american dumbasses

[sys]

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-27442541

[DQ12]

Kansas looking studly at numero 20 in the world.  In your face you Iceland nimwits. Kiss our BUTTS

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

We just need to throw more money at it and everything will be ok.

[Fedor]

I am glad that I am good at maths.

[michigancat]

I'm happy for the rest the world

[Dugout DickStone]

being good at maths is apparently not very importants.

[Rage Against the McKee]

Hopefully common core fixes this.

[slobber]

No Child Left Behind. (But since we suck at maths, we can claim 0=38%)

[8manpick]

11th best state!

[8manpick]

11th best state!

Maybe 18th though, not really sure

[steve dave]

specialization

[michigancat]

I am glad that I am good at maths.

I mean, WTF BBC. At least we don't speak English like a bunch of dweebs.

[sys]

it figures you all would pick that out as worthy of comment.

[michigancat]

Did anyone read the release of the study?

http://www.hks.harvard.edu/pepg/PDF/Papers/PEPG14-01_NotJust.pdf

So in all seriousness, how is "proficiency" defined? Why are they only comparing 15 year olds and not 7, 10, 15, and 18 year olds?

[sys]

Did anyone read the release of the study?

http://www.hks.harvard.edu/pepg/PDF/Papers/PEPG14-01_NotJust.pdf

So in all seriousness, how is "proficiency" defined? Why are they only comparing 15 year olds and not 7, 10, 15, and 18 year olds?

didn't read the study.  still could answer your "question" in about two minutes of googling.

The proficiency and advanced standards used in this study follow those
developed by NAEP. The NAEP assessment identifies 34.7 percent of U.S. 8th
graders as proficient in math in 2011. To equate proficiency and advanced
performance rates across states and countries, we execute a crosswalk between
the NAEP and PISA tests by identifying levels of performance on PISA that
yield equivalent proportions of U.S. students as meet the NAEP proficiency and
advanced standards. To execute this crosswalk between the two tests, we assume
that all those who pass the NAEP proficiency bar in 8th grade will pass a similar
threshold on the PISA test the next year.

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/mathematics/interpret_results.aspx

[michigancat]

That doesn't define proficiency or why only 15 year-olds are compared.

[michigancat]

Here is the definition of math proficiency for eighth graders:

Eighth-grade students performing at the Proficient level should apply mathematical concepts and procedures consistently to complex problems in the five NAEP content areas.

Eighth-graders performing at the Proficient level should be able to conjecture, defend their ideas, and give supporting examples. They should understand the connections between fractions, percents, decimals, and other mathematical topics such as algebra and functions. Students at this level are expected to have a thorough understanding of Basic level arithmetic operations—an understanding sufficient for problem solving in practical situations.
Quantity and spatial relationships in problem solving and reasoning should be familiar to them, and they should be able to convey underlying reasoning skills beyond the level of arithmetic. They should be able to compare and contrast mathematical ideas and generate their own examples. These students should make inferences from data and graphs, apply properties of informal geometry, and accurately use the tools of technology. Students at this level should understand the process of gathering and organizing data and be able to calculate, evaluate, and communicate results within the domain of statistics and probability.

[chum1]

I mean, yeah, we mostly just care about money.  If we learn that we've been in denial all along and don't actually need to maintain great academics in order to be able to continue to flaunt our shiny toys in front of the rest of the world, then all the better for us, right?

[sys]

it does define proficiency.  in the link (are eighth graders 15?  dkdc).  if you want technical info on the test i have no doubt you can find it if you spend a few minutes looking.

didn't respond to your "why 15?" question because it was inane.  reminds me of the worst comments you get in peer-review.  do your own study if you don't like the one i did, dumbass.

Proficient
(299)    

Eighth-grade students performing at the Proficient level should apply mathematical concepts and procedures consistently to complex problems in the five NAEP content areas.

Eighth-graders performing at the Proficient level should be able to conjecture, defend their ideas, and give supporting examples. They should understand the connections between fractions, percents, decimals, and other mathematical topics such as algebra and functions. Students at this level are expected to have a thorough understanding of Basic level arithmetic operations—an understanding sufficient for problem solving in practical situations.

Quantity and spatial relationships in problem solving and reasoning should be familiar to them, and they should be able to convey underlying reasoning skills beyond the level of arithmetic. They should be able to compare and contrast mathematical ideas and generate their own examples. These students should make inferences from data and graphs, apply properties of informal geometry, and accurately use the tools of technology. Students at this level should understand the process of gathering and organizing data and be able to calculate, evaluate, and communicate results within the domain of statistics and probability.

[sys]

heh.  good job doing your own looking.

[michigancat]

didn't respond to your "why 15?" question because it was inane.  reminds me of the worst comments you get in peer-review.  do your own study if you don't like the one i did, dumbass.

I was asking why only 15, dumbass.

[sys]

didn't respond to your "why 15?" question because it was inane.  reminds me of the worst comments you get in peer-review.  do your own study if you don't like the one i did, dumbass.

I was asking why only 15, dumbass.

i know.

[michigancat]

What makes it inane? Wouldn't a comparison of adults be a more accurate assessment of how well an education system performs? Tests at different ages could help pinpoint the ages we are most and least effective at teaching.

[michigancat]

also:

Our crosswalk from NAEP to PISA aims to identify the relative performance
of students in the Class of 2015. NAEP examinations are given to 8th graders,
in January through March, when most students are 13 or 14 years of age. PISA
examinations are given to a random sample of public and private school students
at the age of 15. To construct the achievement comparisons for the Class of
2015, we rely upon the 2011 NAEP test and the 2012 PISA test. In comparing
the performance of the Class of 2015 on the NAEP and PISA tests at these two
different points in time, we assume that no event happened between 8th and 9th
or 10th grade that significantly altered the performance of American students
relative to that of students in other countries.

huh?

[sys]

What makes it inane? Wouldn't a comparison of adults be a more accurate assessment of how well an education system performs? Tests at different ages could help pinpoint the ages we are most and least effective at teaching.

wouldn't a complete census of the mathematic skills and knowledge of every person on the planet be a more accurate assessment still?  i wonder why they didn't do that?