Blurts

I have frequently made the observation that those who emphasize STEM conveniently ignore what will have to be cut/sacrificed. I see education as a system largely based on limited time and financial resources. Changing an emphasis requires reallocation and this seems to be ignored.

A recent NY Times article addresses just this point and notes that some politicians are making this argument directly – increase STEM downgrade the liberal arts.

I spent considerable time as a university department administrator. I was the chair of a Psychology department. It is difficult to know exactly how different individuals “position” what I would describe as a social science. You certainly do not see such fields addressed as a part of STEM even though the content of the field is based on scientific research. This background aside, the field is very popular with students. I was always willing to compete for resources based on student demand, but this was not the way things worked. I still find this frustrating. Can you push students into fields that do not appear to be of greatest interest to them?

I think politicians are naive regarding the role that aptitude and motivation play in vocational preparation. I think politicians also confuse education and vocational preparation. I also think politicians exert influence on education at a level out of step with the politician-controlled contributions made to fund it.

The World Economic Forum has just released a white paper on the future of jobs (looking forward to 2020 – note this is a lengthy pdf). Those in education will likely focus on the skill set predicted to be of greatest value in 2020. I would summarize these a combination of what most already describe as 21st-century cognitive skills (complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity) and social skills (management skills, social coordination). You will likely view posts from educational bloggers focusing on the development of these skills.

There is more to consider in this report. What areas will provide future employment and perhaps even how many workers are really needed in different fields? When politicians become involved I am somewhat frustrated with their focus and what they feel appropriate to expect of educators. The development of learners with a particular skill set is quite different from creating employment opportunities for this skill set. I think this is a reality that is conveniently ignored.

PBS has created a great site for exploring the election process in the United States. Multiple activities and information resources are available including the opportunity to follow specific candidates in this election. A companion page provides lesson ideas.