High-tech tots?

Science education: No reason to panic
Sent to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, January 27, 2013

The Hopkins District has introduced science education into preschool (“Hopkins School District takes science ed down to the next level,” Jan 27), apparently under the impression that the US is experiencing a shortage of science and technology experts.
Hopkins administrators may want to consult research done by Rutgers Professor Hal Salzman, who concludes that there are two to three qualified graduates for each science/tech opening: There is a surplus, not a shortage.

We are all in favor of high-quality science education, but there is no reason to panic.

Stephen Krashen

Sources:
Salzman, H. & Lowell, B. L. 2007. Into the Eye of the Storm: Assessing the Evidence on Science and Engineering Education, Quality, and Workforce Demand. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1034801
Salzman, H. and Lowell, L. 2008. Making the grade. Nature 453 (1): 28-30.
Salzman, H. 2012. No Shortage of Qualified American STEM Grads (5/25/12) http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/should-foreign-stem-graduates-get-green-cards/no-shortage-of-qualified-american-stem-grads.
See also:
Teitelbaum, M. 2007. Testimony before the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation. Committee on Science and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC, November 6, 2007


Original article: http://www.startribune.com/local/west/188615271.html?refer=y