Most US Youths can't find Iraq on a Map

[DanTMWTMP]

Originally posted by: klah

Originally posted by: Gunbuster
So is this a labeled map they used?

Heck I would have a somewhat hard time if they just handed me a map with blobs of color

If it was a labeled map then thats just really sad

This Is The Map That They Used

edit:

man now i can't sleep...u made me laugh my butt off: LMBO!!!!! soo freakin hilarious.....ahhahahahahahahahha lololololol!

 

[Nemesis77]

I'm taking the test right now. So far it seems that

Only 35% of americans knew the right answer regarding the population of USA

Only 42% of americans knew where Japan is

Only 80% of american knew where Mexico is

Only 16% of americans knew where Sweden is

My results: 20/20 correct

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: tcsenter

But they can find $100 designer jeans in the mall and they do have dad's sympathy money to purchase them...so I'd say it's a wash.

LOL! You are not far off.

This is really not funny at all, its a tragedy if you think about it. While I used to think that schools were failing to educate, I have since made a complete reversal of my opinion. The fact is, you cannot teach anything to a kid who doesn't give a flying turd, let alone entire generations of kids who don't give a flying turd, and apathy is the most daunting problem facing our schools and educators, not funding or class sizes.

I went to a pretty decent public school, in terms of academic rank and things like graduation rates, not in terms of funding or amenities. In fact, our school would likely have been condemned by today's definition of a 'disadvantaged' school. We had older books, rickety old desks, a few broken windows, water damaged ceiling tiles, cracks in the walls, an old boiler system that never worked right, so you froze your ass off in the morning hours, then sweated your ass off in the afternoon hours, among other things. However, nobody noticed or cared because our school was predominantly white, and there was no 'white victimhood' lobby to wail about the condition of our school. But that is another discussion altogether...

I distinctly remember several students who academically were just getting by, probably couldn't tell you the name of the then-current US President, but they had an encyclopedic knowledge of utterly useless sports trivia. They could tell you the names, numbers, stats, teams, years, colleges, home towns, awards, everything.

Its all about the priorities of the community, the parents, and the students, funding has little to do with it. Even in the most impoverished school systems, you can find children doing academically well. In the most well funded school systems, you can find children doing horribly.

I have all but stopped criticizing teachers and educators because I've gotten a glimpse of what they have to face day-in and day-out; children who don't give a f-ck about school, only about MTV and shopping malls and who's wearing what designer clothes and socializing between classes.

And it is NOT a teacher's responsibility or obligation to 'motivate' students who otherwise lack it, it is a parent's. Even if it were a teacher's responsibility, they will only be able to reach but a fraction of the student's who are not receiving the motivation from home, because that's where it starts.

So how do you propose fixing it? And why does it need to be fixed? Who's to say if memorizing baseball stats is worse than world geography? What makes the grind worse than the waltz?

I think you're just getting old.

 

[bizmark]

the really sad thing is that the U.S. respondents were often outperformed by respondents from Mexico, which I don't think anybody will argue has a better educational system than ours. 97% of Mexicans surveyed could find Mexico on the map. 96% could find the U.S. Very sad

of course the survey could be biased (e.g. if it was a phone survey, it only skimmed the top levels of Mexican society, meaning that only better educated people took the survey) so we can't make absolute conclusions... but I'd imagine that they tried to make it as unbiased as possible.

 

[BDawg]

Originally posted by: Nemesis77
I'm taking the test right now. So far it seems that

Only 35% of americans knew the right answer regarding the population of USA

Only 42% of americans knew where Japan is

Only 80% of american knew where Mexico is

Only 16% of americans knew where Sweden is

My results: 20/20 correct

But here's the good part: 98% of Swedes knew where Sweden is!

 

[Czar]

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
here is the "where is the US" question

Some Sample questions

It seems Canada did a bit better, but not by too much. I am dissapointed.

Interestingly enough, more Canadians than Americans could locate the US on the map.

that was the easiest test ever

 

[tcsenter]

So how do you propose fixing it? And why does it need to be fixed? Who's to say if memorizing baseball stats is worse than world geography? What makes the grind worse than the waltz?

I think you're just getting old.

As I implied earlier, sports trivia is utterly useless for understanding the world around you on a level any deeper than pure entertainment value. About as valuable as being able to lip sync music videos or imitate MTV personalities or part your hair in such a fashionable way as to be "in".

While I agree that we all need a little entertainment now and again, I do not agree that it should be in lieu, or to the exclusion, of a "real" education; insofar as schools and education are concerned.

