Education, Students, and the future of USA

For a few years now we have heard the warnings from Technology company CEOs such as Bill Gates, Craig Barrett et all about the skills shortage in Math, Science, and in Engineering. We also have been seeing a steady stream of technology jobs leave USA soil and go to the shores of India, China, Vietnam etc. In this backdrop, it was refreshing to see the Wall Stree Journal article "High Schools Add Classes Scripted by Corporations" on March 6, 2008 in Page A1 (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120476410964115117.html). Finally corporations are doing something about it and not just blaming the Federal and State governments.

To encourage high school students to acquire Math, Science, and Engineering knowledge, in addition to the standard lures such as "better paying jobs", "better lifestyles" etc., schools should be able to pique the curiosity of students in new and interesting ways. Fundamentally we humans are a curious race and high school students are the most curious people! In fact a whole new musical, Spring Awakening, is on Broadway. It is just that the curiosity has to be channeled in the right paths.

Here is one way that I think high school students' interest could be grabbed. Test taking has been a bug-bear for many a student. What if the test were administered on an iPhone or any other mobile device? After all we all know, high schoolers are the most avid users of SMS, MMS, and other messaging on mobile devices?

I know what you are thinking, "cheating" and "plagiarism"! What if the teacher with the click of a few buttons could administer a unique test to each student? I know cell phones are banned in New York city public schools for instance, but what if we actually embraced practical technology in the class room?

Let me know your ideas!