Han, Thanks for calling attention to the article "Do Your Students Measure Up Metrically?" (posted at <www.nctm.org>; copyrighted in 2001).
The authors use the terms "the SI" and "SI measurement" several times, but more frequently use the term "metric system" without ever explaining that "metric system" is now defined as the SI (by Metric Conversion Act). However, under "Resources for Metric ..." they do give addresses for two NIST Web sites, and for USMA (Don Hillger's Web site) which explain the SI. There is no reference to the Federal Register Notice of 1998, which states the official "interpretation" of SI for the US. In the text, they refer to examples posted at <timss.bc.edu> for third and fourth graders (ages 9-10). This links with the later "TIMSS-R" "1999 Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat" TIMSS-R compares performance of US eight graders (ages 14-15) with their peers in 38 nations. In mathematics, US students performed lower than peers in 14 nations. In science, US students also performed lower than peers in 14 nations. Deficient teacher mastery of SI (and NCTM reluctance to act vigorously to help remove this deficiency) are at least partly responsible for the poor performance of US students, in my opinion. Gene.
