The need for effective study skills under the 21st century: a case of USA and KENYA

T. Olszewski, Peter; Owiti, Dickson  S. O.; Bekolle, David

Abstract

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.

Date

2015-02-24

Type

Article

Identifier

oai:su-plus.strathmore.edu:11071/3830
13.1007/s00009-003-0000
http://hdl.handle.net/11071/3830

Copyright/License

By agreeing with and accepting this license, I (the author(s), copyright owner or nominated agent) agree to the conditions, as stated below, for deposit of the item (referred to as .the Work.) in the digital repository maintained by Strathmore University, or any other repository authorized for use by Strathmore University.  Non-exclusive Rights  Rights granted to the digital repository through this agreement are entirely non-exclusive. I understand that depositing the Work in the repository does not affect my rights to publish the Work elsewhere, either in present or future versions.  I agree that Strathmore University may electronically store, copy or translate the Work to any approved medium or format for the purpose of future preservation and accessibility. Strathmore University is not under any obligation to reproduce or display the Work in the same formats or resolutions in which it was originally deposited.  SU Digital Repository  I understand that work deposited in the digital repository will be accessible to a wide variety of people and institutions, including automated agents and search engines via the World Wide Web. I understand that once the Work is deposited, metadata may be incorporated into public access catalogues.  I agree as follows:  1.That I am the author or have the authority of the author/s to make this agreement and do hereby give Strathmore University the right to make the Work available in the way described above.  2.That I have exercised reasonable care to ensure that the Work is original, and to the best of my knowledge, does not breach any laws including those relating to defamation, libel and copyright.  3.That I have, in instances where the intellectual property of other authors or copyright holders is included in the Work, gained explicit permission for the inclusion of that material in the Work, and in the electronic form of the Work as accessed through the open access digital repository, or that I have identified that material for which adequate permission has not been obtained and which will be inaccessible via the digital repository.  4.That Strathmore University does not hold any obligation to take legal action on behalf of the Depositor, or other rights holders, in the event of a breach of intellectual property rights, or any other right, in the material deposited.  5.That if, as a result of my having knowingly or recklessly given a false statement at points 1, 2 or 3 above, the University suffers loss, I will make good that loss and indemnify Strathmore University for all action, suits, proceedings, claims, demands and costs occasioned by the University in consequence of my false statement.

Collections

Ethics in Higher Education