Shift Happens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q

This piece presents us with stark facts and predictions about the world, technology and education. It strikes me that we are leaving the period in human development where we all learn specific skills for specific jobs. This 'modern' notion of society is where we all work to become specialists and to benefit ourselves in terms of the quality of work we undertake, and rewards that accrue.

In a 'post-modern' setting, we cannot rely on the stabilities of the past or imagine that the work we trained for will remain constant in our lifetime. So what do we need to learn to be? Adaptable? Flexible? Opportunistic? Entrepreneurial? What skills will we need? Better observation skills? Evaluation skills? Ability to synthesis ideas to formulate new thoughts? Or is it ‘attribute’ based? So we ‘become’ more adaptable, flexible, reflective by virtue of engaging these challenges and adapting ourselves, our behaviours and skills? And importantly, what do University teachers need to do to help students move from the former, stable model of employment, to this new, seemingly insecure model?