Reskilling students for a changing world
INDUSTRY 4.0 and digitalisation are sweeping across the world, and the continuation of this pandemic is certain. Closer to home, all countries in this region are, to some extent, seeking to tackle job displacement as a result of disruptive technology. Reports from companies such as Cisco on Artificial Intelligence predict an increased number of job displacements. It is interesting to ponder how this mismatch of skills, demand and supply affects the education system.
In what ways can the current systems in place realign the education experience to meet the changing needs of the workforce? How can educators upskill themselves to stay competent in the face of rapid and widespread disruptive technology adoption?
The call for education to meet changing labour needs is highlighting only one aspect of the purpose of education. A relevant, quality education will, in its totality, produce citizens who are fully aware of and able to respond to change and development in the world. This is one of education's key objectives - without this provision, school graduates will be unfit for purpose to serve the world or themselves.
It is the responsibility of the educator to offer a curriculum that no longer focuses on subject disciplines and content alone, but one which places social awareness and self-discovery at the heart of its teaching. Students need to be agile in solving the changing world's issues, they should be able to address the digital age with fluency, and they must be able to apply systematic thinking to provide real world solutions.
The work of preparation for the future begins early in a student's educational journey - the point at which the system stops supporting stereotypes in roles and responsibilities.
Early years' role play and vocabulary must be appropriate, presenting a world of opportunities for everyone, regardless of passing interests or gender. Early "buttonholing" and characterising of individuals as being particularly suited to single roles and responsibilities must stop in order to give our professionals of the future freedom of choice in who or what they wish to become.
Schools must encourage space for students to think, perform and express themselves creatively, so as to discover what it is they desire from their working life. A curious perspective of the world and its opportunities must be nurtured in the early years to avoid restricted self-expectations from an early age.
Curriculums must be flexible enough to recognise that adult working life isn't simply made up of subjects of study. It's made up of many scenarios that overlap and intertwine, demanding critical and complex thoughts and consideration. Real life scenarios, challenges and opportunities should be at the core of the curriculum, presenting a wide range of possibilities, not the traditional silos of unrelated subject study.
PEDAGOGICAL CHANGES
This approach calls for pedagogical changes and raises many challenges for curriculum planners and those wishing to monitor and assess everything that happens in schools.
Serious consideration should be given to the validity and relevance of school external subject examinations in their current format. At present, students are naturally drawn to the subjects they enjoy either because of their teacher or their fascination with the content.
However, this early specialisation narrows the minds of young people and they may make some questionable choices that are regretted later in life when they begin to embark on a career. An example of this would be the ill-advised decision to drop studying a foreign/second or third language. The ability to speak fluently in a second or third language is a valuable extra string to any workplace candidate's bow in the future. A balance must be struck between teachers and parents placing pressures on students to study a subject that they do not enjoy nor wish to continue with, and the strength of the case for the subject's use or passion later in life.
As pedagogy adapts to tackle evolving societal norms, a willingness to take a more active and relevant role in contributing to cultural change is one of the greatest ambitions teachers and educational leaders can have. It is the responsibility of the educators to ensure they too stay ahead of the curve in their thoughts and planning, whilst keeping up-to-date with how digital and collaborative tools and strategies can enrich their interaction with students and provide an exciting and relevant classroom.
We have some way to go, but there are encouraging signs in top schools and educational organisations that educators are beginning to shift the focus of education in order to better prepare our students for the world of life and work in the future. This is a new and exciting school journey and it certainly is an educationalist's privilege to be at the forefront of not only a changing world, but also the changing role of education to best equip society for that world.
