Education

Genre: Television

Year Published: 1954

Creator: National Educational Television

Format: 16mm

Description: Delegates from Australia, the Union of South Africa, and the Gold Coast discuss the problems of education both in the United States and abroad. Each of the delegates to the forum was the guest of a school during his twelve-week stay, and during that time, each had a good opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of the American school system. One of the students attended a private school here, while the other two attended public schools. Like the blind men who "see" the elephant with their hands, and then attempt to describe it, each of the three has a somewhat different impression of school life here. However, each of the schools which they have attended seems rather typical of one trend or another in American education. In discussing education in this country, they deal with, among other problems, the question of objective as opposed to essay-type examinations, private and public schools, and the differences between the standards in wealthy and less prosperous communities. Both of the delegates from Africa seemed to feel that, while American students are fairly well-versed on the history and problems of Europe, they seem to know comparatively little about other sections of the world. The exchanges between the delegates from the Union of South Africa and the Gold Coast concerning segregation are interesting. Since two of the participants are from the English Commonwealth, it was inevitable that there should be examination of the educational problems growing out of colonial rule.