How do I propose to fix it? Well, I'm not sure I've thought that far ahead. But I can with certainty say how it can not be fixed, and that is by throwing more money into the education system. This is a problem of priorities, which are derived from or set by the greater community and the home.

You can't tell me that an 18 year-old US citizen who doesn't know where the freaking US is on a map got that way because the geography curriculum in his school system was that unspeakably horrible. Every US child should know where the freaking US is on a map before they reach kindergarten for crying out loud. I may not have known where any other country was on a map the first day of kindergarten, but I knew where my own country was. GOOD GRIEF!

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
here is the "where is the US" question

Some Sample questions

It seems Canada did a bit better, but not by too much. I am dissapointed.

Interestingly enough, more Canadians than Americans could locate the US on the map.

that was the easiest test ever

I don't think that Christianity has the largest worldwide following though. I got that one wrong...

 

[Eli]

The current population of the US is only between 150 - 350 million? I thought we had like 550+million people here, lol.

 

[SnapIT]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: CaesarX
Just saw that on CNN. Turns out 1/3 of them can't find the Pacific Ocean on the map either.

I wonder what percentage can't find the world when given a globe

If those were americans... i would guess 2%...

 

[Czar]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
here is the "where is the US" question

Some Sample questions

It seems Canada did a bit better, but not by too much. I am dissapointed.

Interestingly enough, more Canadians than Americans could locate the US on the map.

that was the easiest test ever

I don't think that Christianity has the largest worldwide following though. I got that one wrong...

that was the only hard question on the test, I knew it was either christianity or islam but I remembered that Islam was nr2, so it had to be christianity

 

[SnapIT]

Originally posted by: Eli
The current population of the US is only between 150 - 350 million? I thought we had like 550+million people here, lol.

Nah, man, 9 million... here...

;-)

98% of the world is full, please delete anyone you can...

 

[SnapIT]

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
here is the "where is the US" question

Some Sample questions

It seems Canada did a bit better, but not by too much. I am dissapointed.

Interestingly enough, more Canadians than Americans could locate the US on the map.

that was the easiest test ever

I don't think that Christianity has the largest worldwide following though. I got that one wrong...

that was the only hard question on the test, I knew it was either christianity or islam but I remembered that Islam was nr2, so it had to be christianity

Correct, Christianity is the largest, then Islam, then Hinduism, and last (which is kinda strange when you think about china being so extremely well populated) is Buddhism... (those are the world religions of course, there are others)

 

[Zebo]

Geography is utterly useless for having fun with the people around you it's not on a level any deeper than pure entertainment value. About as valuable as being able to do operon models or play chess as way to be "in".

While I agree that we all need a little book leaning now and again, I do not agree that it should be in lieu, or to the exclusion, of a "real" education; insofar as schools and education are concerned.

How do I propose to fix it? Well, I'm not sure I've thought that far ahead. But I can with certainty say how it can not be fixed, and that is by throwing more money into the education system. This is a problem of priorities, which are derived from or set by the greater community and the home.

You can't tell me that an 18 year-old US citizen who doesn't know who Dr. Dre is got that way because the hip-hip curriculum in his school system was that unspeakably horrible. Every US child should know who has the home run record before they reach kindergarten for crying out loud. I may not have known J-lo and p diddy broke up late year on the first day of kindergarten, but I knew it was Barry Bonds. GOOD GRIEF!

 

[SnapIT]

Originally posted by: Carbonyl
Geography is utterly useless for having fun with the people around you it's not on a level any deeper than pure entertainment value. About as valuable as being able to do operon models or play chess as way to be "in".

While I agree that we all need a little book leaning now and again, I do not agree that it should be in lieu, or to the exclusion, of a "real" education; insofar as schools and education are concerned.

How do I propose to fix it? Well, I'm not sure I've thought that far ahead. But I can with certainty say how it can not be fixed, and that is by throwing more money into the education system. This is a problem of priorities, which are derived from or set by the greater community and the home.

You can't tell me that an 18 year-old US citizen who doesn't know who Dr. Dre is got that way because the hip-hip curriculum in his school system was that unspeakably horrible. Every US child should know who has the home run record before they reach kindergarten for crying out loud. I may not have known J-lo and p diddy broke up late year on the first day of kindergarten, but I knew it was Barry Bonds. GOOD GRIEF!

Just proves one thing, you cannot argue with ignorance... ;-)

 

[Zebo]

It takes all types to make the world go round snapit

 

[SnapIT]

Originally posted by: Carbonyl
It takes all types to make the world go round snapit

*smiles* yeah... i guess it does...

