The global economy and education: A comparison of the competencies considered important by business and teachers in grades 7-1

The purpose of the study was to determine the perceptions of central Illinois business people and educators regarding the influence of the global economy on education. More specifically: What competencies are considered important by business people and educators for effective participation in a global society? And, does current practice in central Illinois schools reflect those competencies. Questionnaires were mailed to 300 social studies and foreign language teachers in grades 7 through 12 and 336 businesspeople in central Illinois. The response rate from the teacher sample was 43.0% and 33.9% from the business sample. Descriptive statistics (means, frequencies, percentages and standard deviations) were used to answer the eight research questions. The t-test procedure was used to answer the nine hypotheses.;The major findings of the research questions were as follows: (1) With one exception, at least 71.9% of teacher (N = 129) and business (N = 114) respondents indicated that they either strongly agreed or agreed that the twelve competencies were important for school and business needs. Certain competency statements such as critical thinking skills and world geographic awareness were most frequently cited as important by both groups. Although the sample was limited and biased in terms of the number of social studies teachers exceeding the number of foreign language teachers, foreign language proficiency was consistently rated least important by teachers and business. (2) There were no significant differences between the mean responses of teachers and business on the importance of the competencies for school and business needs. There were also no significant differences between the mean responses of: social studies and foreign language teachers; those participants who had travelled abroad and those that had not; and those that had knowledge of a foreign language and those that did not. (3) Teacher training programs provided little exposure to cultural/ethnic issues except through coursework. (4) Few resources were offered by the Illinois State Board of Education or school districts to encourage or prepare teachers to introduce the stated competencies in the curriculum. (5) Many of the themes and content areas of global education were not taught in the classroom. (6) A recognition of global interdependency was the most frequently cited motivator to the introduction of the competency statements in the classroom. The most frequently cited obstacle was a lack of time. (7) Businesspeople and teachers agreed that the global economy had an effect on the American economy and that greater cooperation was necessary between the educational and business sectors.;Recommendations for practice and future research are also presented.