The need for effective study skills under the 21st century: a case of USA and KENYA
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IMHOTEP Mathematical Proceedings
Abstract
The current world is operating in an economy that values creativity and innovation
for scientific and technological development. Education gives people appropriate skills and
knowledge they need to address their social problems. Mathematics and Science education
is at the centre of this and needs to be at the forefront to connect the present to the future.
The fact that a new generation of learners is in our classrooms requiring a paradigm shift
in pedagogy is indisputable. Teaching in the same old way and emphasis on examinations,
grades, certificates as well as lack of basic facilities have affected learning by generation Y
students. As a result, Kenya like the United States of America faces a myriad of problems
despite the fact that the youth is a reach reservoir for development. More than 50 per cent
of the world's gold reserves, diamond, manganese, chromium, and cobalt are in Africa yet
Africans live in the poorest situations imaginable. The United States, despite being the
most powerful nation on the planet has, in general, have poor test scores in mathematics
if results of international comparative studies are anything to go by. This paper argues in
addition to poor teaching methods, strategies, and techniques, the assumption that stu-
dents know how to study mathematics once in secondary school, college, and university
and the failure to teach the same is partly to blame since year after year, students either
drop out, receive poor grades, fail to attend classes and or don't take mathematics seri-
ously. Millennials therefore need to be taught study skills in mathematics to ensure quality
mathematics learning for creativity and innovativeness in the citizens. This will ensure
education empowers Kenya, Africa, and the United States for global competitiveness. In
particular, this paper intends to address the following current issues in Kenyan and Unites
States schools: 1. Describe the Millennial Student, 2. Ramifications for Kenya and the
United States, 3. Kenyan and United States curricula, 4. How to teach effective study
skills, 5. What is needed of educators, and 6. What to do in the future.
Description
Paper presented at the 2nd Strathmore International Mathematics Conference (SIMC 2013), 12 - 16 August 2013, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya.
The current world is operating in an economy that values creativity and innovation for scientific and technological development. Education gives people appropriate skills and knowledge they need to address their social problems. Mathematics and Science education is at the centre of this and needs to be at the forefront to connect the present to the future. The fact that a new generation of learners is in our classrooms requiring a paradigm shift in pedagogy is indisputable. Teaching in the same old way and emphasis on examinations, grades, certificates as well as lack of basic facilities have affected learning by generation Y students. As a result, Kenya like the United States of America faces a myriad of problems despite the fact that the youth is a reach reservoir for development. More than 50 per cent of the world's gold reserves, diamond, manganese, chromium, and cobalt are in Africa yet Africans live in the poorest situations imaginable. The United States, despite being the most powerful nation on the planet has, in general, have poor test scores in mathematics if results of international comparative studies are anything to go by. This paper argues in addition to poor teaching methods, strategies, and techniques, the assumption that stu- dents know how to study mathematics once in secondary school, college, and university and the failure to teach the same is partly to blame since year after year, students either drop out, receive poor grades, fail to attend classes and or don't take mathematics seri- ously. Millennials therefore need to be taught study skills in mathematics to ensure quality mathematics learning for creativity and innovativeness in the citizens. This will ensure education empowers Kenya, Africa, and the United States for global competitiveness. In particular, this paper intends to address the following current issues in Kenyan and Unites States schools: 1. Describe the Millennial Student, 2. Ramifications for Kenya and the United States, 3. Kenyan and United States curricula, 4. How to teach effective study skills, 5. What is needed of educators, and 6. What to do in the future.
The current world is operating in an economy that values creativity and innovation for scientific and technological development. Education gives people appropriate skills and knowledge they need to address their social problems. Mathematics and Science education is at the centre of this and needs to be at the forefront to connect the present to the future. The fact that a new generation of learners is in our classrooms requiring a paradigm shift in pedagogy is indisputable. Teaching in the same old way and emphasis on examinations, grades, certificates as well as lack of basic facilities have affected learning by generation Y students. As a result, Kenya like the United States of America faces a myriad of problems despite the fact that the youth is a reach reservoir for development. More than 50 per cent of the world's gold reserves, diamond, manganese, chromium, and cobalt are in Africa yet Africans live in the poorest situations imaginable. The United States, despite being the most powerful nation on the planet has, in general, have poor test scores in mathematics if results of international comparative studies are anything to go by. This paper argues in addition to poor teaching methods, strategies, and techniques, the assumption that stu- dents know how to study mathematics once in secondary school, college, and university and the failure to teach the same is partly to blame since year after year, students either drop out, receive poor grades, fail to attend classes and or don't take mathematics seri- ously. Millennials therefore need to be taught study skills in mathematics to ensure quality mathematics learning for creativity and innovativeness in the citizens. This will ensure education empowers Kenya, Africa, and the United States for global competitiveness. In particular, this paper intends to address the following current issues in Kenyan and Unites States schools: 1. Describe the Millennial Student, 2. Ramifications for Kenya and the United States, 3. Kenyan and United States curricula, 4. How to teach effective study skills, 5. What is needed of educators, and 6. What to do in the future.
Keywords
Kenya, United States, millennials, education, globalization, study skills, empowerment.