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: SnapIT

Correct, Christianity is the largest, then Islam, then Hinduism, and last (which is kinda strange when you think about china being so extremely well populated) is Buddhism... (those are the world religions of course, there are others)

Well, I found a link saying that if China hadn't outlawed religion, that Buddhism would be the largest...
Link

I guess you learn something every day though. I still got 95% on the test (19/20).

At least we aren't as dumb as Mexican students.

 

[SnapIT]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: SnapIT

Correct, Christianity is the largest, then Islam, then Hinduism, and last (which is kinda strange when you think about china being so extremely well populated) is Buddhism... (those are the world religions of course, there are others)

Well, I found a link saying that if China hadn't outlawed religion, that Buddhism would be the largest...
Link

I guess you learn something every day though. I still got 95% on the test (19/20).

At least we aren't as dumb as Mexican students.

*lol* yeah... that is something to be proud of... ;-)

And you are right, the only reason buddhism isn't the largest religigion (actually, it is) is because that would make the government in china second to religion... and they can't have that, now can they?

it's all about statistics... however, i do believe that when someone finally graduates, they will have reached the point where they could even point out europe on a map (not a european map, a globe i mean)...

J/K of course, i have lived in the US, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and i know, every country has it's fair share of dumbnuts (like the ones in the us who insisted that in Sweden we speak italian, german and french... no, i didn't know better just because i was from Sweden)...

I can tell you this, i have never, in my whole life seen so much ignorance as in the US... and i have never seen so much intelligent people as in the US... the contrasts are quite... not like anywhere else...

 

[SirFshAlot]

Lao Tzu would be very proud of these children

 

[Pastfinder]

I wonder how many of these stupid kids who couldn't find their own country on the map put an American flag on their car after 9/11. I wouldn't be surprised if they did it because it was the "in" thing. The media is to blame in my mind for most of this educational discrace. They encourage the idea that one's social life is what grade school is all about, not learning. Hell, I know beyond a reasonable doubt that I'm in college with people who would easily flunk that test. But remember, it's all about SAT scores and GPA. They don't mean dick. So long as you are willing to pay, they're willing to take your money.

 

[burnedout]

what were the Ed. majors? people who couldn't cut it in anything else, mostly. of course there are those noble few who actually care, but realistically, we all remember who these people were. and we're surprised they can't teach?

Disagree. A number of other influential, cultural issues exist than with the educators themselves. The real factors are, in my opinion: too many distractions in daily life; too much bureaucracy in the school systems; more single-parent families in U.S. society; far too much emphasis on "I want it better for my kids than I had it".

Geography is utterly useless for having fun with the people around you it's not on a level any deeper than pure entertainment value.

Disagree. From another similar thread: "You can do quite a bit with a geography major outside of teaching. Tourism, transportation planning, disaster planning, cartography, GIS, morphology (seismology, glaciology, etc), other stuff I can't think of right now." I'd like to add international affairs to that list as well. Part of the problem we have here is realization of the world around us along with insularity. Although domestic consumption is the main reason we have a trade deficit, it isn't the only one.

Thank heavens airline pilots and ship captains knew something of geography before the introduction of the GPS.

As a side note, environmental factors seemingly influenced the results of this survey as well. For example, there were more correct answers regarding El Niño from Americans than from France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, Sweden. More U.S. young people realized the location of Mexico than their French, British, German, Italian or Japanese counterparts. Fewer Canadian, German, British, Japanese and Mexican respondents knew the region exporting the most oil. Fewer French, Brits and Swedes knew the location of the Pacific.

Residents of Central Europe obviously scored higher overall on this survey than Americans. However, a quick look at their respective, physical geography provides some insight. One can easily transit through five countries in one day over there.

 

[scorp00]

Geography is totally useless. There's no need to know it unless your going somewhere. In that instance, you pull out a map and read.

Education majors are some of the dumbest people I know in college(not all, but most). No wonder no one is getting eduated. It's one of those majors that people transfer into when they fail out of some respectable major, and they get A's and B's with no effort.

 

[DonaldC]

I remember last year when a lot of students couldn't pass a general knowledge test to go to the next grade the solution was to lower the percentage of correct answers required from 70% to 60%. Is there any correlation. School has become a baby sitting service for working parents.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: scorp00
Geography is totally useless. There's no need to know it unless your going somewhere. In that instance, you pull out a map and read.

It's important to know what's going on around you. If you read that there was an earthquake in Vladivostok, or a riot in Quito, you should at least have a vague idea of where these things happened.