Problem
Cultural illiteracy
Nature:
There are startling gaps in the knowledge of people in history, literature and other cultural subjects because of an over emphasis on teaching students how to think without giving them any content. Curriculum emphasizes skills over knowledge. Teachers are taught to stress methods over subject matter. Text books are flea markets of disconnected facts. Even testing programmes such as the Standard Aptitude Test avoid evaluating substantive knowledge.
Incidence:
A recent survey in the USA found 43% of 17 year old tested could not place World War I in the correct half century, 39% could not do the same for the writing of the USA Constitution and nearly a third placed the date of Columbus's first landing in the New World after 1750.
Broader Problems:
IlliteracyCultural underdevelopmentErosion of cultural identity Related Problems:
Computer illiteracyCultural alienationCultural fragmentationGeographical illiteracy Aggravates:
Cultural suicideCultural stagnationCultural corruptionEthnic disintegrationLimited cultural contextDestruction of human heritageInadequate appreciation of culture Values:
Illiteracy Subject(s):
Culture → Culture Education → Educational level
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Problem Type:
D: Detailed problems Date of last update
18.06.2019 – 16:46 CEST