Blog#4

I recently read an article about education in developing countries that I found very interesting. The article argued that stimulating the growth of education in science was crucial for developing nations if education was to be engineered for economic growth. This was somewhat alarming because it is exactly science and mathematics that the U.S. has suffered in because of a failing education system. I realized that the scientific and technological infrastructure the U.S. has today was built and maintained by older generations and that now with the current outsourcing this may put this nation in turmoil. I think that since modern science and technology are so preeminant in culture today that there really should be a greater emphasis on those subjects in lower education. Education can serve several roles, one is a propaganda role, another is economic, and yet another is philanthropic, but in order for a nation to maintain a role as a world power there must be an economic motivation. I think that the United States should implement a greater collaboration between the government, universities, and industry. The article I read simply stated that for developing countries to achieve greater levels of economic growth that they should invest a greater percentage of GNP to universities and research institutions. If one examines the history of education in America, one can find that this proved true and I would assume that it will still prove true. I think that the course education can take today is a political decision and politicians must carefully analyze the geopolitical situation around the globe to decide what should be the emphasis in education.
This also made me realize that education is not just simply to enhance man’s character, education serves a very real purpose for a nation and its global ambitions. Not only should education prepare an individual for the basic trials of life, it must also serve the ambitions of a nation. I think that it can be shown that sometimes education can be used in a crucial PR or propaganda role when trying to generate support against a national threat. Education can also create the type of citizens necessary to overcome a certain challenge. Since the greatest challenge the U.S. faces today is not military but economic—primarily the Chinese economy—it should be the role of educators and schools to teach their students how to succeed in an economy that is tied in to markets around the world. I find that it is in this way that education is the most crucial factor that determines the success, rise, and fall of any nation. I view it as a shame that developing countries are beginning to surpass the U.S. in technological fields where the infrastructure already exists in the U.S. if there was only a greater focus (hydrogen vehicles, biotechnology, fusion power, etc).