on the future and on failing

I just heard it but it never left.

"We are emotional beings who happen to think..."

It is truly fascinating. I mean, for eight words, a truth, intelligently grouped together, changing one's perception for life and in return changes the perception of people he comes in contact with.

My passion is in the field of education.

As of the moment, I am formally on vacation but my mind is truly and really on on-line mode. And thanks to Mozilla Firefox's Stumble Upon, a gem fell on lap. Crystallized rumbling thoughts.

If we think about it, the college that I have the privilege to teach in, we are currently educating people who will retire by 2055. By then, if I am still alive, I will be 81 years old. As old, as my ailing grandmother right now.

But why I am stating this fact. The point is - do we know what the future will be in 2055? How about in 2035? How about in 2015? That's only 6 years away from now. Do we really know what skills our students will need by then?

This is significant because it is through education where we usher in the future that nobody knows. And yet, we educate like we know. We design courses like we know. We design curriculum like we know. We design syllabus like we know. We teach like we know. Serious.

I know we know but do we really know for sure?

Of course they need math, science and language. But, here's a suggestion from out of the box - you think we need a skill on how to fail beautifully?

Enter ABET Accreditation. There's a required skill set in the ABET framework called 'lifelong learning.' Actually, this is similar to that part in a Job Description where you read "... will perform other duties that may be assigned and required." This is what we term in HR as the catch all phrase. Funny = )

But seriously, what designed experience do we put out out there to show the importance of lifelong learning among our students?

Serious, what makes a person a student for life?

The simple answer is if the students finds out what he really enjoys doing. But how does the student find that out?

The simple answer is when he finds out what he really does not want to do = )

But how does he find that out?

The simple answer is he goes out there and try things = )

But, this approach have these constraints or challenges: [1] Time does not stop. Once it's gone it's gone and [2] The student's appreciation of failure.

We can not do something about time but we can do something about failure appreciation. Not that we will make the pain will go away but we can make lemonades out of lemons = )

Do not get me wrong, I am not making a virtue out of failure. All I am suggesting is how do we process failure? How do we see failure?

Failing that leads to a new awareness is a good failure. But a failure that failed to bring one person to a new level of thinking is a failed failure. A very sad failure = )

Good failure is a necessity. Not being afraid to fail is a skill set of the 21st century professional. We must not be afraid to be wrong. Because if we are, how can we come up with something original? Something new. Something that is necessary for a future that nobody knows? = )

If that's the case, then how do schools, the classrooms, the classes, the professors and the learning facilitators process failures?

Wait. Do we invite failures in class?

And another wait - is it important to prepare for the future? = )

Lord, You are the lamp that lights my feet...