Education in 2020
Millennials are the first generation that take going to college after school as a must do thing. The generations before us were primary driven towards physical labour that helped them earn a living from a much younger age. With globalisation, technological progress and liberalisation people have increasingly valued higher education more and more. With increased demand, education has become expensive. This is a common economic concept, but what is alarming is the exponential rate at which the cost has increased. Let’s discuss the landscape of education and what exactly has changed.
Globalisation
Educators from across continents are teaching in institutions of higher education. From a very young age, millennials imagine studying in institutions abroad or start preparing for world class universities. Education truly has no borders in the age of the internet as resources are easily accessible to all.
Online Learning
There are various online course platforms that offer courses to complement formal education such as programming, excel, graphic design, etc. Many creative skills such as art, dance and filmmaking are also taught online. Online platforms connect students across the globe and allow them to learn from their peers. There are specialised tutorial platforms like Chegg and Coursehero that many students use for guidance and solution manuals.
Practical learning
Most institutions have let go of the rote learning like mugging up definitions and formulas for testing. Most universities allow students to access all available resources like calculators, formula sheets and sometimes even textbooks while taking exams. After all, these resources will always be available to them. So it is beneficial that instead of wasting time memorising them, they learn how to accurately apply them.
Cut throat competition
College GPA is a source of great anxiety to many college students. Regardless of how many times we hear that marks don’t matter, they definitely seem like the end of the world to students looking ahead at the competitive job market. Each student wants to get any edge that they can. From Dean’s List being an honour to being ashamed of not being on it, millennials have taken the competition to an unhealthy level.
Cost of education
Cost of education has skyrocketed in recent years. Education has become so expensive that after a Harvard Law degree, Barack Obama paid off his student loans only after becoming President. Students from privileged backgrounds are greatly advantaged as they apply to universities without aid. Student loans and aid granted on the basis of need or merit are the only way to acquire college education for people from poorer backgrounds.
Trends in education have changed drastically in the past few years and will continue to evolve. In a post COVID world, the education landscape might be forever changed as online learning comes to the forefront.
Hear three millennials discuss their journey studying in diverse education systems, bearing the financial burden of college tuition and falling in love with their teachers on the podcast, Millennial Things!
