In the coming days, I will be meeting with the powers that be to recommend that my college opens a Future of Education Institute, developed to maintain the value of learning at higher levels despite the massive loss of jobs coming as a result of the technological wave.
I often share talks, papers, and ideas that I work on independently of theDIHEDRAL, and thought it might be beneficial to share the key points of my argument regarding the need to think deeply about what colleges can offer in the short and long term.
That being said, here are some of the ideas I will be sharing with our board.
Ned Ludd – A weaver who supposedly broke a knitting frame in response to the advancement of industry and the displacement of the craftsman. Luddites followed the lead of “General Ludd” and went on to destroy knitting frames and in some cases burn whole factories to the ground in order to slow down what became known as the Industrial Revolution. Well, the luddites were always a lost cause, because you cannot stop technology from advancing.
What separates us from the luddites is that we have the advantage of foresight, we can see what’s coming, and so we have the opportunity to be proactive rather than reactive.
How do you envision the future of education?
How we can protect that vision is the goal of the FoE Institute.
I envision the future of education as a place where there is a premium on community and learning. When the promise of jobs is gone, what’s left? Those are the things that I want to help get in place before the value of a degree diminishes and we’re left with empty buildings and vacant lots.
So, let me ask you this…what do you remember most about college?
The perceived role regarding the value of college is mistaken. We bring people together; we give people the opportunity to become better versions of themselves. When degrees carry no weight, we still have something to offer. That’s what we need to promote. But the most important thing regarding the future of education is to make sure we continue to have a population that values what it is we’re offering.
We’re in an irregular situation that cannot be predicted, and we must break free from our expectations. We have to be flexible and adaptive to any situation. We need a beginner’s approach, one that doesn’t overvalue experience.
It’s not human nature to embrace the unknown, it scares us. When we are confronted by it, we ignore it, we run away, or label it in ways that allow us to dismiss it. The Future of Education Institute will be poised to confront the coming wave with an emphasis on information, collaboration, creativity, adaptation, and courage.
In the initial phase of the Future of Education Institute our most important objective will be to answer “How?”.
How are we supposed to protect the future of education? “How” is our primary goal!
What I am asking for today is the opportunity to allow me and a small team to work together on that question.
I have a short time to make this pitch, and these are the high points. If you have any thoughts on how to protect the future of education, or what is most important about college in a world where degrees aren’t worth the paper they are printed on, I would be all ears and grateful for your thoughts!
Thank you for allowing me the chance to share my thoughts on this elevator pitch!
thedihedral.com 
I would suggest answering the why first & foremost then all else can be answered with this in the forefront. We used to call it a “Mission statement” & it helped me in Home care. (To provide highest level of wellness) Then all else had to go from this or we didn’t do it.
I sure wish you the very best in this worthy & much needed venture!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Good call, thank you Sunyamar!
LikeLike
I think yours is a worthy goal.
“what do you remember most about college?” A few professors, learning I’m a misfit, and why. An important aspect of college has nothing to do with class — the discovery of identity.
But… What could colleges and universities teach in the future?
So-called “soft skills” are undervalued in our culture, though I don’t consider the ability to evaluate an argument a “soft” skill; I consider it an essential skill. I don’t think I need to explain why to you. 😀
Curiosity — when I left teaching that had declined among the students I was teaching — too easy to find answers? The scary world of standardized testing in their lives? Both?
Those two things together are — I think — critically important to the continuation of human civilization.
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are great Martha, thank you!
I am happy (and a little scared) to say that I was given the green light to start the institute on a 1 semester trial run, and I am immediately adding these thoughts to the list of goals.
I am not sure if you have any inclination to develop your thoughts further, but if you do please keep me in the loop. I’d love to publish them on our site here, or repost if you write something for your site.
As always, your insights and ideas are invaluable! Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow. It would be fun to write about that. I will definitely give it some thought. I’m glad you’re starting the institute and I hope you write about it.
As you might know, I broke my femur a few months ago and that has been one hell of a lesson — not about femurs but about how the body works. I am so grateful for curiosity. I finally reached a point where I could synthesize the experience. It made me very grateful for curiosity and wonderment. Here’s my post, not for The Dihedral, but for you.
LikeLike
This is such an important and timely reflection. The future of education is a real challenge, especially for countries like Nepal where changes could hit hard. Focusing on community, creativity, and adaptability over just degrees is exactly what we need. Thanks for sharing these powerful ideas!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly,I agree with each and every word of this post
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for checking it out!
LikeLike