DOE releases online map showing global ties

A new tool was developed to show how connected American education is to the rest of the world.

On Nov. 18, the U.S. Department of Education released its Mapping the Nation program, an interactive map of the U.S. that shows state-level data on demographics, economics and education relating to global connectivity.

Indiana’s data varies on the map. K-12 international language enrollment is at 15 percent, in the lower third of all states, and has shown no improvement.

However, Indiana also has more than 49,000 students enrolled in post-secondary language programs, placing it in the upper third of all states. It also has more than 8,000 students studying abroad, the eighth most of any state. Monroe County leads both of these statistics in Indiana.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said the key to a nation’s success is its ability to prosper globally, and interacting comfortably with all cultures is critical.

Maureen McLaughlin, director of international affairs at the Department of Education, said the map’s data could serve education in America by comparing international programs with global awareness.

“With nearly one million data points related to economics, demographics and education, we can see how prepared our states and local communities are to operate effectively in an increasingly interconnected world,” McLaughlin said in the release.

McLaughlin said one application of the map is imparting such global awareness to teachers.

“If teachers are convinced of the importance of global competency and are globally competent themselves, they will more easily impart that to their students,” she said.

McLaughlin said most states are diverse like Indiana, with a wide spectrum of international programs and diversity.

“Some have high concentrations of international students and scholars, some have diverse immigrant populations who are spread across the wider area, some have highly concentrated immigrant populations and some have little diversity,” she said.

Secretary Duncan said this map and the data it provides is the first step in improving global education for American students.

“I believe this map can help spark important conversations and challenge partners to work more effectively to build a stronger pipeline of globally competent citizens,” he said. “But for the nations of the world to master our challenges and maximize our opportunities, we need to focus like never before on unleashing all of humanity’s vast potential through the equalizing, life-transforming power of a great education.”

Follow reporter Stephen Kroll on Twitter @stephenkroll1.