“The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Predictions: 2012-2022 Summary stated that nineteen of
the thirty occupations predicted to grow the fastest in the next decade will
require postsecondary education for entry and will pay higher than other jobs.
It is also interesting to note that the highest starting salaries for 2014
college graduates were for those with the following majors, in this order:
engineering, computer science, business, health sciences, communications,
mathematics and sciences, education, and the humanities and social sciences”
(Schrum & Levin, 2015, p. 14). Similarly, the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics reported that employment in STEM occupations grew by 10.9 percent in
the last six years (Fayer, Lacey & Watson, 2017). Research has also shown that
some of the jobs our current students will have once they graduate from college
do not even exist today (as discussed in the video above)! As new technologies
are being created and developed, new jobs are simultaneously being created and developed
to ensure these technologies continue to be implemented correctly and are
continuously improving. “Even workers in “non-tech” jobs are discovering the
technology revolution has not passed them by. In fact, it is rare to find a job
that does not require some knowledge of computers or computer-based systems” (U.S.
Department of Labor). While we cannot teach our students about the future and
the jobs that they could one day have (because this, really, is unknown to
everyone), we can give them the
skills they will need for these jobs of the future. If our job as educators is
to ensure our students are college and career ready, shouldn’t we start teaching
them the essential 21st century skills they will need to be
successful tomorrow?
There is not time like the present to start preparing for
the future!
I believe the most simplistic way to start preparing our
students for the future is by integrating technology into the classroom. This
may seem obvious, but research has shown that only 85% of classrooms have
projectors in their classrooms (Whitehead, Jensen & Boschee, 2013). Why is
this technology not present for 100% of the classrooms? This is a simple, yet
extremely useful, technology that should be standardized amongst classrooms in
the United States. Similarly, only 49% of classrooms have wireless Internet
access; only 22% of classrooms have an interactive whiteboard; and, sadly, only
6% of classrooms have a tablet for every learner (Whitehead, et al, 2013).
There is more than enough research supporting the use of technology in the
classrooms. So why is technology not more of a focus in our education system?
Sadly, technology requires money, something many districts simply do not have;
and requires the willingness of teachers to learn how to properly implement
technology into the classrooms. “Many educators continue to depend on
foundational pedagogies…that are based on a nontechnological educational space.
This creates a unique philosophical conflict between how learning is conceived
and how learning happens when technology is added to the equation” (Whitehead,
et al, 2013, p. 9). It is essential for educational leaders to encourage
teachers to become educated on the importance of integration of technology into
classrooms. With knowledge comes power. If educators are knowledgeable of how
technology is beneficial to students, they are, more than likely, going to
strive to include technology into their instruction. A true educator wants to
provide the best for his or her students, no matter what it takes. I believe educating
and encouraging teachers about technology will help increase the amount of technologies
seen in American classrooms, and, thus, will start helping prepare our students
for the future.
Fayer, S., Lacey, A., & Watson, A. (2017).
STEM occupations: Past, present, and
future. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Spotlight on Statistics. Retrieved
from https://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2017/science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics-stem-occupations-past-present-and-future/pdf/science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics-stem-occupations-past-present-and-future.pdf
Schrum, L. &
Levin, B. B. (2015). Leading 21st
century schools: Harnessing technology for engagement and achievement.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
U.S. Department of Labor: Office of the
Secretary. Reports: Future work. Retrieved
from https://www.dol.gov/dol/aboutdol/history/herman/reports/futurework/report/pdf/ch6.pdf
I, too, was shocked at the numbers presented in the text regarding technology access for students in public schools across the nation. Your post regarding preparing students for jobs that may not even exist yet reminds me of the Did You Know video series which illustrates how fast technology is changing and how The United States compares to other countries such as India and China and the technology education of our youth. I believe that I mentioned in my audio blog fro Dr. Ray that when I began teaching that I didn't even have a computer, and I averaged grades on a calculator. Just like our students, teachers have to work to stay current. I would have never dreamed that I would be taking a class online. (A side note: I overheard a student in the hall say that his sister is taking PE online in college! I sure would like to see how that is set up!) Whitehead, Jensen and Boschee (2013) mention that "on a daily basis, educators across the country are seeing an increase in innovative instructional strategies and curriculum changes" (p. 9). I think that it is important that teachers embrace the changes that are coming our way instead of sticking our heads in the sand. Our students are going to be using these tools, and it is our responsibility as life-long learners to educate ourselves so we can better serve our student's needs.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading your blog, I was reflecting back on our conversation in our critical friends meeting where we talked about how shocked we were about those statistics. That prompted me to wonder what that study considered a classroom. Would that be any certified teacher's classroom or only grade level or content area teachers? When I think about some of my certified teachers who are not grade level or content teachers, they may fall into some of those lower percentages just due to their job functions. It would be interesting to look further into the study and how they obtained their data. One thing is certain, however, that students have to be prepared to enter a workforce which we are not sure how it looks. Whitehead, Jensen, and Boshee (2013) reinforce that point by stating, "Technology will be the driving force in workplaces" (p. 4).
ReplyDeleteReflecting back on the chart on pages 6 & 7 of our text, those numbers were just hard to digest and believe to be real in our day and age. In a time when our market is flooded with better technology and the consumer demand for these technologies is high, it is almost impossible to believe that in the United States we still have schools that lack what we would consider as basic technology needs. I agree that it takes money and many districts lack those funds needed to advance in this steadily changing technology world. According to Whitehead, Jensen & Boschee (2013), technology is one of the key elements impacting school change. It is hard to image a school without basic technology needs, but we know they still exist. Technology provides educators with avenue to present new ways of learning to our students. It is up to us as educators to ensure that our students are equipped with the technology skills they need in order to advance in the workforce.
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