Aligning our education for a digital world

Schools need new mindsets to help prepare a new generation for work,

The Government’s announcement of a $40m investment package to enhance digital fluency is the beginning of a much-needed shift to make education more aligned to our tech-enabled world.

As robotics, artificial intelligence and advances in connectivity transform business as we know it, our schools, children and teachers have to work together to prepare students for the jobs of the future.

This means teaching students how to adapt, fail fast and always be learning. And it means considering how our curriculum can best serve our next generation.

A 2015 study by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (Caanz), found 46 per cent of New Zealand jobs were at risk of automation over the next two decades - that’s 885,000 jobs across sectors.

With this rate of change, schools and educators need to be introducing more STEM subjects and considering new methods of teaching.

They need to shift focus from subjects to broad learning approaches, and from assessments, testing and qualification attainment, to building competencies that will be essential in the future, including creativity, innovation, teamwork, collaboration, problem solving and communication.

As pedagogy evolves to tackle the new requirements of 21st century jobs, our teachers and schools need to take an active role in adopting new mindsets and practices. An increasing number of schools are already embracing change, bringing digital tools into the classroom and redesigning their spaces to better provide more relevant education for students.

More than 2000 teachers have learnt how to integrate digital technologies into their teaching practices and develop the skills required in our contemporary world through our own postgraduate programme. At its core, this programme aims to align our education and techenabled world by transforming New Zealand education through teachers.

With job changes becoming more frequent and entire industries changing, we need to educate students for tomorrow while also promoting lifelong learning. We need to come together as a country and commit to aligning our education and business sectors and ensure our next generation of leaders are bold leaders and innovators.

Fee McLeod is general manager of The Mind Lab By Unitec.