A World Transformed:
Preparing American Students for the
Interconnected World of the 21st
Century
International Education Summit
Princeton University
October 27, 2004
Vivien Stewart, Asia Society
A. American students lack
rudimentary knowledge of world
B. Why International Education is
Critical
C. State Initiatives/New Jersey
A. National Commission
on Asia in the Schools
“Vast numbers of U.S.
citizens—particularly young
Americans—remain
dangerously uninformed
about international matters.
This knowledge deficit is
particularly glaring in the case
of Asia.”
July 2001
National Commission on Asia in the
Schools: Report Findings
• Levels of student knowledge are
rudimentary
– 25% of college-bound high school students
did not know the name of the ocean that
separate the US from Asia
– 80% did not know that India is the world’s
largest democracy
National Commission on Asia in the
Schools: Report Findings
• Most teachers are not prepared to teach
about Asia
– Of the top 50 colleges and universities that
train teachers, only a small number require
any coursework on Asian history for their
students preparing to teach history.
National Commission on Asia in the
Schools: Report Findings
• Language instruction does not reflect
today’s realities
– While more than one million students in US
schools study French, a language spoken
by 80 million people worldwide, fewer than
25,000 study Chinese, a language spoken
by almost 1.3 billion people.
National Geographic/Roper Survey
(2002)
Young Americans lack knowledge of:
• Geography
– 83% of young Americans surveyed could
not find Afghanistan or Israel on a world
map
• Current world events
– Young Americans next to last in nine
country survey of knowledge of current
events
Why is this important?
Increased knowledge of Asia and other world regions, cultures and
languages is vital to our economic prosperity and national security
• Globalization is driving demand for an
internationally competent workforce
– One in six jobs is tied to international trade
– Trade with Asia now equals over $800
billion per year
– Future growth will be in overseas markets
Why is this important?
• Access to good jobs will require these
new skills
– Future careers in business, government,
health care, law enforcement, etc. will
require greater international knowledge
and skills
– Note: minorities continue to be
underrepresented in international careers
and need to be exposed to international
content before college
Why is this important?
• New national and human security
challenges
– Terrorism, AIDS, environmental
degradation underscore need for global
knowledge
– US State and Defense Departments have
issued strong calls to develop higher levels
of proficiency in world languages
Why is this important?
• Increasing diversity in our schools and
workplaces
– Increased populations from different parts
of the world require a citizenry with
increased understanding of other cultures
– Hispanic population has grown 34% since
1995; projected to grow 73% in the next 20
years
– Asian and Pacific Islander population has
grown 41%; projected to grow 86%
Why is this important?
• International education needs to be a
two-way street
– To address tremendous misinformation
about the US among young people in
many parts of the world
– To promote mutual understanding and
problem solving
What is being done? National
• National Coalition on Asia and International Studies in the Schools: Cochaired by former governors James B. Hunt, Jr. (NC) and John M.
Engler (MI)
• State and Defense Departments call for K-16 pipeline in world
languages
• States Institute on International Education in the Schools: Two dozen
states work to improve international competence
• The Goldman Sachs Foundation Prizes for Excellence in International
Education: New awards to recognize pioneering schools
• New College Board Advanced Placement course for high schools in
Chinese; Japanese, Russian and Italian Language and Culture
• Sesame Street: “Global Grover”
• Committee for Economic Development Task Force on Business Needs
for International Knowledge and Skills
• Gates Foundation/Asia Society new network of International Studies
High Schools
Current State Initiatives (18 states)
• Governor or Legislative Commission/Task Forces:
Assess state economic and cultural ties to world and
recommend how to prepare internationally competent
workforce.
• Statewide “Summits”: Bring together interested
education, business and community leaders to utilize
existing resources and create action plan.
• New Policies and Programs: e.g. strengthening student
standards, new professional development programs,
elementary school language programs, harnessing
technology, creating partnerships with schools in China
and Mexico, innovation funds to “internationalize” high
schools
Recent State Reports/Publications
• Delaware K-20 International Education Capacity Study
• Kansas in the World
• Kentucky International Education Summit Report
• Massachusetts: Education and the Global Economy
Conference Report
• Report and Recommendations of the Michigan
Commission on Asia in the Schools
• Globalizing Oklahoma’s K-16 Curriculum
• Preparing a Citizenry for the Global Age (West Virginia)
• International Education Benefits Vermont’s Children
Need New Jersey Benchmark
Assessment
1.
New Jersey economic growth: Impact of
international activities on New Jersey economy
(top 10 import/export countries/commodities;
foreign employers and investment; tourism)
2.
What students learn: How international are New
Jersey K-12 student standards? How adequate
are state adopted textbooks re: Asia? What
knowledge of Asia/the world is tested by New
Jersey assessments?
3.
World languages: What is New Jersey’s
capacity in major world languages?
Need New Jersey Benchmark
Assessment
4.
Teachers and teaching: Are New Jersey teachers
required to take any courses on Asia? What
professional development opportunities are offered?
5.
Technology: How harness New Jersey enormous
technology expertise to increase students’
knowledge of Asia/the world?
6.
Education as export: Value of international
enrollments and international contracts to New
Jersey higher education
7.
State governance: Has Governor, State Board of
Education or State Legislature ever launched task
force or study of this?
“The compelling changes in our economy, the
dawning of the information age, and the horrible
events of September 11, 2001 and their aftermath,
have created an unprecedented need to focus on
international knowledge and skills. To solve
most of the major problems facing our country in
the 21st Century will require every young person
to learn more about other world regions,
cultures, and languages.”
--U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, 2003