– Our nation’s Governors speak up.
by Bruce Friend Education, and more specifically the topic of preparing our students for 21st century jobs, was key committee discussion at the Annual Meeting of National Governors Association in July. Chaired by Nebraska Dave Governor Heineman, the education committee discussed the critical need in our country to retrain workers for 21st century jobs as well as a need for our K12 schools to produce graduates who are college ready and workforce ready.
Governor Hieneman spoke of the need for our country to “embrace a new way to prepare students” in these areas and shared his thoughts on how the instructional processes and classroom environment in today’s public schools has changed very little since he was a school in the 1950s.
Two experts were invited to share their viewpoints. Jane Oates of the U.S. Dept. of Labor spoke of the need to have educational options available across all sectors of education (K12, higher ed., workforce ed.) that are directly aligned to the needs of businesses in America. She provided examples of how too many students are woefully lacking in the technical and learning skills that today’s workforce require. Adding to this challenge is that fact that training programs often require students to take courseware that is not specific to the skill that the student seeks to learn and our not provided in a flexible environment that would allow for acceleration for students who are capable.
Dr. Nan Poppe, President of Portland Community College (OR), provided an overview of some unique programs that her school has created that are now being replicated by other schools around the country. The Oregon 40-40-20 program seeks to create a population of Oregonians in which 40% would have a Bachelors degree or higher; 40% would have an Associates degree; and 20% would have a high school diploma with the knowledge and skills that they need for specific technical and competitive jobs. Their Gateway to College program also provides an opportunity to for high school students to earn an associates degree by extending their high school education by one year.
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour spoke of the need for school systems to provide career tech options that all too often have been stigmatized. He shared an example of how schools across his state have de-emphasized career technical education at the same time when his state and others have a critical need for thousands of welder, electricians, and other skilled positions.
As I listened to the Governors’ share their insights, and pondered the opinions shared by the invited experts, it was evident that while politicians, educators, and industry experts may differ on the role that government should take to address our nation’s educational challenges, one area in which there was agreement is on the need to reshape how education is delivered to students. The answer to the questions of “how”, “when”, and “where” one acquires the knowledge and skills necessary to compete for 21st century jobs is not merely for traditional schools to address and solve. Our educational system needs to provide students with the flexibility to access their education in a non-traditional manner. Courseware needs to be engaging and relevant to the students needs, and yes, even their interests. In many respects, this type of flexibility in learning environment and the notion that learning is “any time, any place” is already a trademark of many home education environment. Online learning options can also provide a flexible and engaging learning environment while using technology to promote 21st century skills, promote collaboration, and provide individualized instruction.
Bruce Friend is a pioneer in K12 online learning. As a founding member, teacher, and chief administrator of two state-wide virtual school programs, Bruce has considerable experience in providing online learning opportunities to home school students. In 2003, Bruce was honored with the Most Outstanding Achievement by an Individual Award by the U.S. Distance Learning Association. In recent years he has consulted with online program developers and families throughout the United States. He is currently the Director of SAS® Curriculum Pathways® (www.sascurriculumpathways.com). bruce.friend@sas.com
