I like John Connell’s blog because he is someone who keeps me up-to-date with news from different parts of the world related to my line of work. Also, I get an occasional glimpse into happenings in Scotland, something I wouldn’t get otherwise.

Today I read in my feed reader just one example of John Connell’s blog keeping me informed. It was of an interesting set of survey results from the United States, which suggest that parents believe schools there do not prepare students for working in the modern world.

The results suggest that parents do believe there is a place for “basic skills”, but unfortunately (in their opinion), 21st Century skills necessary for competing in a contemporary global market are being neglected; to the detriment of students. I must say that I agree with them. Not in their assessment of the US Education System per se (overseas education systems are not my field of expertise), but their assessment of education and schooling in general at this time.

Of course, teachers and school administrators have their part to play in this.  Yet, behind this, there is also a political cloud that looms.  “Basic Skills” are apparently what the electorate want taught in schools.  Now, when the electorate has a conservative tendency (as is typical here in Australia, for example), that’s hardly surprising.  Yet, if all we’re going to teach are “basic skills”, then I can only imagine we’re preparing our children to work in a particular working world.  The problem is, the jobs they’ll be prepared for won’t exist here in Australia (or the US or UK for that matter), because as Thomas Friedman makes clear in The World is Flat, they’re far cheaper to do elsewhere.

Read the media release about the survey.  Make sure you scroll down to view the results summary and key messages in the .doc and .ppt files.