Realizing Educational Outcomes That Matter

Educational Outcomes We Can All Agree On:

For years, these have been the educational outcomes that matter to political and business and community leaders, teachers, parents, and private citizens:

• A functional and relevant body of knowledge, communication skills
• Relationship-building, team-building and conflict resolution skills
• Confidence
• Creativity and initiative
• Analytical skills, critical thinking, problem-solving and systems thinking
• People who care
• Lifelong learning, and deep learning

 All of us can agree on these outcomes. 

These Educational Outcomes Matter to All of Us: 

Developing these educational outcomes is the best possible investment any country can make. These outcomes benefit everybody and every aspect of society. There is no one who is not benefited by an education that works. 

• The information age and globalized world make it more important than ever for students to develop a high level of competency in the basic subjects and good communication skills.
• Individuals, families, businesses and communities all need people with good relationship-building skills who can work well in teams and resolve conflicts.
• The job market now puts an enormous premium on creative and innovative skills. Economies thrive on innovation.
• The world values people who have good analytical and critical thinking skills, who can see the big picture from the details, who can solve problems and who can think in terms of multi-disciplinary combinations.
• And what really matters for the world is that there are people who care about their family members, and what happens in their community, workplace and wider society.

Realizing the Educational Outcomes: 

If we are to develop these outcomes, they need to be incorporated into the learning environment. 

These outcomes that everyone wants are usually seen as by-products of education, not as the main curriculum. In fact, in most educational settings, they are not even by-products; they are largely ignored. 

If we want to see these outcomes, we have to deliberately build them into the learning environment from the first day of school.  

• For example, if we want to see children develop relationship-building and team-building skills, teachers can be effective role models, guide students in getting along with others, and create situations where students have to work in teams.
• If we want to see children develop creativity and initiative, the teaching can encourage independent thinking, and invite exploration and discovery of knowledge.
• If we want problem-solving and systems thinking as outcomes, the teaching can focus on the connections between disciplines and on learning that is relevant to the student’s life and interests.

These outcomes can only develop if they are consciously built into the educational process, and if the learning environment supports their development.