一場新冠疫情令美國教育系統的不平等問題暴露無遺。這些問題表現在很多方面,其中包括寬帶互聯網使用的不平等和學校資金的巨大差異。貧困、無緣社會優勢體系、投資的懸殊,多重因素共同作用,給美國的學齡兒童帶來了嚴重危機。
我們理應做得更好。
經過一年的關停整合,學校已漸漸重新開放,秋季新學期的教育會變成什么樣子,學校管理層、教師和家長都拭目以待。幸運的是,各教育機構都有了千載難逢的機會,可以重新考慮課程設置,搭建起一個基礎性平臺,從而減少系統性不平等,縮小學生間的差距。時不我待,當從這一屆學生開始。
擺在面前的是從根本上改變現狀的機會。我們必須補足現有教育中缺失的一層,培養學生的技能,指導他們為更有活力、更健康的生活打下基礎。談到教育創新,人們爭論的焦點在于:核心課程應該包括哪些?目前的核心課程包括閱讀、數學和科學,但個人經濟和財務安全、心理和生理健康、可持續的生活方式和環境保護等等方面的知識呢,應該何時傳授給學生?我們是否教會了學生為自己、為家庭創造財富和經濟機會的技能?關于未來的工作和生活所需的知識,比如數據科學和加密貨幣,他們了解多少?我們需要為所有學生制定一個更全面、更系統的培養方案,以確保他們能夠在成功之路上走得更遠,并推動整個教育生態系統的改革。
這個巨大的缺口正是社會教育的短板。我們的學校和教師承擔著教育、哺育和保護孩子的艱巨任務。然而,在幫助學生迎接日新月異的未來的過程中,家長和教師往往只可以在互聯網上大海撈針般地摸索方向、尋找答案。為了補全幾十年來教育界缺失的一層,學校亟需相關資源,以擴展目前核心課程之外的學習。
我自身的這些關鍵技能,是從實踐和錯誤中學會的。在高中畢業時,我已經具備了一定的微積分和物理知識,但對信用卡透支、申請和管理學生貸款、醫療保健常識一無所知。吃過苦頭的我明白這種普遍的教育缺失所造成的代價。它會在日常生活的點滴小事中弄得我們措手不及,會破壞我們的健康、毀壞我們的生活。更有甚者,它常常造成一代一代的惡性循環。這樣的例子,不勝枚舉。
即便在疫情襲來之前,美國各年齡段的民眾對如何建立穩定的經濟保障也知之甚少。目前,僅有21個州要求將修讀個人財務課程作為高中畢業的條件。與此相應,美國不同種族的家庭凈資產差距高達15萬美元。有了基本的個人理財知識,對股票和證券有所了解,學生們就能夠進而理解金融工具,學習如何積累財富。金融體系變幻不定、暗藏危險。為何不趁年輕人還在學校時就教他們如何開立賬戶、獲取學生資助、管理貸款、建立和維護信用,引導他們進入所有權社會呢?
此次疫情還加劇了心理健康和醫療保健相關問題,這是目前教育缺失中的另外兩個環節。根據世界衛生組織(World Health Organization)的數據,約半數的精神健康問題始于14歲之前。如果說隔離措施給我們帶來了什么經驗教訓,那就是,它讓我們意識到年輕人承受的孤獨。濫用處方藥的問題在12年級的學生中非常普遍。近4600萬的美國人表示難以負擔高質量的醫療服務。我們為何不在這些關鍵問題上對學生開展大規模教育?
