Dear Mr. Hamil!

You raised a very important topic to discuss. I am from Europe and I can speak only about the situation in this continent. In my view, the problem is the learning process at universities. I found studies that address this topic:

1) Giones, F., Kleine, K. & Tegtmeier, S. Students as scientists’ co-pilots at the onset of technology transfer: a two-way learning process. J Technol Transf 47, 1373–1394 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-021-09880-3, Open access:

Article Students as scientists’ co-pilots at the onset of technology...

2) Carlos Baptista De Lima, Sean Walton, Tom Owen, A critical outlook at augmented reality and its adoption in education, Computers and Education Open, Volume 3, 2022, Open access: Article A critical outlook at Augmented Reality and its adoption in education

3) Shehaj, A. (2022). Revolutionized learning: education policy and digital reform in the eurozone. European Policy Analysis,8, 312–326. https://doi.org/10.1002/epa2.1158, Open access: Article Revolutionized learning: Education policy and digital reform...

Yours sincerely, Bulcsu Szekely

Indeed a crucial question and an interesting previous reply.

Overall we know that thanks to technological development and other factors there are many changes happening. Habits, values and other parts of our life change.

Education is expected to change and cope with all these and certainly, this takes time.

Education today is in crisis. Even before the coronavirus pandemic struck, in many parts of the world, children who should be in school aren’t; for those who are, their schools often lack the resources to provide adequate instruction. At a time when quality education is arguably more vital to one’s life chances than ever before, these children are missing out on the education needed to live fulfilling lives as adults and to participate in and contribute to the world economy.

Historically, education has been the shortest bridge between the haves and the have-nots, bringing progress and prosperity for both individuals and countries, but the current education system is showing its age. Founded at a time when industries needed workers with a relatively fixed set of skills and knowledge, it is losing its relevance in an era of innovation, disruption and constant change, where adaptability and learning agility are most needed. (Krishnan)

References:

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/our-education-system-is-losing-relevance-heres-how-to-update-it/

This is an interesting question, indeed. I can only respond based on my 30+ years of teaching and exposure to students over that 30-year span of time. My observation is that increasingly students want to be able to "do something" with what they have learned; i.e., application. We often assume that educated minds will figure out how to that on their own, and some will, but tnot all. Students who have not had jobs previously, or grown up in a labor-intense environment, or with a value for applicable skills, simply don't figure it out on their own. I would say that is a function of our current education practices that are almost totally theory-based, and I would say that students at higher levels of education today will no longer be quiet about it. College costs a lot in terms of time and money. It is pretty depressing to make that investment only to find that you are not qualified, from an experiential perspective, to do anything for which others will pay you. Some possible inclusions in the classroom include: case studies based on real life situations, hands-on practice using key skills to solve real problems, consulting assignments with local businesses to identify and address real problems, expert practitioners to visit classrooms and talk about their work as well as answer real questions that students have, and many more I am sure. I have used many of these in my classes at a variety of higher-education sites and grade levels. These "life experiences" have never failes. Students also use them as evidence of practiced skills. Why they are not included as standard fare in higher education is a mystery to me! Goodness knows we need more trades-people in our world, and that's what many of today's college-aged students are opting out of college to do. That may be the absolute correct answer for some. But why are we hesitant to provide the experience-based education that others are looking for? This would help the education institutions attract students, help the local communites become involved with the institutions and benefit from what students are learning, and allow students to offer proven skills at no or low costs to smaller organizations in need of assistance. It is being done in some places. Why not all??

En educación y aprendizaje hay un declive porque: Los maestros nos enfocamos en los programas de estudio obsoletos otorgados por el gobierno. Incluso los maestros que se continúan preparando no aplican sus conocimientos al 100% porque no concuerda con lo que se debe enseñar según los programas. Y el aprendizaje, los estudiantes lo adquieren más actualizado en los medios de comunicación, además estos lo adquieren de manera inmediata y fácil. Ha desaparecido el deseo de investigar una tarea en libros. Porque internet da la solución de manera simple e inmediata. Se ha comprobado que lo que se enseña en las escuelas, no concuerda con la realidad y necesidades laborales de los alumnos. Por tal razón se necesita un análisis profundo de la educación y el como enseñar. De acuerdo al contexto de cada país. Ya que los planes de estudio que se aplican, vienen de otro país en condiciones socioculturales y económicas totalmente diferente. Los enfoques educativos son funcionales en el país donde se creó y funcionó con éxito, pero no todos los países son iguales.

