21st Century Education: Cultivating Creative & Entrepreneurial Talents
February 26, 2016
What a delightful, informative, cautionary and thought provoking presentation from this esteemed expert.
The state of our current education system is bleak.
- There is a global epidemic of over 50% of college graduates unemployed or under-employed
- Students leave school carrying record levels of debt (an average of $23,000)
- Young adults are experiencing unprecedented rates of depression and disengagement
- Most graduates will return to live with their parents at some point as part of the current “Boomerang” Generation
Dr. Zhao challenged us to expand our definition of a “successful” education to encompass more than just getting our kids into college or preparing them for traditional careers (that may be automated), but rather focus on getting them “out-of-basement” ready.
After an enlightening explanation of the factors contributing to the current situation, Zhao made a very compelling case for a paradigm shift in our educational system, and in the way we as parents guide our children through their development process.
He sees an imperative to prioritize, encourage and celebrate:
- Diversity over uniformity
- Creativity – people who are allowed to deviate from the norm
- Greatness – liberating people from their weaker subjects and allowing them to focus on their passion and strengths to become great at one thing instead of average across the board
- Development of an entrepreneurial mindset – need to be job creators, not just job seekers
- Creation of meaningful value and choices for others in an age of abundance
Zhao is the author of several fascinating books on this subject which can be found on his website http://zhaolearning.com including:
–Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon: Why China has the Best (and Worst) Education System in the World
–World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students
– Counting What Counts: Reframing Education Outcomes
Check out the entire talk HERE.