年輕人在求學期間和進入職場后會遇到一連串相互關聯的危機。我們應該立即著手重新構架我們的教育體系,著眼于為學生設計一套行之有效的教育藍圖,以解決這些系統性問題,教授生活中的關鍵技能。
我曾經是州議員,現在是企業家,在職業生涯中,我始終致力于研究、倡導和構建可以實現關鍵技能教育民主化的技術解決方案。和許多人一樣,我一直期待政府在解決社會重大問題上發揮主導作用。但目前看來,公共部門沒有能力做到這一點,至少不能夠單獨做到。行政班子更迭、理念轉變、優先事宜變化,導致學生和他們的家庭被朝令夕改的政策和計劃弄得措手不及。這種混亂,加上教育經費的緊縮,只可以使得問題積重難返。
然而,還有一條可行之道:讓教育民主化、重視美國企業界的作用。為了確保上述關鍵技能能夠納入全國各地的核心課程,私營部門必須拿出自身的豐厚資源,這既包括金錢,也包括其他支持。簡而言之,我們需要更多的私有資金來解決課堂上的問題。
值得慶幸的是,邀請企業投資K-12教育的模式切實可行。十三年來,EverFi公司與Beyond Meat、MassMutual Foundation、萬事達卡(Mastercard)、Truist、瑞銀集團(UBS)等數百家企業合作,將數字化技能教育的規劃引入課堂。通過成功開發可擴展的教育軟件,并密切關注知識獲取,EverFi與學區、學校、教師建立起深入合作。目前,已經有超過4600萬名學生修讀了至少一門相關缺失環節的課程。
學習結果令人鼓舞,值得著重宣揚,對學生們的長期穩定和成功起到了關鍵作用。近期,我們對參加金融知識課程培訓的學生進行了一項調查,結果顯示,學生們在此領域的知識增長多達22%。這個數據很有說服力,因為它與學生的年齡、性別、年級或社會經濟地位無關。既然如此,我們為什么不讓全國每一名中學生都從這種教育中受益呢?畢竟,對學校而言,這是免費的,完全由私營企業資助。
EverFi認為,讓學生從年幼時就接觸這些知識,可以推動整個系統的變革。為了證明這個理論,我們收集建立了一個龐大的數據庫,匯集了數百萬參加相關課程學習的學生資料。我們將首次分享這些數據,以激勵人們重新審視關鍵技能教育對學生的長遠益處。這些數據還將涉及我們從全美各地的學生、教育工作者和學區收集到的關于教育缺失層面的見解,展現補充教育的社會優勢。
盡管處在苦痛艱難、挑戰重重的歷史時刻,為教育重繪藍圖的新合作仍然令我歡欣鼓舞。從現在起,我們有能力補上關鍵生活技能這一教育短板,從而打破惡性循環。(財富中文網)
湯姆?戴維森是EverFi公司的創始人及首席執行官。
譯者:胡萌琦
一場新冠疫情令美國教育系統的不平等問題暴露無遺。這些問題表現在很多方面,其中包括寬帶互聯網使用的不平等和學校資金的巨大差異。貧困、無緣社會優勢體系、投資的懸殊,多重因素共同作用,給美國的學齡兒童帶來了嚴重危機。
我們理應做得更好。
經過一年的關停整合,學校已漸漸重新開放,秋季新學期的教育會變成什么樣子,學校管理層、教師和家長都拭目以待。幸運的是,各教育機構都有了千載難逢的機會,可以重新考慮課程設置,搭建起一個基礎性平臺,從而減少系統性不平等,縮小學生間的差距。時不我待,當從這一屆學生開始。
擺在面前的是從根本上改變現狀的機會。我們必須補足現有教育中缺失的一層,培養學生的技能,指導他們為更有活力、更健康的生活打下基礎。談到教育創新,人們爭論的焦點在于:核心課程應該包括哪些?目前的核心課程包括閱讀、數學和科學,但個人經濟和財務安全、心理和生理健康、可持續的生活方式和環境保護等等方面的知識呢,應該何時傳授給學生?我們是否教會了學生為自己、為家庭創造財富和經濟機會的技能?關于未來的工作和生活所需的知識,比如數據科學和加密貨幣,他們了解多少?我們需要為所有學生制定一個更全面、更系統的培養方案,以確保他們能夠在成功之路上走得更遠,并推動整個教育生態系統的改革。
這個巨大的缺口正是社會教育的短板。我們的學校和教師承擔著教育、哺育和保護孩子的艱巨任務。然而,在幫助學生迎接日新月異的未來的過程中,家長和教師往往只可以在互聯網上大海撈針般地摸索方向、尋找答案。為了補全幾十年來教育界缺失的一層,學校亟需相關資源,以擴展目前核心課程之外的學習。
我自身的這些關鍵技能,是從實踐和錯誤中學會的。在高中畢業時,我已經具備了一定的微積分和物理知識,但對信用卡透支、申請和管理學生貸款、醫療保健常識一無所知。吃過苦頭的我明白這種普遍的教育缺失所造成的代價。它會在日常生活的點滴小事中弄得我們措手不及,會破壞我們的健康、毀壞我們的生活。更有甚者,它常常造成一代一代的惡性循環。這樣的例子,不勝枚舉。
即便在疫情襲來之前,美國各年齡段的民眾對如何建立穩定的經濟保障也知之甚少。目前,僅有21個州要求將修讀個人財務課程作為高中畢業的條件。與此相應,美國不同種族的家庭凈資產差距高達15萬美元。有了基本的個人理財知識,對股票和證券有所了解,學生們就能夠進而理解金融工具,學習如何積累財富。金融體系變幻不定、暗藏危險。為何不趁年輕人還在學校時就教他們如何開立賬戶、獲取學生資助、管理貸款、建立和維護信用,引導他們進入所有權社會呢?
