Virtual Activities to Promote Multiculturalism and Sustainability of International Partnerships

Background

International collaboration becomes more critically required in American education system to improve teacher quality and student performance. In the field of science education, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has reported that the American students are less proficient than those of other OECD countries in science performance; in specific, American science achievement in PISA 2012 is about the average of the OECD member countries, and 29th of 65 countries included (NCES, 2012). In addition, recent research conducted by National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP, 2012) shows that only about one third of eighth graders are at or above the science proficiency level. The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (Martin, Mullis, & Foy, 2008) found that American fourth-graders are achieving low, middle school students not so good in science, and high school students struggle with science. These international test results reveal that the U.S. needs to improve student performance in science.