I just returned from a tour of Cuba that focused on examining the country’s educational system. Although the country’s commitment to and, and many of its successes in education are clearly admirable, the country’s educational agenda—and its role in enabling the economy—appear to be hampered by political agendas and the country’s severe economic vulnerability.
Read the articleExpanding the Ranks of STEM Professionals
December 26th, 2011
While there is a near universal agreement that not enough STEM graduates end up in STEM jobs, there is disagreement as to why this is, what should be done about it, and who must take the lead in addressing these problems.
Read the articleHelping Colleges and Universities Educate Tomorrow’s Knowledge Workers
November 27th, 2011
U.S. colleges and universities must undergo huge changes if they are to prepare graduate for tomorrow’s jobs—and do so at a cost that both the students and the county can afford. For many, it will require a fundamental rethinking of their missions and their established practices. It will also require much closer collaboration with the businesses that are likely to hire these graduates.
Read the articleTomorrow’s Jobs Require Tomorrow’s Skills
November 14th, 2011
Core Skills for Knowledge Workers in a Global Economy
October 30th, 2011
There is a big and growing gap between the skills students graduate with, and those required for a fulfilling and secure career in the Global Knowledge Economy. Addressing these gaps will require answers to a number of questions ranging from a precise definition of the required skills, to the most effective ways of learning and teaching them to the question of which organizations should play which roles.
Read the articleThe Future of Community Colleges
August 25th, 2011
Online College Courses has just released its list of Ten Predictions for the Future of Community Colleges.
Although the list certainly does discuss (correctly) the importance of online education, it goes far beyond the group’s primary focus to emphasize a number of other critical changes that, as we had discussed in our 2010 series on the future of community colleges.
The list includes, but is not limited to the:
- The growing need for community colleges as an alternative to the exploding cost of attaining four-year degrees;
- Changes that will be required to meet the needs of rapidly growing numbers of non-traditional students;
- Increased coordination with local businesses;
- Growing focus on identifying and preparing students for high-demand jobs, regardless of whether or not these jobs require degrees;
The list is well worth checking out.
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