In this article we answer the following questions: 1º how education has changed over time
The novel coronavirus pandemic forcing schools to close their doors and in many cases switch to online education options does demonstrate how education has changed not only most recently but over the years.
A key part to how education changes over time is how teaching must change to incorporate new technology and topics. A decade ago, for example, it is highly unlikely that K-12 students would have been taught about any virus in the coronavirus family. Today, it has become essential for students of all ages to learn about the newest coronavirus, COVID-19.
Beyond what is taught and how it is taught, another aspect that has changed in the last decade is who is taught.
According to a release from the United States Census Bureau entitled “More Than 76 Million Students Enrolled in U.S. Schools, Census Bureau Reports” (release available on the U.S. Census Bureau’s website), diversity in the classroom changed in the decade spanning 2007 to 2017:
“In 2007, 56.7 percent of elementary school students (kindergarten through grade 8) and 66.1 percent of college students (undergraduate and graduate) were non-Hispanic white,” the release explains. “‘In 2017, only about half (49.9 percent) of elementary school students and 54.7 percent of college students were non-Hispanic white,’” said Kurt Bauman, Chief, Education and Social Stratification Branch. “‘Non-Hispanic white students now make up 51.9 percent of all people enrolled in school, compared to 59.7 percent in 2007.’”
This release from the U.S. Census Bureau also explains that “While the number enrolled in college was unchanged from 10 years ago, there was substantive change over the past decade — the overall number climbed by around 2 million from 2007 to 2011 before receding to 18.4 million in 2017. Today, women continue to be a majority on college campuses at 54.9 percent of undergraduate students and 59.8 percent of graduate students. Only 29.3 percent of undergraduate college students are attending two-year institutions.”
Let us address the elephant in the room. There is a subject element to this question. An individual school, class or teacher/professor could be held up as a prime example of how education has improved or needs to improve. In fact, two students taking the same class from the same instructor at the same time could walk away with vastly different experiences. However, let’s look at this question from a more data-driven approach.
According to the release from the U.S. Census Bureau:
“Since 2007, overall enrollment in high school has not significantly changed; however, more people are graduating from high school. The percentage of 18- to 24-year-olds who graduated from high school increased from 83.9 percent in 2007 to 87.5 percent in 2017. This increase has been particularly pronounced among the Hispanic population, which saw an increase in graduation from 67.4 percent in 2007 to 82 percent in 2017.”
So, does this mean education is improving? If a successful high school is one where the majority of its student body successfully passes all classes and graduates, then arguably this increase in the graduation rate shows an overall improvement in education.
The U.S. Census Bureau’s website also has “Current Population Reports” on its website, which break down “Population Characteristics”. According to the reports that came out November 30, 1970 only 42.0% of men 20- to 24-years-old had “completed 1 year of college or more.” The stat for women in this same age group was 33.7% for how many had “completed 1 year of college or more.” Keep in mind that in the release from the U.S. Census Bureau stated, “…the overall number climbed by around 2 million from 2007 to 2011 before receding to 18.4 million in 2017,” and that “…women continue to be a majority on college campuses.” So, it is safe to say that more people in general and women specifically are attending college than 50 years ago.
There is no doubt that the novel coronavirus pandemic will be studied in some far off history class. What technologies and teaching methods will be used remain at this time unknown, but it is very likely that the curriculum will include how this time brought both temporary and permanent changes to education. And who knows? Perhaps it will be a chapter in a larger history class about how education has changed over time.
Sources: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2018/school-enrollment.html and https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/1970/demo/p20-207.pdf
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