Reflection Paper 12

Education after the Sputnik

The Sputnik was the first Earth-orbiting satellite in outer space. It was launched in October 4, 1957. The United States was at frenzy however, because the Soviet Union was the first to launch a satellite in space successfully rather than the United States. America believed that they were the world leader in space technology, hence why there was the Sputnik Crisis. Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower called it the “Sputnik Crisis” because he was threatened by the Soviet Union. People all over the United States were in a constant fear because of the Cold War and the constant worry of what would happen to them.

Sputnik affected the United States education drastically because the US felt that they were behind educational wise. They wanted to be just as advanced as the Soviet Union and so came about the National Defense Education Act of 1958. It was signed in September 2, 1958 and it provided funding for all educational levels. The act provided funding for four years and in each year the funding would increase. The Act definitely emphasized the study of math, science, and foreign languages. In the elementary schools, classes post-Sputnik were not much different until the late 60’s and early 70’s. Overall, because of this Act the number of high school graduates attending college had increased significantly. By the 1960’s 3.6 million people were enrolled in colleges and Universities.

Sputnik did get people thinking about the quality of school rather than just the movement for a curriculum reform. School districts updated their courses adding more materials for math and science. Sputnik also gave University professors an opportunity to change some of their teaching methods and updated it by inventing new ways to teach biology, physical science, and mathematics. Also, in the hard sciences they emphasized more hands-on approaches and uses of laboratories. In chemistry, instead of studying facts and definitions the focus was more about fundamental principles. In general, what the Sputnik did to education was to advance the students learning curriculum to a higher standard. Being threatened educationally by another country took as toll on the United States and so they took action by making certain curriculums more extensive.

As can be seen, the launch of the Sputnik had a profound influence on curriculums that took place afterwards and education in general. In a way you could say are education in the United States has improved because of the frightened people back in the 1950’s. I suppose people in the US like to believe in themselves as the best technologically and the Sputnik proved otherwise. However, since then the United States has made their own discoveries and excursions into outer-space.