Games, Cookies, And the Future of Education: Games, Simulations, User Models, And Other Information Tools Have Revolutionized and Personalized Entertainment and Services. What About Education‪?‬

In February 1990, President George H. W. Bush joined Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas to embrace the goal that by the year 2000, "U.S. students will be first in the world in mathematics and science achievement." The two leaders were reacting, in part, to a study stating that education in the United States was so bad that it would have been considered an "act of war" had it been imposed by a foreign power. The ensuing decade was marked by the release of a series of major studies by government or business highlighting the problem, with ever sharper rhetoric. Yet when the year 2000 rolled around, U.S. students ranked 22nd among 27 industrialized countries in math skills, according to a widely regarded international comparison. In 2003, a similar study ranked U.S. students 24th of 29 countries. Today, even in the contentious atmosphere of political Washington, there is near-universal agreement that this situation must be remedied. No one doubts that a world-class U.S. workforce, skilled in math, science, and technology, is needed to maintain or improve the competitiveness of U.S. companies, ensure national security, and meet critical needs in health care, energy, and the environment. There also is growing concern that U.S. wages and living standards are at risk as companies and investors must choose between training underprepared U.S. employees and finding a way to do the job using better-trained employees in other countries.