Dec. 7, 2006

The Need for Another Sputnik

The World Is Flat, “Rising Above the Gathering Storm,” and a slew of other books and reports make the case that for the American economy to improve or even keep its position in the decades ahead, the country will need a better educated populace, especially when it comes to math and science. No one can accuse politicians or college presidents of not giving enough speeches about the topic, but a poll released Wednesday suggests that the message may not be getting through to the public.

Looking for a job?

See all 217 new postings

Browse all job listings:

Faculty: 3,477
Administrative: 1,652
Executive: 163
FEATURED EMPLOYERS

In fact, it seems that call centers in developing nations have made more of an impact on the public than have Ph.D.’s from those countries — although their numbers are growing exponentially (including many educated in the United States). Asked why companies hire labor overseas, 85 percent said that the most important reason was cheap labor. Only 12 percent said that the reason is that sometimes that labor is more skilled.

The poll was conducted as part of the American Council on Education’s Solutions for Our Future campaign, which is designed to build public support for education. The poll focused on math and science education and found only a limited sense that the public grasps their importance.

Generally, the public appreciates some of the message of the reports going out — that the United States is likely to face heightened competition from other countries. And the public generally thinks those who do go into science and math deserve support and more scholarships. But as to whether more students should be encouraged to do so, and whether non-science students should graduate with more scientific knowledge, the public is ambivalent at best.

Noting the impact of Sputnik 50 years ago, David Ward, president of the ACE, said that “we need a better symbol or rallying cry” today. As of now, Americans aren’t sure they want to learn more science, which they think of as “difficult, uninteresting or poorly taught.”

In some respects, the poll results suggest that the public should be receptive to a message on the importance of science education. Americans surveyed think the United States is at the top of the global economy today, and yet is likely to falter. While few people believe that colleges and universities outside the U.S. are better than those in the U.S., the percentage who think American academe is similar in quality to institutions overseas (48 percent) is greater than those who assume that the United States is better (37 percent).

Those surveyed also had an extremely practical view of higher education.

Asked about the “ultimate goal” for a college education, here is the breakdown:

To obtain a particular degree: 6 percent
To become a more scholarly, educated individual: 14 percent
To develop personal, social and life skills: 10 percent
To enjoy the “college experience": 3 percent
To get a good job after graduation: 64 percent

Given all of that, it’s not surprising that the public expressed support for science education in general terms, and backed the idea of providing scholarships for those who pursue it. But nudge more people to take science?

Asked if they think colleges require enough math and science, the public split evenly Yes and No. Asked if students should take more math and science, regardless of their major, 54 percent said Yes and 44 percent said No. And at the K-12 level, 56 percent said that math and science requirements should be toughened while 39 percent said that they should not. (Numbers don’t round to 100 because of those who didn’t answer various questions.)

The perception (many would say reality, given studies of the relative lack of grade inflation in science ) that science courses are more difficult than other subjects also has a big impact on why people don’t enroll.

Asked to identify the main reasons students avoid math and science, here are the answers:

They think it is too difficult: 44 percent
They think it will hurt their grade-point average: 10 percent
They find it uninteresting: 17 percent
The subject material is not presented in an engaging way: 16 percent
They don’t believe it will provide a good job after graduation: 10 percent

Ward of the ACE said that he hoped his group would set up a clearinghouse to help colleges share ideas about improving science education and attracting more students. But at the same time, he acknowledged that the survey showed real challenges.

The public doesn’t understand — and needs to understand — that “some threshold minimum level” of math and science is needed in today’s economy, he said.

— Scott Jaschik

Want it on paper? Print this page.
Know someone who’d be interested? Forward this story.
Want to stay informed? Sign up for free daily news e-mail.

Comments

What jobs?

What jobs are available to graduates with strong math and science backgrounds? I have a number of friends who are recent engineering graduates (with lots of math and science in their background) who can’t find engineering jobs. While Sputnik did provide motivation, it failed to provide appropriate direction for school improvement efforts.

