Friday, October 19, 2012

Current Trends in Today's Educational System

The chosen path for many people always started with a successful high school education, leading onto three or four years in a University, and then a safe career inside a multi-national corporation. This pathway may of disappeared in the late 1990's, but education still remains a priority for most career minded people. What are the current trends in today's educational system?
1. The Growth in Vocational Training
Our labor markets have become extremely competitive, and flexible, leading to a need to continuously re-train, and develop new skills. The traditional and on-line vocational educational industry has become the main provider of education- since leaving college has only become one step in the continuous personal development we need in the 21st Century.
2. Online Universities Outgrowing Traditional Universities
In the United States over 60% of new students study online, instead of in a traditional university. Internationally, private and on-line Universities have boomed, because of the flexibility of the degree programs they offer, and the savings compared to studying in a traditional university.
Government cutbacks and increased student debts compared to decreasing salaries in many countries, have also eroded the popularity of studying in a traditional college. This trend should continue as the link between student debts and potential earnings increases- leading millions of people to seek a more affordable and viable option to attending College for several years.
3. Self- Education
In the distant past, information was limited to the books we could get access to, the newspapers we could buy, and the amount of TV channels we could watch. Previous generations may of been less knowledgeable than the internet generation, because it simply took so long to discover the information, we can find at a click of a mouse.
Today, we can own our own library of ebooks, read a hundred if not a thousand opinions on a subject, and link to real people experiencing an event, rather than listen to the opinions of a single TV news channel.
Our knowledge society has led to a "self- educated" generation, who could discover and train themselves, or even create off-line and on-line skill sharing groups. This phenomenal growth in self education, is bridging the gap between a cost cutting state run educational sector, and a new generation who need more specialized skills to thrive in today;s societies.
As the internet grows more affordable, and continues a recentness expansion into the developing World. Education should become more global, and based on the need for millions of people to re-train, learn new skills and find an affordable College education.

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