I’m presenting a keynote at the Fostering Creativity and Innovation with Technology in K-12 Education Symposium at The Ohio State Center for Digital Learning and Innovation.
You can access my slides here, or embedded in the post below.
The outline of this keynote is as follows:
Where we’re headed
- We need to reimagine education to prepare students for their future, not our past.
- 65% of children entering primary school today will work in jobs that do not exist yet. – World Economic Forum
- Today’s education system is not adequately preparing students for the future, but educators can equip students with skills that will be relevant in the future, even when they’re not sure exactly what it will look like. “Learning for Uncertainty: Teaching Students How to Thrive in a Rapidly Evolving World” – G. Williamson McDiarmid & Yong Zhao
- Set the vision – we need to reimagine education to prepare students for their future, not our past.
The World is Changing – Overview of Key Trends
- Technology – automation, AI, digital transformation of all industries
- Careers – more fluid, mobile, entrepreneurial
- Skills – critical thinking, creativity, collaboration just as important as STEM
- Life – longer lifespans, more diverse communities, climate challenges
What Will Students Need to Thrive?
- Discuss research and frameworks on key future skills I believe students will need.
- Social & Emotional Intelligence (SEL)
- Web/Digital literacy
- Critical literacy
- Computational Thinking
- PBL – design thinking, etc.
- The ability to continually adapt, learn, and grow
- A passion for making a difference in the world
Pathways for the Future
- Have educators discuss in groups – what “pathways” are students leaving behind today as they go through school? What needs to change?
- Share examples or ideas for updated pathways focused on key future skills. See more about the Profile of the Ohio Graduate that I developed below.
Call to Action
- Every educator has a role to play in reimagining education to prepare students for the future
- Commit to starting small. Identify 1-2 changes you can make right away
- Stay connected for ongoing collaboration
Profile of the Ohio Graduate
I completed a crosswalk of Each Child Our Future (Ohio Strategic Plan for Education: 2019-2024) and Ohio’s Graduation Requirements (Long-term Requirements 2023 & Beyond). With this information, I created a Profile of the Ohio graduate modeled after the guidance here in South Carolina.
World-Class Knowledge
- Rigorous standards in language arts, math, science, technology and social studies to prepare students for career and college
World-Class Skills
- Critical thinking and problem solving
- Creativity and innovation
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Communication and information literacy
- Knowing how to learn
Life and Career Characteristics
- Citizenship
- Leadership
- Integrity
- Initiative
- Perseverance
- Career management
- Global and cultural awareness
The competencies focus on developing world-class knowledge in core academic areas as well as world-class skills like critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and problem solving. The life and career characteristics aim to develop well-rounded citizens who exhibit leadership, integrity, cultural awareness, and other vital skills. The competencies can be tweaked or expanded on based on the specific priorities and needs of Ohio students.
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