In fact, I can see that the focus of students on grades rather than learning the material and being skilled. Instructors went with the flow that they should have a specific passing grades even though the students are not doing well, so they curve the grades as needed. The students get this message clearly, and they start depending on these instructor's curves of their grades to pass the class.

I think the focus should be on ways to get the knowledge to go to the next level with solid base. It will make a real difference in education.

I think that this question is based on a false premise. In fact, I know that it is.

Up until the disruptions caused by the pandemic, there was every indication that education and learning was increasing. All the standardized tests had long term trends on the way up -- especially if you account for changing demographics.

That last point -- known as Simeon's Paradox -- is really important. The idea is that the overall average can actually move in the opposite direction of ALL the subgroup averages when distribution across the subgroups changes.

Imagine it like this: Your weight lifting club has both men and women in it.

* Over time, your club starts to have more women in it, as they hear about the club and learn that it's friendly to women.

* Over time, both the average performance of men improves AND the average performance of women improves. More capable people join and the club's training methods get better and better. All good!

But because men are so much physically stronger than women -- including among weight lifters -- the overall average for the club DECREASES. Men are getting stronger. Women are getting stronger. Better everything. Just more women than there were in the past.

Educational attainment levels are up. Drop out rates are down. In this country and around the world, more education. Higher test scores for every subgroup.

But because we are reaching more people and more of traditionally lower performing children (e.g., children of immigrants, ethnic minorities, etc.) are staying in school longer, Simpson's Paradox makes the overall average lower than it would appear if you...ran a linear regression that controlled for the most basic demographic factors, for example.

Educationally, we are doing better than ever before. More job require more education and the global economy has grown enormously. Less global poverty. More literacy.

Technology has not dumbed us down at all.

This is a very important question and is timely. There's a decline in the education and learning of today because of the infiltration of unqualified teacher's in the education system, who don't know how to teach or lecture students, some only teach theoretically, without supporting the facts with practicals. That's one, two is technology, don't misunderstand me, technology is great and has solved so many problems, but one of it's disadvantage as relating to education is that it's has made students lazy to study, because at any time students can just go to the internet and get things done educationally in just some few seconds, but if we don't get things right, as jack ma, said, we'll be in trouble, because smart mechatronic machines will take over the world, in which students can't compete with smart artificial intelligence machines. Thirdly is the issue of over intelligent students who feel that because they know something, a teacher can't lecture or tell them anything, some will even go to an extent of criticizing thier teacher's. It has been observed in a classroom setting, if you want to achieve success with your students in conducting practicals, don't put too much intelligent students in one group, because, it'll only bring condemnation and nothing will get done, instead pair in each group, some intelligent students, some average performing students and some students who do not normally do well but can always improve. That's just my small way of contributing to the question.

Is this the price we pay for progress into modern globalization in this digital era. Education and Learning is not as supreme and crucial as it was, the urgency to complete education and contribute to the progress of our nations is no longer an opportunity that is available today. Civilization as I see it is running out of things to be taught or discovered. Just my personal thoughts.

I believe that technology has come to be relied on consistently, hence, people do not believe in using their brains anymore, as it is not called pressure. The question that is asked at this time is, why do I have to calculate this equation when I can google it? Technology is great! but it has also led to the decline of humans wanting to use their brains.

There were lot of factors to consider. ONE of which is Technology. Both educators and learners must be well-equipped in utilizing the technology in the teaching-learning process. We cannot blame students alone, but the teaching strategies/aproaches were also at stake, not everyone in the field can utilize and adapt with the technology, apps and etc. EDUCATING young minds is a TWO-WAY process.

I also believe that technology has come in handy, but it has made people lazy in the sense that people no longer see the need to use their head knowledge, but only rely on technology. For instance study has shown that engaging in short lived dorpamine things like texting and twitting, makes the human mind naturally not be able to pay attention to details.

People nowadays being "technology reliant" for it provides convenience and tend to be adherent to use of social media and alike... That proacastination is already a practice.

Education does not seem to be reaping enough benefits from the rapid pace of technological development in today's society. While technology offers many solutions to educational challenges that did not exist before, it seems that technical support for education is not thoroughly a part of education. This conceptual split often puts the development of education and technology in different directions.

I agree with other partners who have mentioned that the excessive convenience of technology has made people lazy. But just as computer technology seemed to be developed initially to make it easier to solve mathematical problems, it has now become essential in many more areas. Therefore, this laziness needs to be researched and transformed with more effort to become the seed for other essential roles.