此次疫情還加劇了心理健康和醫療保健相關問題,這是目前教育缺失中的另外兩個環節。根據世界衛生組織(World Health Organization)的數據,約半數的精神健康問題始于14歲之前。如果說隔離措施給我們帶來了什么經驗教訓,那就是,它讓我們意識到年輕人承受的孤獨。濫用處方藥的問題在12年級的學生中非常普遍。近4600萬的美國人表示難以負擔高質量的醫療服務。我們為何不在這些關鍵問題上對學生開展大規模教育?
年輕人在求學期間和進入職場后會遇到一連串相互關聯的危機。我們應該立即著手重新構架我們的教育體系,著眼于為學生設計一套行之有效的教育藍圖,以解決這些系統性問題,教授生活中的關鍵技能。
我曾經是州議員,現在是企業家,在職業生涯中,我始終致力于研究、倡導和構建可以實現關鍵技能教育民主化的技術解決方案。和許多人一樣,我一直期待政府在解決社會重大問題上發揮主導作用。但目前看來,公共部門沒有能力做到這一點,至少不能夠單獨做到。行政班子更迭、理念轉變、優先事宜變化,導致學生和他們的家庭被朝令夕改的政策和計劃弄得措手不及。這種混亂,加上教育經費的緊縮,只可以使得問題積重難返。
然而,還有一條可行之道:讓教育民主化、重視美國企業界的作用。為了確保上述關鍵技能能夠納入全國各地的核心課程,私營部門必須拿出自身的豐厚資源,這既包括金錢,也包括其他支持。簡而言之,我們需要更多的私有資金來解決課堂上的問題。
值得慶幸的是,邀請企業投資K-12教育的模式切實可行。十三年來,EverFi公司與Beyond Meat、MassMutual Foundation、萬事達卡(Mastercard)、Truist、瑞銀集團(UBS)等數百家企業合作,將數字化技能教育的規劃引入課堂。通過成功開發可擴展的教育軟件,并密切關注知識獲取,EverFi與學區、學校、教師建立起深入合作。目前,已經有超過4600萬名學生修讀了至少一門相關缺失環節的課程。
學習結果令人鼓舞,值得著重宣揚,對學生們的長期穩定和成功起到了關鍵作用。近期,我們對參加金融知識課程培訓的學生進行了一項調查,結果顯示,學生們在此領域的知識增長多達22%。這個數據很有說服力,因為它與學生的年齡、性別、年級或社會經濟地位無關。既然如此,我們為什么不讓全國每一名中學生都從這種教育中受益呢?畢竟,對學校而言,這是免費的,完全由私營企業資助。
EverFi認為,讓學生從年幼時就接觸這些知識,可以推動整個系統的變革。為了證明這個理論,我們收集建立了一個龐大的數據庫,匯集了數百萬參加相關課程學習的學生資料。我們將首次分享這些數據,以激勵人們重新審視關鍵技能教育對學生的長遠益處。這些數據還將涉及我們從全美各地的學生、教育工作者和學區收集到的關于教育缺失層面的見解,展現補充教育的社會優勢。
盡管處在苦痛艱難、挑戰重重的歷史時刻,為教育重繪藍圖的新合作仍然令我歡欣鼓舞。從現在起,我們有能力補上關鍵生活技能這一教育短板,從而打破惡性循環。(財富中文網)
湯姆?戴維森是EverFi公司的創始人及首席執行官。
譯者:胡萌琦
The pandemic has cast a bright light on the inequities in America’s education system. These have manifested in many ways, including the lack of equal access to broadband and vast disparities in school funding. Poverty levels, lack of access to the systems that provide societal advantages, and woefully disparate investments have created a symphony of crises for children in American schools.
We are better than this.
As schools are reopening—following a year that gutted many to the core—administrators, teachers, and parents are contemplating what education will look like in the fall. There is some good news. School districts have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rethink their curriculum and focus on building a foundation that begins to close the gap on systemic inequities. It can begin with this generation of students.
There is an infrastructure opportunity here. We must build the missing layer of education—the instruction that prepares students with the skills to build more vibrant and healthy lives. Central to the debate over education innovation is the question: What should be included in the core curriculum? Currently, it is a combination of subjects like reading, math, and science, but when do we teach students about the building blocks of personal economic and financial security, mental health and wellness, sustainable lifestyles and environmental protection, to name a few? Have we given them the tools to build wealth and economic opportunities for themselves and their families? How are they being prepared for the jobs and skills of the future like data science and understanding cryptocurrency? We need a more comprehensive, structured road map for all students to ensure long-term success and drive ecosystems of change.
