Should All Students Learn How to Code? Pros and Cons
“Coding”, it is said by some, is the “new literacy”. The ability to write and understand computer code, such folks argue, is increasingly fundamental to understanding how to navigate one’s way through, to say nothing of succeeding, in a modern society where more and more of our lives are enabled and/or constrained by the actions […]
Decoding “Everyone should learn to code”
“Everyone should learn to code.” Over the last few years, this has become a popular slogan, invoked by “learn to code” companies and organization interested no doubt in drumming up business. It’s a slogan that comes with some urgency, coinciding with a narrative about he supposed shortage of programmers and other “skilled workers” in STEM fields. More broadly […]
Coding to Become Creative Thinkers
Let me start with a story…. A few years ago, on the day before Mother’s Day, I suddenly realized that I hadn’t gotten a gift for my mom. So I started thinking about last-minute gifts. Instead of buying a gift, I decided to make an interactive Mother’s Day card for my mom, using the Scratch programming […]
Education for the Hardest to Reach Children
More than 57 million children continue to be denied the right to primary education around the world, according to a latest report by UNESCO’s EFA Global Monitoring Report. Of the 57 million out-of-school children of, 28 million boys and girls (almost 49%) will probably never enter school. A further 23% or 13 million have attended school but […]
Educating for Citizenship
A relevant, humane and inspiring education system is the foundation stone of good citizenship. As we tackle the complex task of building a sustainable future, it is vital for us to possess good civic skills and citizenship values so that we can take action collectively, engaging with urgent local, national and global issues. Browse this […]
Bridging the Skills Gap
Governments and businesses around the world are facing a pressing dilemma. According to the International Labor Organization, almost 75 million young people worldwide are unemployed; young people who are unable find work while employers are saying they cannot find people with the right skills. So how can we bridge the gap? What kind of systems […]
Valerie Hannon: “New skills and capabilities are needed to thrive in this new world of work”
According to the International Labor Organization (ILO) nearly 75 million young people are unemployed around the world, an increase of more than 4 million since 2007 (they do not expect this to have changed significantly by 2016). At the same time increasing numbers of young people are entering the labor market, meaning that 80 million […]
TVET in Sub-Saharan Africa: Things that Work
The primary objective of technical and vocational education and training is the acquisition of employable skills for the world of work. Without job-related skills, young people and adults cannot benefit from employment opportunities that offer a decent income. Youth unemployment in Africa has become a major development issue. An estimated 95 million young men and […]
Martha Nussbaum: “You can’t Get Innovation Without Cultivating the Imagination”
This exclusive interview with Prof. Martha Nussbaum from the University of Chicago Law School takes a look at the essential elements of education for the 21st century. It examines how capabilities relate to a country’s development and the importance of educating people in order to help them become active responsible citizens.