Advancing Education in 2015

4 Ways Education can Change in 2015

When we think about education in the U.S. and the kind of jobs that the current system prepares us for, we realize that something in the equation might be off when we learn that college graduates struggle to find jobs. According to a study one in 2014 by the Economic Policy Institute, “For young college graduates, the unemployment rate is currently 8.5 percent (compared with 5.5 percent in 2007), and the underemployment rate is 16.8 percent (compared with 9.6 percent in 2007)”.

It is becoming more clear that the current system lets students who don’t think and learn the same way fall through the cracks. Below, we break down the ways that we can change what we teach, and how we teach it. Changing what we teach prepares students for new jobs that are created as our economy changes. Changing how we teach students can allow for a more inclusive curriculum. Breaking away from the model of standardized education, which was constructed alongside the industrial revolution in order to produce students who can work in an industrial economy, allows for students to be prepared for a new world.

Some of these topics are so new that you can’t even find good stock photography #thatshowyouknow.

1.) Interactive Textbooks

The intersection of technology and education brings forth many new possibilities. Textbooks, in addition to be stupid expensive, are bland and boring when its sitting next to all your other fancy tech devices. Interactive textbooks are a great step in changing how students engage with information and learn. One good example is zyBooks . But we need more. InKling is also working with education services, such as Kaplan, to bring this forward.

2.) Alternative Learning Styles and Structures

It’s a common understanding today that every person is unique. So why are we teaching them as if they are all the same? Below are some progressive learning styles and services that break from the normal model and help individuals learn differently and more efficiently.

3.) Online Learning

The most incredible thing about the internet is the amount of information one can receive while sitting on his or her couch. This has opened up a whole new world for digital, online education. Here are just a few examples of where to start.

WizIQ - WizIQ is an award-winning global online education platform that offers SaaS-based Virtual Classroom software and a complete course delivery system for teachers and trainers, colleges and universities, test preparation and tutoring centers, and corporations and organizations.

Udemy - Udemy the world’s online learning marketplace, where 6 million+ students are taking courses in everything from programming to yoga to photography–and much, much more.

Khan Academy - Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom.

Coursera - Coursera is an education platform that partners with top universities and organizations worldwide, to offer courses online for anyone to take, for free.

4.) Alternative courses

(Photo Credit: Archiscene) Alternative courses teach things that are often left out of the current education curriculum, yet are extremely important. Coding, for example, is a new language that gives students the opportunity to prepare for future jobs. Also, with the preservation of our environment in question, shouldn’t we be teaching young students how to live sustainably? And for goodness sake, it’s time to teach kids how to manage their money once they enter the real world. The IRS is completely understaffed , so why don’t we teach students that even taxes can be sexy? Lets prepare students for jobs that will be created in the future, rather than preparing them for jobs that are becoming obsolete. https://www.codeschool.com/ Codecademy http://www.codecademy.com/