Education: What it is and what it’s not…
Education is said to be a lot of things. It’s a pathway to a better job and a better life. It’s a bridge between people and cultures. It’s unique to the individual. It’s what you make of it. It’s an opportunity.
There are some things that education is not. It’s not static. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s not cheap. It’s not easily regulated. It’s not always accessible. It’s not easy to avoid.
Education affects every part of life. It affects those who have it and those who don’t. It affects those who want it and those who don’t care about it. Regardless, of an individual’s chosen path, education matters.
The Good…
Education provides an opportunity to grow, change, improve, and alter an individual’s life course or a whole generation. The individuals who choose to make education their life, do so out of a passion or desire to make it better. Why? This is a question I have often asked myself. I too entered the field of education out of necessity, but over time found it was really my passion. A passion I believe is shared among others in the same field, to make a difference and ultimately to make education better, more accessible.
With millions of people arriving on U.S. soil to attend U.S. colleges and universities, the question is raised, is it worth it and is education in America all that better? While no institution is perfect, change is always possible and the academic freedoms afforded many in this country are worth taking a closer look at why many choose to seek a U.S. education.
The Bad…
Education continues to be an emotional topic. There are strong opinions about the good, bad, and improvements needed in education. The recent spotlight placed on education from the federal government highlights areas which need improvement resulting in investigations by many federal oversight groups. Along the way, shifting regulatory policies and procedures challenge institutions to respond accordingly. This places institutions in a reactionary mode, leaving them with little time to make necessary changes and often reducing the focus on the students’ best interest. When these actions and opinions are played out in the media the result is often a public perception of the reduced value of education. This increased intrusion into nation-wide educational practices has left a negative impression in the public’s mind.
The Misconception…
Education is not one-size-fits-all. There is not a set of uniform rules which can be imposed to “fix” what everyone feels is wrong about education. Also while education is not completely “broken” as some would say, it does have substantial room for improvement as evidenced by the mixed performance across all 50 states and in comparison to other countries. Sometimes in the search for a solution and an easy answer, the most important focus of education is lost…the students. A notable disconnect are the needs of employers relative to the education earned by students. There has been a cultural shift in the U.S. from a comprehensive curriculum, a balance between humanities and arts and technical or specialized educational content, to a curriculum specifically focused on job-based training. The results of this shift have become increasingly apparent as employers consistently cite the difficulty in finding qualified employees. Meanwhile, this feeds the public perception that education in the U.S. is losing its value. It seems that something is getting lost in the translation between employers’ needs, institutional curriculum, and graduates’ abilities.
The Solution…
There is no single solution. But there are characteristics, tools, resources, and patterns which can be identified and implemented to produce desired results. Strategies which work for one institution may not work for all other institutions, but it’s an opportunity to begin a dialogue. It’s also an opportunity for institutions to be proactive in evaluating the needs of students in a changing economy and help provide opportunities to meet their needs on a regular basis. Strategies include eliminating barriers for student access and success by assisting students in identifying their passion to ensure the education they pursue provides them the most effective way of achieving their goals. It’s time education got out of students way and instead provide a roadmap to a better understanding of what is available and accessible.
The Continued Conversation...
This is not just another blog. But it is a forum to come together in order to agree, disagree, and exchange ideas. It’s an opportunity to ask questions of those who have been there before, to gain another perspective, and build on ideas. It’s an opportunity to review changes in regulations and understand their long term meaning and impact. It’s a chance to offer assistance and varying perspectives to other institutions struggling to fill an educational need. It’s a chance to change and gain insight into the “whys” of education’s history and the “what now” of education’s future. It’s more than just talk, it takes action; however small, to begin a habit of improvement and a positive change in education.