FINALLY: Getting to Education Innovation (After 2 decades of Digital Discourse & Modeled Executions)

Getting to Education Innovation
by Leslie Wilson

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Tony Wagner, Harvard education expert, says that college grads “used to have to find a job. That’s so 20^th century.”  Thomas Friedman (NYT, March 31, 2013) told us that Wagner calls himself a ‘translator between two hostile tribes” – meaning between the education and business worlds. In Wagner’s book, “Creating Innovators:  The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World” he posits that K-12 education ought to be preparing our youth to be ‘innovation ready’ not ‘college ready’.  Friedman elaborates the most salient points in his article.

Each aspect of Wagner’s position resonates.  The Partnership for 21^st Century Skills (P21)  has promoted the same agenda demonstrating where K-12 educators ought to be focusing learning activities and outcomes.  Content/information is widely accessible and available. Basic knowledge and skills are still required.  What matters for today’s workers/grads, says Wagner (and P21), is not the knowledge a person possesses but what he/she is able to do with that knowledge – ie. create, produce, innovate-and be motivated and driven to do those things.

This gets at the need for ‘deeper learning’ – as P21 defines it – deeper learning is “the process of learning for transfer. It enables an individual to take what was learned in one situation and apply it to new situations.”  The learner can then transfer what is known to solve problems, answer questions, create, etc., within other contexts and with other content.

Current practices and some reform measures are at odds with K-12 education’s ability to change according to Wagner’s and P21’s recommendations. For example, because of the emphasis on test scores – teachers and principals are focused on students’ abilities to ‘get it right’ on the test instead of addressing the deeper constructs and behaviors that are needed for this century of learner and worker.  In order for educators to truly incorporate these deeper skills into the instructional program – they need time and resources – beyond what is currently available in what we know as the normal work routine for professional learning.

Wagner points out that laboratory schools may be the answer; these are schools where students develop and demonstrate mastery of skills as they move toward matriculation- and much of a learner’s output would be through entrepreneurships.   He also says that teacher prep programs ought to include residencies with master teachers and ‘performance’ standards instead of ‘content’ standards.

Wagner points to Finland as a place where the education system has got it right.  He notes that they are one of the most innovative economies in the world.  This reminded me of being in Finland last September and talking with many people about their education system. Wagner is right – Finland has a fine focus on learners’ creativity, shorter school days, little testing and motivates learners and workers to ‘change’ and flex over time. Some parents indicated that they thought it odd that there weren’t more stringent requirements for learners while in school….but what they do seems to work.   Job changes are promoted and highly honored – even with scholarships for returning to university for additional education.  We all know that being able to change and adapt in our work and personal lives is what today is made of…

As for progress – 19 states are P21 states…that’s good progress. (I am disappointed that Michigan is not one of those 19.)  I sat with the P21 team at CoSN last month in San Diego.  There are tremendous efforts across the country where teachers have infused the 21^st century skills within and across content areas. The Common Core Curriculum affords a good opportunity to reinvent how we do school for our future.  It’s hard work, time consuming and requires strong leadership, resources and support while navigating the ‘testing’ waters in our current landscape. 

Leslie Wilson

CEO – One-to-One Institute

Co-author-Project RED

lesliew@1two1.org