
My suspicion is that most of these "studies" are aimed at reducing the burden on the teachers, not on improving the quality of education for students. Remember, lots of homework for Johnny and Mary means lots of grading for Mrs. Smith.
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Teaching at the University level, it is all too apparent from my experience that a high percentage of the kids coming out of the public schools today are fairly lazy and expect to have the answers handed to them on a silver platter. Their experience has been if they don't or can't perform, the teacher assigns "helpers" (i.e., people who can do it) in some sort of perverse attempt to "group learn" the concepts. What this actually does is breed lazy, unmotivated and less capable citizens.
My suspicion is that most of these "studies" are aimed at reducing the burden on the teachers, not on improving the quality of education for students. Remember, lots of homework for Johnny and Mary means lots of grading for Mrs. Smith.