The Deseret News – Charles Wight
“If you were to take a functional toaster to any home in America and plug it in, that toaster should work. A common standard for household electricity across the United States results in nicely browned bread. Anytime, anywhere. In other words, we rely upon a standard to make sure our toasters are transferable. Science and engineering education, believe it or not, is a lot like plugging in a toaster. Rather than the toaster needing to be transferable, though, it’s skill sets. Imagine that you’ve spent the majority of your junior-high years absorbing science facts, only to find out that if you move to another state your education is out of step with your new classmates. Not only is it frustrating, but it sets students up to struggle through high school and college. In short, standards matter.”(more)