News: Technology and Future Jobs

–The role of modern education systems, and the way they are preparing future work forces, is placed under scrutiny in The Economist with the continuous evolution of technology at the heart of how people will work in future society. The article calls for more creativity within schools, as it is the skills that lie behind human ingenuity, with a focus on critical thinking, rather than rote learning.

The main way in which governments can help their people through this dislocation is through education systems. One of the reasons for the improvement in workers’ fortunes in the latter part of the Industrial Revolution was because schools were built to educate them—a dramatic change at the time. Now those schools themselves need to be changed, to foster the creativity that humans will need to set them apart from computers. There should be less rote-learning and more critical thinking. Technology itself will help, whether through MOOCs (massive open online courses) or even video games that simulate the skills needed for work.

The role of state education is also questioned, calling for a re-emphasis where money may need to be spent on, and continual adult education, especially keeping up with technological advances…

The definition of “a state education” may also change. Far more money should be spent on pre-schooling, since the cognitive abilities and social skills that children learn in their first few years define much of their future potential. And adults will need continuous education. State education may well involve a year of study to be taken later in life, perhaps in stages.

Read the full article in The Economist online via this link.

Image Source: Via Flickr

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