Education Technology

Op-Ed

The Future of Education in the Current Economic Situation

By Dora Miller
April 12, 2022

The party and political grouping that takes over power at each moment have a profound impact on the future of education, from the US and beyond. In many cases, the impact will not be felt immediately because policies take time. However, the effects of the education ideologies by each party will be felt in the education systems, infrastructure, and the nature of graduates an education system produces.

The future of education is a product of cumulative policy changes and educational ideologies. Some of the ideologies are shaped by global trends. However, others result from individual politicians who want to impose personal philosophies.

Subtle ideas like whether you buy term papers online or are forced to sit through tons of homework each night will depend on existing infrastructure. The education system may impose strict measures that hinder any homework help. In other cases, it becomes easier to get help and resources online.

Here is a look at the future of education based on the current political situation.

Education funding

The government is pumping more money into education. It will translate into better infrastructure to support the learning system. Parents no longer have to give too much money to schools for their children to access education.

Funding is also taking an affirmative angle. Institutions and social groups that were not receiving adequate funding are being brought at par with their peers. Education institutions are, therefore, going to offer the same quality of education regardless of the social class they serve. It is one of the ways to achieve equality through education.

Research and Innovation Funding

The government is pumping more money to fund research and development in institutions. Policies are also in place to support innovation among students. The support can be felt in different levels of learning, giving confidence to students and their tutors that their efforts will not go to waste.
The government is also supporting the most innovative and ingenious teams. They comprise teachers and students working on projects that can be scaled to an industrial level. If your school is the most innovative, policies are in place to provide access to more money. This trend will inspire innovation and convince teachers as well as their students that their innovative efforts are worth the time.

Skills development

The government is open to skills development today more than ever. HR policies are in favor of developing skills as opposed to gaining certificates. The policy is allowing workers to reinvent themselves and in the process raise their potential.

Middle-level colleges and universities are detaching units from wider courses to empower professionals who could otherwise have not taken the units. Employers are also giving attention to rider skills despite possessing a degree. It also means that employability is becoming a personal effort with the approval of government policy. As such, two teachers graduating from the same class are bound for different career paths, thanks to their rider skills.

The trend has narrowed the scope students are supposed to learn to be employed. As long as you can prove your skills, your qualification will not count much. This will change learning systems and the acquisition of skills.

Market compatibility

Traditional courses are fading away in favor of more ‘marketable’ skills. Traditionally, students would flock into language, philosophy, literature, and general math or science classes. Today, they compete for computer programming, nuclear medicine, international business, and music, among other very specific courses.
The courses, funding, and their competitiveness are informed by market compatibility. The result will be mutating departments and a change in the competitiveness index for some courses. The market is shaping the education system and the government has to flow with the trend.

Education technology

Governments are introducing more technology in class. Funding and permission to institutions to adopt technology are changing the learning platform. Apps, software, systems, and gadgets are increasingly changing manual work.

The result is a changing job description for the teacher. Tutors can handle their classes without reporting to school. Students can learn while traveling or engaged in business in another continent. The physical campus is increasingly under threat.

Each government comes with a unique philosophy and education methodology. The systems put in place have long-term effects on the education system. The resulting graduating class has a different outlook and will meet a new work environment waiting. The future of each educational generation is shaped by the politics of the day.

Featured image: MD Duran, Unsplash.