Jeremy, at 9:25 am EST on December 7, 2006

Sputnik Hysteria

It is refreshing to see ACE admit that the 1957 Sputnik launches were used to manipulate public support for higher education. Larry Arnn addresses this unabashed chicanery in his recent book (2004), pointing to the fact that few, if any, of the engineers and scientists that were educated following the Sputnik hysteria (which was not shared by the general public) contributed to American economic growth — they weren’t old enough!

No. FOr those of us interested in the history of the manipulation of public opinion, the recent attempts by the mandarins of higher educationto sound the alarm ring hollow. As Gary Becker shows, demographics have far more to do with the comparative slowing pace of innovation in the US than anything else. The recent success of Sinapore, for example, in bio-medical breakthroughs shows how important hearths of innovation are in drawing forth new talent, new creativity, and new excitement. Globalization is a straw-man crisis that bears no comparison with Sputnik. Policy mandarins will have to look elsewhere for fake crises to drum up sales for their clients.

Glen McGhee, FHEAP, at 9:30 am EST on December 7, 2006

Few notes

‘To get a good job after graduation: 64 percent’ — Well. Do our college courses designed for this? — It doesn’t mean it’s a good thing, but we do need understand students’ need in order to communicate with them. ‘They think it is too difficult: 44 percent’ — Well. Indeed it is and which is not going to change. It seems this is a social problem. Our kids just don’t like hard work. How to solve this? I used to hear a saying that “China’s leader are engineers while US’ leader are politicians” — No. I don’t think it’s always true. But this give us something to think about. Did scientists in given more respect or spotlight then politicians or pop star? I read a story about a high-achieving engineer who decided to go back to school and earn a MBA degree because his counterparts making more money than he did’.

Well. If science is going to be hard and low rewarding, I don’t think many people are motivated to learn it. We can it mandatory but that will only achieve the facial value?

I wonder if in our society, there is a mind set that scientists are ONLY good at science and that they make no good management decisions. The thing is that if scientists were able to comprehend the hard stuff, why we think they will have trouble understand management? Sometimes, chances is all it take to give people motivated. On the ohter hand,without good tech. background, how a general manager can make good tech. decisions?

By the way, Intel used to led by CEOs with tech. background.

Duncan, at 9:30 am EST on December 7, 2006

We have become users, not makers

We are all running around with iPods, mobile phones, using wireless Internet on our cutting-edge computers, obsessing about HDTV, etc. — and yet nobody sees the point of science and engineering? How is that possible?

There is a cultural shift from wanting to make new things, being creative and innovative, to simply taking what’s being offered and enjoying something that’s pre-packaged. Just look at YouTube and the likes, there is very little original content there, most of it is pirated stuff, cheap and silly knock-offs, and videos of sleeping cats. Is this the direction we are going?

We need a shift in our culture and in our thinking. But this is not a question of throwing more money at education (which could certainly use it, especially K-12), but that would require the media to stop rehashing the same ideas over and over, and challenging people to try something new, instead of immitating. It would require valueing creative and innovative work, instead of making a few celebrities and then obsessing endlessly about those. And we need to get out of our comfy chairs and start asking some serious questions.

I’m not trying to bash the media here, but a cultural change is not going to happen with a few decisions made by universities. This needs to be done in a much broader way or it’s not going to happen.

Robert Kosara, UNC Charlotte, at 10:30 am EST on December 7, 2006

They don’t understand why people don’t follow their orders

More chest-thumping from the federal techno-industrial complex. They aren’t interested in science or education; they just want to insure a steady supply of factory managers who will be able to support the bosses and bureaucrats in the lifestyle to which they have become accustomed.

Unemployed Science PhD, at 10:50 am EST on December 7, 2006

Made somewhere else

As Robert Kosara points out:

“We are all running around with iPods, mobile phones, using wireless Internet on our cutting-edge computers, obsessing about HDTV, etc. — and yet nobody sees the point of science and engineering? How is that possible?”

