Factors that influence Social Change

902 Words2 Pages

Changes in society over the past century—diverse social movements, shift from industrial-based into knowledge-based workforce, the introduction of telecommunications, modern science and technology breakthroughs applied in both positive and negative situations, among others things—have in some way, or another influenced the ways through which universities and colleges meet the needs of higher learning (Clayton-Pedersen & O'Neill, 2005; Johnson, n.d.). Higher education in the 21st century engage a much larger, more varied population of learners, numerous new fields of inquiry, and provide opportunities in several new multimedia settings and formats, like online, virtual, computer-based training, and blended instruction, to name a few. It is yet unknown to the level digital technology will transform the way we learn (Clayton-Pedersen & O'Neill, 2005; Hooker, 1997). To efficiently meet societal and individual demands of the 21st century, colleges and universities recognized during the fall of 20th century their missions as well as practices required reinvigoration and mandated “curriculum revisions” (Clayton-Pedersen & O'Neill; Johnson, n.d.). The core societal change that has impacted higher education is a structural change, which is a convergence of two main forces: the information and management revolution. The information revolution is driving the change from an energy-based economy to a knowledge-based one. And the management revolution in itself was being compelled in part by the changes in information usage potential (Hooker, 1997).
Education is how to make sure we’ve got a workforce that’s productive and competitive. —President George W. Bush
Workforce computer and internet use are becoming more omnipresent, and the dutie...

... middle of paper ...

...olleges and Universities. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/research-and-publications/books/educating-net-generation/curricula-designed-meet-21st-century-expectations
Hooker, M. (1997). The transformation of higher education. Retrieved from http://horizon.unc.edu/projects/seminars/Hooker.asp Johnson, A. (n. d). Principles of effective change: Curriculum revision that works. Retrieved from http://www2.education.uiowa.edu/archives/jrel/fall01/Johnson_0101.htm
McKiernan, H. (May/June 2012). Higher education and the American workforce. Trusteeship
Magazine, 3(20). Retrieved from http://agb.org/trusteeship/2012/5/higher-education-and-american-workforce
U.S. Dept. of Labor. (1999). Futurework. Trends and challenges for work in the 21st century. Executive Summary. Retrieved from
http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/history/herman/reports/futurework/sum-cover.pdf

Open Document