What grown-ups think children should learn: Identifying false information, mental health, the economy, and water protection
What grown-ups think children should learn: identifying false information, mental health, the economy, and water protection
by CRAIG HELMSTETTER | May 21, 2020
More than 90% of American adults say it is important that children learn how to identify false information on the internet, including 79% who say it is “very important.” Similarly strong majorities indicate that children should learn about mental health, how the U.S. economy works, and how to protect water resources.
These are the results of a nationally representative survey we recently did with the Water Main called, Water + Us: How we think, feel, and take action on water.
As one aspect of Americans’ overall connectedness with water the Water Main thought it important to find out whether people feel strongly that children should learn about water protection. We felt it was important to contextualize whatever that survey question would yield with a couple of other questions related to topics which, like water protection, may be part of current curriculum, but are not as central as reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Not only did overwhelming majorities of the public at large feel that all four topics are important, but so did majorities of every sub-group that we looked at in the survey. The least supportive of education about any topic was the response to teaching children “how to protect water resources” by self-identified Republicans. Even in that case, as shown in the table that ends this piece, 51% think that is “very important.”
With such striking findings, we thought it was important to get some reactions. This is what some of our colleagues had to say about the results.
Amy Skoczlas Cole, Managing Director of The Water Main
It is so encouraging to see that connection and concern for water unites people in this country across regional, economic, racial and even political lines. We know from this research that a vast majority of Americans say that water plays a meaningful role in their lives. We enjoy water today because past generations spent the time and energy to safeguard, improve, and invest in it for us. But we’re starting to see cracks in the system.
In Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes, 40% of our water is too polluted for fishing and swimming. Because of crumbling infrastructure, the price of tap water is rising fast in some communities across the country, harming already vulnerable populations. Climate change is worsening droughts especially in the west, and we’re depleting aquifers here in the Midwest far faster than we’re replenishing them. We both need to invest in water stewardship to safeguard this life-giving resources for our children today, and we need to help them learn how to connect and care for it for future generations, as well. Caring for water is truly a timeless value that is handed down from one generation to another.
Chris Farrell, Senior economics contributor at Marketplace, economics commentator at Minnesota Public Radio News, columnist, and author
The economy touches everything we do. The great British economist Alfred Marshall wrote that economics was “the study of mankind in the ordinary business of life.” We’re all amateur economists at work and at home, talking about jobs and wages, wondering if we should start a business or buy a home, and debating the wisdom of various strategies for containing Covid-19.
The 72% of parents that want their children to learn economics realize that a basic grasp of economic concepts will help them better understand and navigate the forces that will significantly affect their quality of life. For one thing, when students launch their careers, they’ll face complex decisions about how best to save for their retirement, how much money to borrow to own a home and wonder if they’ll need additional education. Economics offers a framework for carefully reasoning questions like these. For another, economics has become the language of public policy. Familiarity with essential economic concepts allows voters to sensibly evaluate proposals for reform and legislation. The survey results are certainly heartening.
Babette Apland, Managing Director of Call to Mind
It’s exciting to see that 76 percent of Americans say it is “very important” for children to learn about mental health. Such a strong consensus will accelerate the national trend for schools to integrate social and emotional learning into their curriculum. Today’s children and youth are facing mental and emotional challenges that are often far more stressful than those faced by their parents and grandparents. One in five children in the U.S. experience mental illness and half of mental illnesses begin before the age of 14. Because early intervention is most effective in preventing chronic mental illness, it is essential help children understand how to deal with stress and emotional challenges and to recognize early signs of mental illness.
Elisia Cohen, Ph.D., Professor and Director of the University of Minnesota’s Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication
We live in an information economy. Parents recognize the importance of teaching their children to be digital detectives to help them identify false information on the internet. The best way to do so is to encourage kids to do fact-checking by opening up another tab and testing the information out by reading laterally (information from government sources to snopes.com) to explore confirming or disconfirming evidence. Children also may learn to check and verify sources. Parents can help them understand the difference between sponsored content, partisan information pollution, and professional journalism that adheres to ethical standards. Ask them to think critically about who is writing on the topic and what evidence exists to support the claims that are made.
Bernadeia Johnson, Ed.D., Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at Minnesota State University-Mankato and former Superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools
That 79% of survey participants believe it is "very important" to teach children about identify false information on the internet is encouraging. There is so much miss information that circulates the net that perpetuates racial bias, stereotypes, and now COVID-19. Strategies to create critical consumers of information in print can also be applied to assisting students with consuming information on the net. These skills should be taught explicitly in school in all content areas.
76% of survey participants believe it is "very important" to teach students about mental health especially as it applies to learn those tools and strategies that help with self-regulation. Not all communities trust therapy as a source to support mental health. The lack of access to health insurance may send a message that seeing someone about your mental health is a luxury, especially when you have to put food on the table.
We welcome your reactions as well. Please let us know what you think.
Source: APM Research Lab | Water Main survey of 1,005 American adults, conducted May 7-12, 2019.
Question: “Please tell me how important it is that children in the U.S learn about each of the following…”
Note: Blue shading indicates the percentage is statistically higher than at least one other in its column and within each grouping (such as Age).