Note also that none of these products are made in the USA. iPods at least are designed here but probably the majority of modern technology is designed and manufactured somewhere else (don’t let the brand name fool you).

Rob Rittenhouse, CS Faculty at McMurry University, at 12:26 pm EST on December 7, 2006

Still not rocket science

” .. running around with iPods, mobile phones, using wireless Internet ..”

iPod — nice software (USA good at that), 1.8-inch hard-drive (first, big order), made in China. Not exactly the Human Genome Project — just quality design and willingness to risk, big-time.

Mobile phone — uses CDMA, a.k.a., Qualcomm of San Diego, CA. One person’s great insight.

Wireless internet — a high-end spectrum issue. Not exactly rocket science — mostly hard work.

For decades, the U.S. military has been the whipping-dog for certain elements. So defense funding was cut — no more Internet, Teflon, etc. Now — less basic research, which is very high risk and which 99% of the population does not want to take on.

Empty, political platitudes like “Sputnik” (the USSR was beaten, remember?), “return to the Moon” (why?), and “bio-tech” (very risky?) do little but fund lifelong politicians’ wish-lists.

IMHO, what is needed are brilliant, independent go-getters, willing to risk their futures for their dreams. Congressional earmarks for bus stations and “bridges to nowhere” ain’t gonna create the next big thing.

Bart, at 5:10 pm EST on December 7, 2006

Need is not at the high end

I am not at all convinced that we really need lots more Ph.D. types in these fields. What we could use is a better educated general workforce (K-12) and Bachelors and Masters level.

In my field (CS) many are still concerned about potential impacts of outsourcing and H-1B visas (I wonder what proportion of H-1B visas are held by people with no more than Bachelors and Masters degrees).

Rob Rittenhouse, CS Faculty at McMurry University, at 8:05 pm EST on December 7, 2006

Too many foreigners...

In my experience, the main reason why Americans avoid math, science and engineering can be summarized in one simple fact: we simply allow too many foreigners into America to take jobs and/or positions at our universities from Americans.

How many American college students take math and science courses only to have an instructor or TA who can’t speak coherent English? How many American students have had courses with non-American instructors who repeatedly insult America and display prejudiced towards Americans while giving favorable treatment to international students?If you’re going to get a degree in math or science, you can count on having a number of them.

For those Americans who do get degrees in the STEM fields, many potential jobs are either being shipped overseas, or the US government is allowing people from overseas to be brought in on H1-B visas to do the job for a fraction of the cost. If Americans try to further their education through graduate school, they will inevitably encounter the open secret that many math and science grad programs favor foreign students over Americans.

To reverse the trend of Americans avoiding math and science we must two things:

1. Reverse the trend of shipping science and tech jobs oversease, and limit the number of foreigners allowed to come to America on H1-B visas.

2. Limit the number of foreign students allowed to enroll in math, science, and engineering graduate programs.

rob, at 11:05 pm EST on December 7, 2006

H1B visas

“rob",

I am one of those “too many foreigners” here in the USA on an H1B visa.

I’d like to correct two of your misconceptions:

1) ” ... or the US government is allowing people from overseas to be brought in on H1-B visas to do the job for a fraction of the cost.”

H1B holders have to be paid “prevailing wage” or higher in order for their visa to be approved.

What that means is that my visa sponsor (in my case UPenn) must show that they are paying me the same wage that they would be paying a US-educated PhD holder for the same position.

Their cost of employing me is not a “fraction” of the cost of employing a US postdoc, but the same.

2) “... and limit the number of foreigners allowed to come to America on H1-B visas.”

That number IS already limited, there are yearly quotas of H1B visas.

Luisa

Luisa, postdoc at UPenn, at 3:01 pm EST on February 5, 2007

Visas and Such...

“Rob”

I’m an American through and through, but frankly I’m appalled that you would make such insular comments about people working on visas here in the U.S. We need diversity in our workforce so that new innovations can be dreamed up. If it was just us Yanks sitting around the boardroom table, we’d surely have a hard time finding new inspiration.

