education needs innovation

In light of my post – Education: right or privilege - this morning I came across the Jan 5 post - Innovation needed now - Education, by Jeffrey Phillips on the Innovate on Purpose blog. It’s interesting to read to further elaborate on the issues at hand. While it focuses on the US, the same issues exist here in Australia.

The post responds to a query re "what product or sector is in most need of innovation" and outlines why the education system should be a focus.

In summary he suggests that:

• the primary and secondary education system is based on learning models from the 19th century; it is irrelevant to today’s world

• we aren't teaching kids relevant skills or how to learn, and we often channel all of kids into a collegiate (university) experience – “  Why do we continue to prepare the students for "knowledge worker" jobs when clearly there are many demands and opportunities, and proclivities for other skills?  We need to resurrect the concept of apprenticeship and place more emphasis and value on learning skills beyond the classroom.  We need better definitions about what kids need to know, and more importantly, we need to teach them how to learn and how to teach themselves and others.”

• since most educational systems are government monopolies rather than private enterprises, there's little innovation and little incentive for new entrants

• the educational system is clearly failing - failing the students, failing the teachers and failing to create people who can join the workforce or create their own companies.  “ At this point we need disruptive innovation - a complete rethinking of the pedagogy, curriculum, technology and intent of education, followed by a restructuring of how education is offered and consumed.”

More on the need for educational change coming.....

cc licensed flickr photo shared by State Library of New South Wales collection