The nature of work is fundamentally changing. There is a shift away from the idea of a “job”, and towards a “skills-based approach” to managing work. That’s according to a new report from Deloitte Insights’ Human Capital 2023 series: Navigating the End of Jobs. In this emerging conception of work, worker autonomy is much more critical. The shift is being pushed by talent shortages, a focus on equitable outcomes, a need for agility and increased performance pressure.
Ed Week reported that San Francisco State University will offer a Climate Justice Education Certificate for teachers starting this fall. The four course program explicitly aims to equip teachers to “empower” students to address the challenges of climate change rather than focus on “gloom and doom”: scientific predictions. The approach is based on survey data that suggests that most teachers have no training on climate issues and that many students are anxious and afraid about the impact of climate change.
Americans believe that gaining practical skills is a more important goal than being prepared for college, according to the Populace Insights Purpose of Education Index. It is notable that while most Americans do not prioritize college they think most Americans do. Survey respondents believe that the top purpose of education is to teach students to think critically to problem solve and make good decisions. Other highly ranked purposes were: demonstrating character and personalizing education to allow students to move ahead when they demonstrate proficiency. Respondents suggested that the education system is failing where it matters and succeeding where it does not. More than 70 percent of all demographics suggested that schools should change in more ways than they should stay the same.
A new OECD working paper, Cross sector and interprofessional collaborations: A powerful tool for the teaching profession?, considers when and how collaboration can strengthen the attractiveness of the teaching profession. It considers collaborations among different types of school staff, between schools and communities, and between school and the education technology sectors. The paper introduces the use of “personas” as a tool to help understand how different stakeholders might respond to particular policies as collaborations are considered and implemented. Finally, it proposes a set of guiding principles for this work that emphasize the need to involve teachers and stakeholders in planning and the idea that clarity, strength of purpose, trust and ongoing learning and development are vital for strong collaboration.
