The local union for Tertiary Teachers held a symposium on 22nd July. Short videos of some of the presentations and discussions, including one on a return to the concept of lifelong learning, are now available.
Impetus for the symposium would be the current discussions within NZ and internationally on the future of work and education. In NZ, the government has begun work through the productivity commission to work out some scenarios. The TEU submission makes for good reading along with the submission from the metro /NZITP (institutes of technology and polytechnics.
Above follows on from several initiatives in NZ to plan ahead for the fourth industrial revolution. For example, the opposition Labour Party's proposal for Universal Basic Income along with discussions on alternatives. Staying still and not doing anything is no longer an option :(
For education, MOOCs have been one option which have slightly lost it's gloss - see from tsunami to ripple. Personalised education is a possibility, with various options for platforms and support from big names in computing - e.g. Zuckerberg. However, the first initiatives will cater for the compulsory school sector and the more generic type courses in higher education. Vocational education will always be last in the queue due to it's inherent diversity, complexity and need for situated learning experiences.
Therefore, important to keep up with the play and keep an eye out for the emergent technology which will be fit for purpose for the vocational education sector.
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