Future of Learning Top Reads for week of Jan 18 2021
Call this the “Future of Work” issue…
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“What Matters for College Students (and Colleges) in this Economy,” by Jeff Selingo, in the NEXT newsletter
“Being ready for the post-pandemic economy means colleges and universities need to step in aggressively to plan for the academic programs that will be the lifeblood of their institution and drive enrollment for the long term.
“Four distinct economies are likely to emerge from the crisis that will provide opportunities for institutions to step in to meet learners:
The Readiness Economy. To get ready for the next crisis, whether it’s a public health emergency or an environmental one, will require investments in health care, biotech, cybersecurity, green technology, and infrastructure. This, in turn, will spur demand for graduates with the skills to address these vulnerabilities. Biotech hiring, for example, was already up 36% last spring and summer.
The Remote Economy. Remote work may be the most influential legacy of the pandemic. The result will be a growing reliance on the data, software, and infrastructure that powers working from anywhere
The Logistics Economy. Global supply chains that were interrupted by the virus are already being reimagined. These changes will require new types of logistical support, which is one reason why FedEx Ground and FedEx Logistics plans to 35,000 new employees in the next five years.
The Automated Economy. The pandemic is likely to only accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence, especially in knowledge work—and that may drive demand for graduates in fields like autonomous systems and advanced manufacturing.
Why does this matter to the future of learning?
What will it take for your alumni to thrive in the Readiness-, the Remote-, the Logistics-, or the Automated Economy?
The hard skills—biotech, software, etc—are ultimately expiring skills.
The soft skills—emotional intelligence, collaboration, etc.—are actually enduring skills.
Your alumni will need both. If you were to audit your curriculum, what is the ratio of expiring to enduring skills?
…speaking of enduring skills…
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“The Era of Eduployment,” by Scott Belsky, on Medium
“Take Nana for instance, a company that will train you in appliance repair (think unique brands of dishwashers, etc), and then set you up in a marketplace to start getting jobs in your local area fueled by leads from the manufacturers of these appliances. Or take Main Street, who will train you as a painter, outfit you with everything you need, and set you up to be a successful business out of the gate within 30 days — essentially turning you into a franchise. Rather than enduring an expensive education only to assume the complete risk of your career, this new eduployment model, as I’ve come to call it, gives everyone skin in the game. The vertical integration of education and employment is upon us, and I think this trend will help address major systematic issues in our economy at scale while also minting a ton of new small businesses.”
Why does this matter to the future of learning?
If high schoolers and college students are entering a world of “eduployment”—and let’s assume that it will expand beyond the skilled labor marketplace—when and where will they learn their enduring skills?
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“Making Learning a Part of Everyday Work,” by Josh Bersin and Marc Zao-Sanders, in Harvard Business Review
“Ann Schulte, Chief Learning Officer at Procter & Gamble (P&G), explains why learning is more important in 2019 than ever, and how the firm’s strategy reflects this: ‘At P&G, we believe that the "fastest learner wins because we see in uncertain and changing markets that experimentation, rapid-cycle feedback, and the ability to adapt are competitive imperatives — and all require learning.”
Why does this matter to the future of learning?
The authors go on to suggest the following moves:
Practice metacognition and mindfulness.
Maintain a to-learn list.
Use tech-enabled tips as you work.
Calendarize dedicated learning time into your work schedule.
Subscribe to a small number of high-quality, hyper-relevant newsletters.
Contribute actively, expertly, and kindly to a learning channel where work actually happens.
These all amount to learning how to learn.
What would school look like if we taught students to do these things now? After all, as Anne Schulte said, “the fastest learner wins.”
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