Preparing Educators for the Future
"Children and youth are the future" - is a poetic statement. But the educators put in-charge of supporting young minds in their growth aren't youths. We are semi-boomers often bombarded with so much new information it makes us question our existence and the relevance of our PhDs.
Here are some key takeaways for Educators from the 'Future of Jobs Report 2023' from the World Economic Forum and how I'm incorporating these ideas in my practice:
Prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)
It's a period of rapid technological change that is transforming the way we live, work, and interact with the world around us. It is characterized by the convergence of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, and quantum computing. While the term was coined a while ago, it's the AI-boom that's escalated futuristic-sounding scenarios possible right away.
In practice: I'm developing an AI-powered animated chatbot and virtual influencer to encourage Design Thinking for kids!
Develop new curriculums and courses
Focus on the skills that are in demand and design courses that are flexible and adaptable to the changing needs of the workforce
In practice: I'm redesigning a studio course for 美国宾夕法尼亚州立大学 's Learning Design and Technology program that adapts to the demands of students' day jobs (they are mostly working professionals in the L&D industry)
Become strong curators of tech
Now that there are many tools for everything imaginable in the LX pipeline, we need strong curation skills for choosing the right tool to achieve the goals of our learning designs
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In practice: I've recommended specific tools for student projects, for instance a problem-based scenario can be executed as a branching story using Twine or even Figma.
Partner with businesses and organizations
Let's ensure that students are learning the skills that are in demand. These partnerships can provide students with opportunities to gain real-world experience and to network with potential employers.
In practice: I gear my course assignments towards a portfolio that will get my students the jobs they desire!
Invest in professional development for educators
Many of us know those "Learning, Design, and Technology" educators who neither designed anything nor explored new technologies. The report encourages educators to invest in professional development and keep up with the times.
In practice: I schedule time and allocate resources to learning new design & tech skills every month - especially since I teach studio courses which are practice oriented. Domestika & Linkedin Learning are my go-to.
Read the full report here: https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2023.pdf
Learning experience designer I e-Learning I Creative thinking facilitator I Education Researcher l Midjourney crosspollination
1 年Sonia I am fully investing with you in this "?I'm developing an AI-powered animated chatbot and virtual influencer to encourage Design Thinking for kids!" --- not literally though because I have no ida how to develop an animated chatbot ?? even though I wish I knew. I am fully onboard on encouraging design thinking for kids and supporting them and us, to integrate, create value for the world we are building and making sure we critically reflect about the position of AI in the future of humans.
Associate Director, Learning Design @ Digital Promise | Content Creation | Community Engagement | Curiosity + Creativity + Technology = Magic
1 年I love how you shared how you are actively working with / applying these skills in your practice. You are right on that first one - the AI boom has made the 4th Industrial Revolution more relevant than ever. What we all thought was this ambiguous sci-fi idea is now a reality.