The Pendulum Swings

For as long as I have been involved in education I have listened to the people say there is a need for educational reform. In my opinion it is not about reform, it is about transformation and the perpetual swing of a pendulum. For example:

Sustainability. In 1970 we celebrated the first Earth Day. Schools, colleges and communities demonstrated in favor of environmental reform. An executive order signed by then President Nixon was the start of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an agency whose purpose it was to protect human health and the environment. Twenty years later the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) was founded to promote sustainability in how buildings are designed, constructed and operated, and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system was developed. Students across the country were once again front and center in support of sustainability. Fast forward to today’s news stories, and questions are being raised as to the “real” costs:benefit analysis of going green.

Science and Technology. In 1957 Sputnik was launched by Russia. Shortly thereafter, lawmakers began calling for a greater emphasis on science and math. In 1958 Washington passed the National Defense Education Act and more than $1 billion was infused into this “new” science curriculum. As important as this was at the time, the buzz soon died down. Fast-forward to the 2000s when global rankings, the economy and workforce development took center stage, and there was a renewed emphasis on what we now called S.T.E.M. While jobs are the desired outcome, our ability to fill those jobs is tied to education. Today we are hearing S.T.E.A.M., not S.T.E.M., as the value of the arts is seen in enhancing creativity and innovation. Unfortunately, while we believe that students need the ability to think critically, problem solve and collaborate to succeed, the focus on S.T.E.M./S.T.E.A.M. appears to be driven by outside factors — jobs, and the idea that the U.S. has fallen “behind” — factors that are likely to change and once again diminish the importance of S.T.E.M. education.

A Perfect World. Things will continue to change and the pendulum will continue to swing. In my version of a perfect world, transformation would include social norms that focused on civility, personal responsibility, productivity and a return to the work ethic that built this great country. When coupled with a good education, no matter the current focus, we would have the potential to be unstoppable!

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • University of West Florida Opens New Laboratory Facility

    The University of West Florida recently announced that renovation work is complete on a new lab building for its campus in Pensacola, Fla., according to university news. Building 80 will serve as the home to the university’s civil engineering program and the Tyler Chase Norwood Construction Management Program.

  • DLR Group Hires Higher Education Business Development Leader

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that Senior Associate Megan Todd will serve as its new Higher Education Business Development Leader, according to a news release. Her responsibilities will include building the firm’s reach and client relationships in the California higher education sector, based out of San Diego.

  • Colorado State University Global, SCTE Launch Online Certificate Program

    Colorado State University Global (CSU Global), based in Denver, Colo., recently announced a partnership with CableLabs subsidiary the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) to launch an online certificate training program for broadband professionals, according to a news release.

  • Construction Begins on East Austin CTE-Focused High School

    The Del Valle Independent School District recently announced that construction has begun on a new CTE-focused high school in Austin, Texas, according to a news release. Del Valle High School will measure in at 473,338 square feet and have the capacity for 2,400 students.

Digital Edition