Youth Want Jobs, Not Antiquated Expensive Degrees

Thomas Shaw

Educators of Technical, Technology and STEM education continue with us, to advocate for hands-on skilled training. Thought leaders from around the country have discussed ways to accomplish this through education reform. C. M. Rubin published a discussion with Charles Fadel.

Contemporary education is failing our students because we are stuck in a curriculum designed for a different century, We need to re-examine college entrance requirements (and their tests). They hold change hostage to antiquated and incomplete requirements. Massive adaptation must be demanded by parents and educators alike. Without these changes, we will be unable to adapt curricula to reflect modern needs. It starts with creating a framework for WHAT we need to teach, which must be comprehensive yet concise and actionable

“21st Century Skills,” are essential for deeply learning Knowledge as well as for demonstrating understanding through performance. The overburdened curriculum makes it harder for students to acquire (and teachers to teach) skills. Additionally, these critical competencies are not being given enough focus because they are not measured by standardized tests.

Without major changes to our curriculum model, Fadel warns, “We will be unable to adapt curricula to reflect modern needs. The consequences will be more unemployment, social unrest, and continued inability to face our significant planetary challenges.”

Current curriculum is often not relevant to students and to societal and economic needs.” — Charles Fadel

Charles Fadel is a global education thought leader and expert, futurist and inventor; founder and chairman of the Center for Curriculum Redesign; visiting scholar at Harvard Graduate School of Education; chair of the education committee at BIAC/OECD; co-author of best-selling book, 21st Century Skills; founder and president of the Foundation Helvetica Education; senior fellow, human capital, at The Conference Board; and senior fellow at P21.org. He has worked with education systems and institutions in more than thirty countries. He was formerly Global Education Lead at Cisco Systems, and holds a BSEE, an MBA, and five patents.

C. M. Rubin is the author of two widely read online series for which she received a 2011 Upton Sinclair award, “The Global Search for Education” and “How Will We Read?” She is also the author of three bestselling books, including The Real Alice in Wonderland, is the publisher of CMRubinWorld, and is a Disruptor Foundation Fellow.

Follow C. M. Rubin on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@cmrubinworld