A Changing World

Our society has evolved a lot, especially in the past decade. We live in an age of multitasking and constant engagement and control. Every day, we have the opportunity to do many different things, and we take advantage of that opportunity. Hundreds of channels on TV, smart phones, iPods, laptops, video games, social media, YouTube, etc. are all readily available, and the degree to which we control our everyday lives has greatly increased.

Children are experiencing this shift as much as, if not more than adults. They use the technology available to find out more about their world than their parents could when they were kids. Kids have a greater sense of stimulation now, and, like adults, they crave that feeling of ability granted by modern devices. Adults and children alike are different people than they were a couple of decades ago.

Do you feel different? Probably not. The changes taking place have been gradual. But, unless you are eleven-years-old (in which case, props to you for reading this) you probably remember a different world. Nobody in the 90s would text, rather than call each other. YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and even Myspace didn't exist ten years ago, and who on Earth blogged before it become cool* in the 2000s?

Companies have been adapting to a changing environment. They are gaining an increasing respect for the competence of the individual, and innovative policies reflect the importance of individuality. The shifts in technology are creating many new careers and roles, allowing greater creativity and divergent thinking (what I call segmented attention). The world runs differently now, and people need to be prepared for a different lifestyle. However, they are not.

Our educational system is not catching on as quickly as it should be. It has stayed more or less unchanged since its inception in the 19th century. That's right, it's a two hundred year old system, barely meeting the technological aspect of our changing world, let alone the social aspect. We are different people now. We need to accept the fact that, just because a system is in place, doesn't mean it's the best possibility.

First of all, I admit that research must always be done before changing anything. However, I think the data speaks for itself. Although the unenrollment rate in percentage is actually falling, unemployment is rising. This means that people are being educated, but they're being educated inefficiently in comparison to the job market. Maybe people are being taught in a way that makes it hard for them to acquire the correct skills and attitudes.

Next week, I'll display my ideas for an educational revolution, one that might give our future generations a fighting chance in a changing world.

*Note: Coolness is defined subjectively. I am not to be held responsible for those people who can't balance blogging and real social life. The internet, while excellent, is not a replacement for physical human contact. Blogging only makes you cool if it helps you understand and identify with people better.