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If you were about to travel to a country where you don’t speak the language and I suggested you needed a babel fish, would you know what I was talking about? This is an easy question for anyone who has read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy. The reason I ask is that several technologies are in use and currently being developed to translate in real time. They actually allow you to have a conversation with someone speaking a different language. When you combine that with having access to just about any form of public information worldwide, practically anything is possible.
So, what does all this have to do with education and getting a college degree? Consider that there is no longer any need to take a foreign language… That will free up two years of secondary school to take different classes. What then would fill the void left when foreign language was removed from required high school coursework? Another change that could, and likely should take place in the near future is the elimination of the Technology course requirement. Really, how many adults can stand toe-to-toe with an eleven-year-old when it comes to using technology?
As processors get faster and our lives are increasingly permeated by scientific advancements, many of the things that have been staples in our education system will no longer be necessary. Don’t expect the requirements to undergo drastic change right away. My lifelong experiences with any education system is that they move quickly on very few things.
If the last of your children are already in high school, then you will probably not have worry about changes like these. Parents with younger children need to prepare for a secondary school experience that will undergo a great deal of change over the next 10 years or so. Be prepared to voice your opinion about the things you want your kids to know. Needless to say, that if you don’t speak up when asked, then you can’t complain about any bone-head decisions that are thrust upon your school system and your child.