Oh, and one more thing that Louisa didn’t address about visa holders... the U.S. actually depends on those people to save us when we don’t have enough of our own citizens in a particular industry. Without them, the dotcom boom never could have happened because we couldn’t produce enough skilled employees quick enough to fill all the positions those new companies were making. The U.S. government had to increase the number of visas that were allocated for a few years and has since pulled back the reigns to give our own people priority. Unfortunately, sometimes our own people are just not as skilled or hardworking as those from other countries.

Please, in the future try not to speak out of prejudice... I’m sure your passion could be better used elsewhere.

sarah, High School Science Teacher, at 7:10 pm EST on February 14, 2007

Reply to Sarah

Sarah — Frankly, I’m appalled that you would make such insulting comments towards Americans. Apparently you believe that all Americans are lazy and ignorant. It’s truly sad that you have such a low opinion of your fellow Americans.

Do you encourage your high school students to go to college and major in science? Or do you simply tell them that they’re “not skilled and hardworking?”

As for prejudice, at no point in my post did I make an issue of any racial, ethnic or religious group of people. I only pointed out that allowing excessive numbers of people from abroad has lowered the number of Americans going into math, science and engineering. There is no prejudice, simply a statement of fact.

The only prejudice is from YOUR post where you clearly state your disdain for Americans whom you say are “not skilled or hardworking.” It’s truly sad to see you have such prejudice against your own nation.

rob, at 3:55 am EST on February 21, 2007

Well, Rob, I don’t want to get personal here but your first comments and then your reply to Sarah only saddens me and show that she is right in what she said. My first question to you would be why didn’t you actually reply to Luisa? Perhaps because she answered to your ignorant comments, or is it because she is an H1B holder herself? I’m just wondering.But I guess the point I am trying to get across is that you are mixing patriotism and nationalism with reality; as a matter of fact, like most of my fellow “Americans” you just sound plain fascist. The reality is that in our schools our kids learn so much less of what kids in other schools around the world do. The reality is that even in our Colleges and Universities students learn less things than others at foreign higher institutions. I have lived and worked in Europe, South America and Asia so I have a solid ground to say these things. It just saddens me that because we THINK we are the best, we treat others differently and don’t accept our flaws. What we have to do is learn from other folks that do things better than us and stop being airheads, because if we don’t our country will eventually fall apart.

John, I can’t believe it, Rob, at 9:46 pm EDT on April 5, 2007

Jobs Related to The Need for Another Sputnik

or search for jobs directly.

Chair, Public Administration
Southeastern University, DC

Southeastern University PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL PRACTICAL The Department of Public Administration invites nominations and ... see job

Computer Programmer
Mississippi State University

For information about current job vacancies, visit the Human Resources Web site at:see job

Student Services Officer
Yale University

General Purpose
Reporting to the Director of Admissions, assist in recruitment, outreach, admissions and office ... see job

Pharmacy Technician Program Department Chair
Corinthian Colleges

Everest College, a respected member of the Corinthian Colleges’ network of schools, is dedicated to helping students ... see job

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

The Carolina Women?s Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and RIPPLE: The North Carolina Human ... see job

Assistant Professor/Associate Professor
Western Carolina University

ASSISTANT OR ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION COLLEGE OF BUSINESS WESTERN ... see job

Assistant Professor of Speech Communication
Kentucky State University

The successful candidate will teach undergraduate classroom and on-line courses in speech, interpersonal communication, ... see job

Student Services Program Coordinator II
University of South Carolina

A leader in academe, the University of South Carolina holds the Carnegie Foundation’s highest research designation and is ... see job

Meteorology Tenure Track Faculty
Metropolitan State College of Denver

Urban College with 21,000 students at the base of Rocky Mountain, in Colorado. see job

Mitchell V. Charnley Professorship in Journalism
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota is a premier employer and a talent magnet attracting leading faculty and staff from around the ... see job