Updating Education: An Analysis of the Past and Present to Direct the Future

This thesis analyzes the education system in the United States from historical, cultural, philosophical and scientific perspectives to identify areas of improvement and proposes reforms in an attempt to shift the focus of education towards developing the ability to reason. The proposal for a modified education system considers the deficiencies within the current system, the educational practices of other countries and the biological processes that occur while learning to increase efficacy of the recommendations if implemented. The evidence and information for these recommendations were mainly derived from historical texts, archived government webpages, newspaper articles, and scientific studies. The conclusion finds that interdisciplinary teaching methods and writing practice will improve critical thinking and learning abilities, and that eliminating standardized tests is the first step for systemic improvement.