This gaping hole is society’s missing learning layer. Our schools and teachers are doing the Herculean work of educating children, feeding children, and advocating for children. However, in order to fully prepare students for an ever-changing future, parents and teachers are left to left to harvest the far corners of the Internet for guidance and answers. To build this missing layer of education—one that’s been absent for decades—schools will need the resources to extend learning beyond the current core curriculum.
I learned lessons on critical skills through trial and error. I graduated from high school with a semi-thorough understanding of calculus and physics, but no appreciation for the implications of credit card debt, accessing and managing student loans, or understanding the health system. I learned, by mistake, the costs built into this widespread illiteracy. It hits us in our pockets and knocks us down by undermining our health. And it often becomes a cycle handed down from generation to generation. This is not a unique story.
Even before the pandemic, Americans of all ages were living without the critical knowledge to build a stable financial future. Today, only 21 states require personal finance coursework as a condition for graduating from high school. Match this with the fact that there is a $150,000-plus racial wealth gap in household net worth in this country. With a foundational understanding of personal finance, including stocks and securities, students can start to understand financial tools and learn how to build wealth. The financial system can be dynamic and perilous. Why not teach young people, as part of their school day, how to open accounts, access student aid, manage loans, navigate their credit, and access the on-ramp to the ownership society?
The pandemic has also exacerbated issues related to mental wellness and health care, two additional crises that reside within the missing learning layer. According to the World Health Organization, half of all mental health conditions start by 14 years of age. If quarantine has taught us anything, it’s that loneliness weighs on our young people. Prescription drugs taken nonmedically are among the drugs most commonly used by 12th-graders. And, nearly 46 million Americans say they would struggle to afford quality health care. Why not educate students on these critically important issues at scale?
There is a system of interconnected crises facing our youth when they are in school and as they enter the workforce. Now is the time to reimagine our system of education and put more focus on reaching students with a proven educational road map to tackle these systemic issues and teach life’s most critical skills.
As a former state legislator turned entrepreneur, I have spent my career researching, advocating, and building technology solutions for the democratization of critical-skills education. Like many I have expected that the government will lead the charge in solving society’s biggest problems. But it’s no longer the case that the public sector can do this, at least not alone. Governments change, philosophies change, political priorities change, and this results in a whiplashing of students and families with inconsistent policies and programs that are funded one year and gone the next. This churn, combined with tightening education budgets, only contributes to the list of growing problem sets and the lack of meaningful ways to combat these issues.
However, there is a way to address this: by democratizing education and recognizing the vital role of Corporate America. To ensure these critical skills are part of the core curriculum across the country, the private sector must step up with its vast resources, both financial and nonfinancial. Simply put, we need more private funding to tackle these issues in the classroom.
The good news: This model of inviting corporations to invest in K–12 education works. For more than 13 years, EverFi has worked with corporations and organizations— including Beyond Meat, MassMutual Foundation, Mastercard, Truist, and UBS, among hundreds of others—to deliver the road map of digital critical-skills education into the classroom. EverFi has succeeded in these efforts through the development of a scalable educational software solution and close collaboration with school districts, schools, and teachers, along with a maniacal focus on tracking knowledge gain. The result: To date, more than 46 million learners have received at least one course related to the missing learning layer.
The learning outcomes are impressive and worthy of significant discourse, as they play a critical role in a student’s long-term stability and success. According to a recent study of middle school students who took one of our financial literacy courses, students reported a gain of as much as 22% in knowledge on that subject. This data is powerful because the gain is consistent across the board, despite any differences in age, gender, school year, or socioeconomic status of the student. So why not ensure that every single middle school student in the country benefits from this education? After all, it is available to schools at no cost and is funded by the private sector.
EverFi has collected an impressive repository of student learning data to prove our thesis of impact—that reaching students at a young age can drive ecosystems of change. We have aggregated data from the millions of learners who have taken our educational courses, and for the first time, we will be sharing this data to inspire a fresh look at how education on critical skills can benefit students in the long game. This data will also showcase insights we have gathered from students, educators, and school districts nationwide on the societal advantages provided by education on the missing learning layer. EverFi has partnered with Fortune to offer readers an exclusive view of this data through a 10-part “report card” titled The State of Education in America, a series of reported stories that will launch on Fortune.com this fall.
Although this moment in our history will be marked by painful and challenging times, I am inspired by new collaborations that will reimagine education. We can build this missing learning layer of critical life skills and break this cycle, starting today.
Tom Davidson is the founder and CEO of EverFi.