Thirty years
ago, a high school diploma gave its recipient a chance to earn a
decent living. What about now? What is the average salary of a high
school graduate? And why doesn't that graduate possess the necessary
skills to earn a higher wage?
In 1991, the government took these questions as
some of the indicators that educational systems in the US needed a
hard look. They published a report called What
Works Requires of Schools, seeking to
promote the idea that competencies required by the corporate
community should, to a great extent, drive curriculum. To follow up,
a group called The Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary
Skills put out a more recent report. One of the results of this
report has been increasing attention to the educational needs of
those adults
with a high school
diploma or less. An overview of Workforce Education and
Lifelong Learning (WELL) reveals there is
a strong need for educators who can create instruction and training
for this adult population. Many of the occupations our graduates
accept after leaving the university involve helping the adult
population who have not earned high school degrees.
The issues raised by the SCANS report and the need for "lifelong learning" point out the disparity between adults' skills and knowledge bases. However, we do have common ground. Adult learning theories provide a framework for understanding the differences between traditional education (pedagogy) and teaching of adults (andragogy) as well as the common characteristics of adult learners.
For the next hour, you'll act as a WELL specialist, making sure SCANS gets implemented in the WebQuest WELL Works.
When you complete tonight's activities, here's a quiz created by SCANS link to test your knowledge.
