career--critical-business

Do colleges and universities really teach higher-order thinking?


If higher education is supposed to teach higher-order thinking, then why is the business industry frustrated?

career--critical-businessIn today’s fast-paced economy, employers need new hires who can fail fast, solve problems quickly, and learn continuously. At the core of these abilities are critical thinking and information literacy skills.

But, after completing four years of college, one-third of all college students do not improve their complex reasoning or critical thinking skills. This gap in skills undermines the careers of these young people, stunting their professional growth and preventing them from leading productive and satisfying careers.

The knowledge-driven economy has transformed the business world: ideas and information are now our greatest assets, propelling progress at ever-increasing speeds. Unprecedented amounts of data, the size and scope of which create labyrinths of information, are changing how businesses must operate in order to stay competitive. And these forces are dramatically changing what businesses require in their workforce as well.

From the perspective of employers like me, students are woefully unprepared for this reality.

(Next page: The higher-order skills that will get grads ahead)

According to a CareerBuilder survey, almost a quarter of employers say college graduates are unprepared for the complexities of even entry-level positions today. When asked what skills recent grads lacked, 46 percent of employers listed problem-solving skill. In the modern workplace, it’s clear that a priority is placed on those with the agility to not just follow, but stay ahead of emerging trends.

Colleges and universities can find evidence of this fast-evolving workplace reality in many of the new job titles that have come into being in the last few years: Big data architect. Social media strategist. Cloud services specialist. Digital risk officer. These are not positions that existed when many of the people filling them were in college.

First step to better curricula

Recognizing that the pace of change in the modern workplace favors innovation and adaptability is the first step toward implementing curricula that foster these skills. The 21st Century employee is expected to swiftly filter new information, discern what is valuable, and integrate it appropriately to build on existing skills.

This type of “learning on the fly” is essential to developing a career, but that was not always the case. Previously, and with regimented ways to progress, career advancement was often an output of time served. Seniority mattered more than adaptability.

But, current college students will not be afforded those luxuries. Today’s career paths are dynamic and self-defined. To be successful, students must be able to assess what skills they have, recognize what skills they need, source where they can learn those skills effectively, and apply them ethically and appropriately.

Integrating critical thinking and information literacy instruction into today’s classrooms will be a significant step in preparing students for life after graduation and efforts have already begun to do so across the country. At Credo we are working with several partner institutions to integrate critical thinking and information literacy programming using our courseware.

Institutions that are working to address this gap are on the leading edge of adapting their education to fit the needs of a new economy. As more students list “to get a better job” as an important factor in their decision to go to college, teaching skills employers seek strengthens the value of higher education and prepares students for the realities of the work environment.

More importantly, all of us, from the recent graduate to the CEO, will benefit from a world where challenges are met with strong critical thinking skills, where no problem is too daunting to be solved, and where we fully realize the potential presented by our unprecedented access to an ever-expanding amount of information.

Mike Sweet is the CEO of Credo, a company that partners with educational institutions, libraries, publishers, and technology providers in an aim to prepare students for continuous learning and success in today’s knowledge economy. Follow him on Twitter: @_Mike_Sweet

 

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