What does the K-12 system of 2025 look like? Will we finally get the holographic interface promised by Star Wars, or the beaming capabilities of Star Trek?
This past week, I had the opportunity to attend a presentation led by Virginia’s Board of Education President, Dr. Billy Cannaday, Jr. In his presentation, “A Profile of a Virginia Graduate,” Dr. Cannaday argued for a new vision for the K-12 education system in Virginia that aimed to help students become “life ready.”
In order to be prepared for life, Dr. Cannaday noted that students need to gain experience or competencies in these four areas:
- Workplace Skills, developed through job shadowing and informed by employer-based assessments.
- Community and Civic Responsibility, enhanced through capstone projects that require students solve real world problems.
- Career Planning, systemic within the K-12 system, that focuses on career exposure (K-5), career exploration (6-8), and career planning (9-12).
- Content Knowledge aligned to the needs of the 21st century Global Knowledge economy that emphasizes interdisciplinary instruction, performance-based assessments, and rigorous skill development in communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and citizenship.
Envision is passionate about helping students turn their career and life aspirations into reality. We are the nation’s leader in connecting communities of high aspiring students and engaging them in unique, real world experiences that enable them to discover their passion, try out a future career, and positively impact the world around them.
Like educators from around the state of Virginia and across the United States, I find myself thinking about these matters a great deal. Reflecting on Dr. Cannaday’s presentation, my colleagues and I at Envision are continuing to emphasize four key elements as we think about the education of tomorrow:
- “Life Ready” May Be the New Mission – Close to a dozen states are now considering expansion beyond the focus on college or career readiness towards “life readiness.” Whether this is a fad or the current version of K-12 “language games” remains to be determined. At Envision, though, we agree that a holistic view of life trajectory is required to connect the K-12 experience to college, career, and life.
- Career Orientation is the Foundation – At Envision, we have developed our programming to help students find their passion and connect it to a career trajectory that enables them to impact their community on a cause that is important to them. This cause-based Career Navigation System is an emerging hallmark of the Envision experience.
- Performance Assessments are the Strategy – Envision employs real world, culminating performances in the majority of our programs. Whether students are trying a case, diagnosing a patient, building a bridge, or solving a crime, active performance enables them to build skills and explore careers at a deeper level.
- Skills are the Tactics – Envision’s education platform is already built upon the 4C’s of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. The current research clearly shows that these skills are the foundation for individuals who want to compete and collaborate in the ever-changing Global Knowledge Economy.
Change or evolution of the current K-12 status quo is required to engage, equip, and empower all students with the skills, behaviors, and knowledge that they need to succeed in the 21st Century.
Beam me up Scotty…
Written By
Andrew H. Potter
Chief Academic Officer
Envision Experience
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